TSA Handcuffs Student for Arabic-English Flashcards

Politics

As the Progressive reports, prompted by a suit from the ACLU, the Transportation Security Administration detained a college senior for carrying Arabic-English flashcards. Once detained, they peppered him with questions like:

TSA supervisor: “You know who did 9/11?”

George: “Osama bin Laden.”

TSA supervisor: “Do you know what language he spoke?”

George: “Arabic.”

TSA supervisor: “Do you see why these cards are suspicious?”

The kicker?

When George told them he didn’t know why he was being held, one of the agents called him a “fucking idiot.”

It seems he had traveled some throughout the Middle East, which may have triggered him for a watch list. But it’s ridiculous that a set of flash cards is enough to be detained at the airport for several hours – another sign that most of the TSA’s efforts represent security theater instead of actual security.

(Thanks to Boing Boing for pointing this out.)

Review: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Century: 1910

Comics

Underwhelming. Acclaimed author Alan Moore continues the “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier” trend of being more interested in navel-gazing than storytelling. The navel-gazing is intriguing, and features excellent art by Kevin O’Neill, who uses an almost-lithographic style that complements the period feel.

But while Moore has some interesting plot points to work with–the stirring of an occult conspiracy and the bloody ascendancy of Captain Nemo’s daughter to her pirate throne–he seems more interested in crafting bon mots for genderbending hero Orlando and dancehall tunes to match the action.

This installment of a larger story doesn’t feel self-contained, as advertised. Moore’s impressive creativity is lessened as he returns to the well of “Jack the Ripper,” with diminishing returns.

Sun-Times Cartoonist: Snow in February Irrefutable Argument Against Global Warming

Comics

Chicago Sun-Times Cartoonist Jack Higgins phones this one in.

Despite the fact that the past decade was the warmest on record, global warming is apparently fraudulent because it snowed in Chicago in February. Oh, and if you believe that global warming is occurring, you hate children. Or something.

Luckily, the blog “If Global Warming is Real Then Why Is It Cold” provides a home for this weak attempt and all of its embarrassing cousins.

My Letter in the Sun-Times

Politics, Well Worth Reading

I had a letter, “Tell Both Sides,” published in today’s Chicago Sun-Times. It was in response to an article yesterday that accompanied policeman as they raided a suspected drug-dealer’s home using a no-knock warrant.

Tell Both Sides

To balance your enthusiastic portrayal of no-knock police raids in “Police! Search Warrant!,” you should present some of the tragic outcomes that have taken place as a result of policemen forcing themselves into people’s homes.

Mistaken identities, lying informants and simple miscommunication have led to people dying and killing police officers. At the same time, giving police a green light to bash their way into people’s homes in response to nonviolent drug crimes represents a dangerous advancement in the militarization of law enforcement.

I’m happy enough with the letter, although I wished I’d emphasized a little more how disorienting–and dangerous–it is for people to wake to a group of armed men rushing into their house. Even if the intruders are shouting “Police,” it’s not surprising that residents take it to be a home invasion, and often respond with force. These no-knock raids are borne from a fear that people will flush their drugs, but that seems a bar too low to countenance military-style police groups breaking into people’s homes in pursuit of non-violent crimes.

Libertarian reporter Radley Balko has written a lot on the subject.