Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are you suggesting an immediate pardon for any crime less serious than kidnapping or slander?
For agents of the state, certainly!
Really? That sounds like a solid step towards fascism.
Ahmed Mohamed will not face charges related to device [pdf]
71–80 of 124 posts
Re: Ahmed Mohamed will not face charges related to device [pdf]
#72General question: How come we're able to see his photo plastered everywhere? I thought there were laws about identifying minors?
The family released the photo not the school.
Re: Ahmed Mohamed will not face charges related to device [pdf]
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
Their justification is in the linked PDF: "Under Texas law, a person is guilty of possessing a hoax bomb if he possesses a device that is intended to cause anyone to be alarmed or a reaction of any type by law enforcement officers."
This is another way that governments (those with the monopoly of the use of force) expand their reach. By putting the precipice of wrongdoing not on what happened but on the reaction of state agents, it becomes extremely difficult to call out bullies like this.
I read that line as more along the lines of yelling "fire" in a movie theater. Clearly there was no intent of causing hysteria with Ahmed's suitcase clock, which I assume is why he was freed. But, clearly, this shouldn't have gone as far as it did.
Re: Ahmed Mohamed will not face charges related to device [pdf]
#74Earlier quoted context omitted.
The design of the clock is absurd for a "random project". If the kid walks into an airport with that, its basically like yelling fire in a movie theatre. its not freedom of speech, even tho its speech. If this is a politicised stunt (which it appears to be), same issues at play. This whole insident basically looks like a johnny knonxville stunt form Jackass (the mtv show). If its true that his father is a former pres…
Seriously? You think it's the _clock design_ that's absurd, and not the school and cop's ignorant reactions? Should I be convicted of a "bomb hoax" for this? https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigiain/5162711688/ Note my description from five years ago shows somewhat more considered-but-not-carried-out intent than this kid... I think you are 100% wrong. People who assume anything vaguely electronic that they don't underst…
Considering this[0] is what an actual bomb looks like, practically every student at every school could be carrying a bomb.
The teacher he showed the clock to in the morning is kicking himself for not telling the kid to leave it with him and pick it up at the end of the day. He knew what the administration/other teachers would think if they saw it.
What if it was a bomb. Or the timer for a bomb that was already planted? And the news today was "14 year old brings bomb to school, teachers save day"?
The situation was not handled well at all by any of the adults involved. But schools are a scary place. You've got a building with a generation of other people's children in it. And some times people do bad things in those buildings.
Someone should have looked at that clock and said "yeah, this is a clock. No big deal. It doesn't even look like a real bomb, but if it kind of looks like a TV Bomb, maybe don't bring it to school next time." and then everyone goes on their merry way.
Unfortunately, adult ego got involved.
[0] http://www.oddthingsconsidered.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/0...
Re: Ahmed Mohamed will not face charges related to device [pdf]
#75Earlier quoted context omitted.
Seriously? You think it's the _clock design_ that's absurd, and not the school and cop's ignorant reactions? Should I be convicted of a "bomb hoax" for this? https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigiain/5162711688/ Note my description from five years ago shows somewhat more considered-but-not-carried-out intent than this kid... I think you are 100% wrong. People who assume anything vaguely electronic that they don't underst…
First, go try joking about explosives in security line at the airport, or at the white-house, or the local federal courthouse. Its not the joke you are getting (going to be) arrested for, its not the absurdity, its not the freedom of speech you are exercising. Its also not racist or whatever...it is just not the context for jokes. Second, The for the "timepiece" is straight out of a B movie. see, eg https://www.googl…
Dude, it was the size of a pencil box. If comically tiny briefcases are such a cause for alarm... man, you guys are swept up in a culture of fear.
Re: Ahmed Mohamed will not face charges related to device [pdf]
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
One of the officers made a comment that indicates a certain level of racism. The police were not fearful enough to evacuate the school, yet made the claim that this seemed to be a bomb. Explaining their actions without that context is a bit trite.
To be fair (and I slightly hate myself for speaking up in their defence) the cops were claiming "bomb hoax", not "bomb". Of course the police are also claiming "not racially motivated policing", so as we gauge their level of truthfullness we should keep both those facts in mind...
My response to that is how did he attempt to perpetrate a hoax? What evidence did the officers have that his intent was to do so?
Re: Ahmed Mohamed will not face charges related to device [pdf]
#77Earlier quoted context omitted.
Their justification is in the linked PDF: "Under Texas law, a person is guilty of possessing a hoax bomb if he possesses a device that is intended to cause anyone to be alarmed or a reaction of any type by law enforcement officers."
So I found a five year old photo of mine on Flickr - I'm glad I wasn't a muslim schoolkid in Texas when I wrote that second paragraph in the Flickr description: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigiain/5162711688/ (Also now waiting for the first reports of a muslim being convicted of a "bomb hoax" for carrying a pepper grinder, on the grounds that it "cause a sneeze reaction in a law enforcement officer"...)
I'm not entirely sure what your photo has to do with anything.
Re: Ahmed Mohamed will not face charges related to device [pdf]
#78Earlier quoted context omitted.
Seriously? You think it's the _clock design_ that's absurd, and not the school and cop's ignorant reactions? Should I be convicted of a "bomb hoax" for this? https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigiain/5162711688/ Note my description from five years ago shows somewhat more considered-but-not-carried-out intent than this kid... I think you are 100% wrong. People who assume anything vaguely electronic that they don't underst…
First, go try joking about explosives in security line at the airport, or at the white-house, or the local federal courthouse. Its not the joke you are getting (going to be) arrested for, its not the absurdity, its not the freedom of speech you are exercising. Its also not racist or whatever...it is just not the context for jokes. Second, The for the "timepiece" is straight out of a B movie. see, eg https://www.googl…
First - he never mentioned, joked, or claimed anything about explosives (but the cops carefully framed that as him "not being forthcoming"). The only people talking about explosives were the "adults".
Second - when did it become "OK" to handcuff and question children without lawyers based on what b-grade movie makers choose to use as stereotypes?
(Sorry you're getting downvoted so hard - I disagree but would rather discuss and understand your position than downvote you to oblivion...)
Re: Ahmed Mohamed will not face charges related to device [pdf]
#79What's really shitty about this isn't that the school or police overreacted at first. It isn't that this somehow affects Islamic-American relations or American-Muslim citizens. It isn't even that this may have discouraged Ahmed from future creativity. What's so concerning about this story is that if it wasn't picked up by the news, a defenseless 14-year-old would have a criminal record for bringing a personal project to school.
Situations like this make me think of all the similar incidents that never got picked up by the news because some terrorist was shot or the stock market dipped and the story was no longer important enough to report.
Re: Ahmed Mohamed will not face charges related to device [pdf]
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
So I found a five year old photo of mine on Flickr - I'm glad I wasn't a muslim schoolkid in Texas when I wrote that second paragraph in the Flickr description: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigiain/5162711688/ (Also now waiting for the first reports of a muslim being convicted of a "bomb hoax" for carrying a pepper grinder, on the grounds that it "cause a sneeze reaction in a law enforcement officer"...)
I'm not entirely sure what your photo has to do with anything.
It's a home built clock.
I think in Texas that'd make me suspicious - and I think that's _insane_.