Homeland Security Denies Entrance To UK Tourist Because Of Twitter Joke
from the so-sorry,-too-bad dept
I am actually writing this post sitting in a French airport, getting ready to board my flight back to the US... but I think I'll hang onto it and post once I'm back in town. That's because it's about some UK tourists who were taking a little vacation to the US... until Homeland Security refused them entrance, because one of them had joked on Twitter about digging up the grave of Marilyn Monroe and "destroying" America (by which he meant partying). Apparently, DHS has figured out how to monitor Twitter... but hasn't figured out what a sense of humor is. (And yes, I made it home and through customs without any trouble).
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Filed Under: border patrol, customs, homeland security, jokes, tourists
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Its a bomb!
He at least got off lightly compared to one UK teenager who sent email of vile abuse to both Congress and the Whitehouse saying some very nasty things about the United States.
What was their reply you may wonder? They had the UK Government send a Police Officer around his house to inform him he had just got a lifetime ban from ever entering the United States.
He claims he could not remember what he wrote.
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The really scary part
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Re: The really scary part
It might just be part of their program run by General Dynamics looking for certain words and phrases, mostly focused on finding people talking poorly about them.
http://techlaw.justia.com/2012/01/13/dhs-contracted-with-general-dynamics-1-16m-to-monitor- fb-twitter-blogs-news-comments/
EPIC Sues DHS Over Covert Surveillance of Facebook and Twitter : EPIC has filed a Freedom of information Act lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security to force disclosure of the details of the agency's social network monitoring program. In news reports and a Federal Register notice, the DHS has stated that it will routinely monitor the public postings of users on Twitter and Facebook. The agency plans to create fictitious user accounts and scan posts of users for key terms. User data will be stored for five years and shared with other government agencies.The legal authority for the DHS program remains unclear. EPIC filed the lawsuit after the DHS failed to reply to an April 2011 FOIA request. For more information, see EPIC: Social Networking Privacy. (Dec. 20, 2011)
https://epic.org/privacy/socialnet/
But secretly spying on social networks is to keep us safer, or at least try to head off the next person complaining about their 7 yr old being felt up by a TSA agent.
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Re: Re: The really scary part
No, this type of key word scanning has got be illegal on so many levels. I can sort of see how they can justify not allowing tourists in, they're not citizens, therefore they don't get the full protections an actual citizen should get, but something like this will inevitably be extended to citizens. Then what? You'll have US CITIZENS barred from the country for saying the wrong thing?
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Re: Re: Re: The really scary part
America is a battleground now... we needed these new rules to keep us safe from independent thought and people who might point out the violation of rights to the sheeple who thought it would make them safer.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: The really scary part
starts of legit, then ends up corrupt
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Re: Re: Re: The really scary part
http://fleeglesblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/counting-sheep.html
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As we have seen thinking isn't a big priority.
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But of course under no circumstances is it subject to Cuban law.
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Just the laws of physics. I am uncertain which one though.
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ye cannot change the laws of physics, laws of physics, Jim.
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Re: Re: Re: The really scary part
The objective is simply to get every person on the planet to think "Will I get in trouble with the US authorities for writing or recording this?", whenever they post a comment on a social media site, blog, whatever.
Global censorship ladies and gentlemen.
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Re: Re: Re: The really scary part
> from the country for saying the wrong thing?
As of now, the law mandates that a US citizen cannot be barred from entering his/her own country.
They can make your trip through customs a nightmare, and if you're bringing anything illegal, of course you can be arrested for it, but they cannot legally deny a US citizen entry into the US.
I'm sure that will promptly be changed with the new NDAA, however. I mean, if they can raid your home, drag you off to a secret prison and hold you forever with no attorney and no trial, then I imagine it's a small matter to strip out that bit of law that prohibits the government from barring you entry to your own country.
The good news is, all you have to do is fly to Mexico and smuggle yourself across the southern border and become an illegal alien. The way things are going here in California, the illegals are now being treated *better* under the law than US citizens, so it won't be long before all you have to do is declare yourself to be an illegal and the government will have to treat you with kid gloves.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: The really scary part
As of now, the law mandates that a US citizen cannot be barred from entering his/her own country.
But it doesn't say WHERE in the country they have to let you go, right? As long as the holding cell is on this side of the border, they're in the clear!
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Re: Re: The really scary part
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Re: Re: Re: The really scary part
Too late friend, I've stated here on Techdirt many times that I am already afraid of entering the US, that my fear of entering the place and what would happen is the same kind of fear I might expect if I were to visit Saudi Arabia for example. I am one potential tourist who will most likely never set foot on US soil, not while we have these police state tactics going on.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: The really scary part
That is a real shame too. The US is a beautiful country and the people are as well. In fact, the older I get the more I am convinced that it is governments that don't get along and not the people. Most people will get along with most other people, but governments seem to have a problem playing nicely.
The US government is completely out of control and now doesn't even trust their own citizens. I forget who said it , maybe Thomas Jefferson, but there is a quote that goes something like this: "That government which does not trust its people can itself no longer be trusted." Unfortunately that is the where we are at in the US.
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Saudi Arabia is quite open (righteous?) about its restrictions, unlike the US which appears to be a democracy but by many accounts seems to behave like a police-state. The other important difference is that Saudi Arabia does not have the influence on the rest of the world that the US does.
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Re: Re: Re: The really scary part
This lesson shows lots of stupidity, but with a slow mind imagine what would have happened had these 2 people ACTUALLY come and dug up Marilyn and Destroyed the country... someone would have found the tweet where he announced his bold plans and someone would have gotten their ass handed to them and that kick in the ass would have rolled down hill to someone on the line picked to take the fall. So the guy on the line, saw a chance to show he is on the ball...
I saw someone over on BoingBoing trying to compare these tweets to shouting fire in a theater, and we shouldn't ever say these things... *blink*
I got into a bad habit once after I found out about the rooms monitoring phone traffic... I would randomly say Jihad and other phrases while on the phone talking with friends... now I know if I do it again I should expect black copters in about 15 minutes.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: The really scary part
I regularly thrown in a "death to America" joke when on the phone with my boyfriend. I don't think the NSA is as stupid as the TSA.
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sorry just had to fix that for you
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Isn't this the same gang that says creating a false account is a felony?
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Re: The really scary part
It's scary in the sense that you and the rest of the general population have not yet realised that you are being spied on by governments that want to pin you down so that you don't bother them and by corporations that want to whore you and your data to oblivion.
I suggest you learn what GPG is, and I also suggest that you start using it.
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Re: Re: The really scary part
Should we assume you mean PGP? ;-)
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnu_Privacy_Guard
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Re: The really scary part
http://www.pcworld.com/article/248908/fbi_to_build_social_network_spy_app.html#tk.rss_news
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http://www.pcworld.com/article/248908/fbi_to_build_social_network_spy_app.html#tk.rss_news
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Re: The really scary part
http://www.pcworld.com/article/248908/fbi_to_build_social_network_spy_app.html#tk.rss_news
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All tweets by twits were made part of the Library of Congress archive as a public record
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That would make a great comedy sketch.
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Re:
Destroy in British(Irish!?) Slang means party according to an article.
The other quote about digging up Marylin Monroe... a quote from Family Guy.
He and his female companion were obviously here to ruin the country, and this is why we can not have nice things.
It has nothing to do with the idea of a police state being run by people hired from the tops of pizza boxes.
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These things are way more common than a lot of people realize.
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Not knowing what they were looking for, I simply kept focusing on that I was there for my meeting for work, but after a 12 hour flight and 4 hours of questions one tends to loose focus a bit, so I'm not entirely sure at what point it really went wrong (I believe at one point they asked where I planned to use my laptop, to which my answer was of course, why would I bring it otherwise)
I'm from one of the VISA Waiver countries, i.e. you do not need a VISA (that is, until the waiver has been denied for any reason at some point), and my ESTA record was up-to-date and OK.
The drawback of the waiver program is that it can be denied for any reason whatsoever. And when it does get denied you are automatically an illegal alien.
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Actually that is not something unique to the visa waiver program, it can apply to any visa if the low paid, poorly educated and poor trained immigration official decides you have broken the terms of your visa. No arguing,no higher authority, no appeal, nothing but either jail or next plane to where you came from
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Even though for most people that would be the same thing and if in doubt one or two questions could resolve any confusion, that would require actual thought and effort on behalf border officials, something that is outside of their job description.
Their job is plain and simple, to find reasons to deny people entry, sometimes i suspect they have actual quotas of denied entry's to reach
Crap like this is pretty common with US borders offcials, hence why multinationals/international businessmen now try to arrange to meet anywhere except the US if they can
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There really should be a minimum standard of education and experience to work in customs.
That said, I haven't had any difficulties with the individuals I have dealt with when I have to travel for work so I can only assume there is more to the story in every case.
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Thank You
This is the US and we don't want any water bottles, plastic utensils, or threatening Tweets in our country, and the terrorists need to learn that we mean business.
Keep up the good work.
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Re: Thank You
Cupcakes need to be in paper cups!
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Re: Thank You
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How things have changed
"Sole purpose of visit"
He was allowed entry without a murmur. Seems like modern immigration officials have their sense of humour surgically removed as a condition of employment.
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Re: How things have changed
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
1907-1960
Before he [Gilbert Harding] could go to New York he had to get a US visa
at the American consulate in Toronto. He was called upon to fill in a long
form with many questions, including "Is it your intention to overthrow the
Government of the United States by force?" By the time Harding got to that
one he was so irritated that he answered: "Sole purpose of visit."
W. Reyburn Gilbert Harding (1978) ch. 2
The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Quotations
www.freeinfosociety.com/media/pdf/4587.pdf
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Re: Re: How things have changed
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It was interesting learning more about Gilbert Harding, that he had notoriety for being not so nice to fools.
He might be one of my new heroes :)
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Re: How things have changed
If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me.
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Re: Re: How things have changed
No, that's the declaration of independence, which has no legal force. Any unauthorized use of force (other than exceptions such as self defense which wouldn't fly) is illegal, and I'm certain there's no exception for trying to overthrow the government. Even trying to directly incite others to violent overthrow can be illegal, let alone actually doing it.
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Why not? I was defending myself against an imminent threat.I consider the US Government an imminent threat against my person and my property (I live in Texas, we allow deadly force in defense of property).
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In defense of property against physical incursion, right? If someone inappropriately puts a lien on your land you're not allowed to go find him and shoot him.
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Shush! We shoot people for sport here.
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tl;dr: I'm not the kind of troll you think I am.
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Overthrowing the government
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Re: Re: How things have changed
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twitter joke
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Epic sense of humour failure is why...
The US is the biggest fundamentalist, fascist police state in the world. 'Land of the free', my arse.
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Re: Epic sense of humour failure is why...
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Re: Epic sense of humour failure is why...
While we were in the office, there were lots of other typical Americans there as well. All in all, with my experiences crossing in and out of Canada, I don't feel one bit safer. They aren't really looking for terrorists. Probably just have quotas to fill on the number of people search. Frankly I don't blame them for picking me. You might as well pick the people you don't actually think will attack you as you want to go home at the end of the day.
To be fair, they were very nice about the whole thing and one agent chatted with us for a few minutes because he just got a motorcycle.
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Re: Re: Epic sense of humour failure is why...
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Re:
But good luck going to the states to see a concert if you have had a drug charge of any kind. Depending on the exact charge, it can be done, but it will cost money and time.
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I know how he can get into the US
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Paranoia
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Re: Paranoia
SEND HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Re: Re: Paranoia
But you are welcome to come here. I have a spare room. No need to fly if you are in N.A.
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Sub-plot "No arrests actually made, we just sent him home to the UK...total number of TSA terrorist arrests for 2011-2012, ZERO!"
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Bored now...
This is no fun without random trolls...
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Caution on Twitter urged as tourists barred from US
Abta, which represents travel companies in the UK, said holidaymakers need to learn to be ultra-cautious when it comes to talking about forthcoming trips, particularly after 9/11.
Abta
"Posting statements in a public forum which could be construed as threatening - in this case saying they are going to "destroy" somewhere - will not be viewed sympathetically by US authorities," it told the BBC.
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Re: Caution on Twitter urged as tourists barred from US
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TSA defends United States!
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/insulin-pump-lax-airport-security.html
But wait...TSA defends United States! From...the TSA:
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/290480/20120131/tsa-pipe-bomb-scare-laguardia-airport.htm
Yay! Victory!
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Take a day, and walk around
Watch the Nazis run your town
Then go home, and check yourself
You think we're singing 'bout someone else
This was in 1967, when the Viet Nam War was going on full swing, and any opposition to the government's stance was viewed as treasonous by the majority of the boobs that still comprise the majority of the populace. Not much has changed in the interim.
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http://www.pcworld.com/article/248908/fbi_to_build_social_network_spy_app.html
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and now I are one!
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Re:
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Misunderstanding
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Re: Misunderstanding
Ought to be good for a few laughs...
:/
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Re: Misunderstanding
Engage in a riotous spree.
Origin:
The allusion is to the kind of unruly behaviour that results in much blood being spilt.
Source: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/paint-the-town-red.html
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Hmmm
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"Home of the cowering sheeple and land of the illusion of freedom."
Homeland Security is the American Gestapo. Period. I wonder when they are going to change their name to reflect that. They don't have to use the German words Geheime Staatspolizei, but Secret State Police is a fitting and proper name for them.
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lol
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Identity
Is he using his true identity on Twitter?
No a good idea.
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Identity
Is he using his true identity on Twitter?
No a good idea.
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Or like my co-work who was watching the 'crocodile dundee' and repeated his favorite lines a bit to loud... 'that not a knife this is a knife'. A little trouble but that was before.
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Lee Bergeron Thoughts
Lee Bergeron
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And I thought "only" British and Israelis are bereft of humour
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Re: And I thought "only" British and Israelis are bereft of humour
And good luck figuring out ahead of time what qualifies as "dumb stuff" this week.
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DISMANTLE DHS AND THE POLICE STATE
This police state is what in nature as part of an unbridled military what destroyed the Roman Empire so everyone can look forward to something eventually occurring regardless of what they liked in an industrial society in decay.
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What comments show in their naivity
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