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Examining the Search and Seizure of Electronics at Airports
Angus McKraken brings us a Washington Post story about how travelers are seeking more well-defined policies and rules about the search and seizure of electronic devices by U.S. Customs officials. The EFF has already taken legal action over similar concerns. We recently discussed the related issue of requiring people to disclose their passwords in order to search their private data. From the Post:
"Maria Udy, a marketing executive with a global travel management firm in Bethesda, said her company laptop was seized by a federal agent as she was flying from Dulles International Airport to London in December 2006. Udy, a British citizen, said the agent told her he had 'a security concern' with her. 'I was basically given the option of handing over my laptop or not getting on that flight,' she said. 'I was assured that my laptop would be given back to me in 10 or 15 days,' said Udy, who continues to fly into and out of the United States. She said the federal agent copied her log-on and password, and asked her to show him a recent document and how she gains access to Microsoft Word. She was asked to pull up her e-mail but could not because of lack of Internet access. With ACTE's help, she pressed for relief. More than a year later, Udy has received neither her laptop nor an explanation."
Islamic terrorists care very much about the US Constitution, because it's against Islam, just like the laws and principles of European countries are against Islam.
This isn't about "outsiders." Muslims have developed a reputation for terrorism and troublemaking (which is strictly their own fault). As a result, anyone who looks like they might be a Muslim is subjected to extra scrutiny. It's just common sense.
We've lost a battle.
When America converts to Islam and upholds Sharia Law as the highest authority, then we will have lost the "war". Until then, the bombings will never stop so long as we have determined religious zealots in this world.
Perhaps I'm of the minority viewpoint on Slashdot. But, if you walk, talk, look like, and even smell like an Arab; you should be profiled without further question. If they should rise up and become more of a problem, then we take it a step further and kick them out of our country (non US citizens) and ban them from entry.
Sorry, but fuck em. Until they can keep their own brothers and sisters in-line, I don't want to hear their bitching about profiling.
Life is not for the lazy.
Remember Canada kicked the US's ass once already. I don't think the US will try the invasion thing again. Having Washington D.C. burnt to the ground once is enough. It's cheaper to just buy your stuff so you can take your tinfoil hat off now.
If you don't like what I write don't be a CS and mod it down. Refute it.
Yea I can't spell. So what is your point?
Notice my sig. Notice the GP's moderation. Then just forget about it ... U.S.-bashing is about 20% fact plus 80% ignorance.
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
No they couldn't be. That's the problem with his post.
One personal experience is utterly meaningless.
It's not the media's fault. The media doesn't hold Muslims at gunpoint and demand them to engage in terrorism, honor killing, rioting, gangraping and whatnot. Why don't you treat Muslims like sentient beings instead of assuming that they're retards who don't know what they're doing?
Ok, how was this trolling? Anyone care to explain? I must be the only Slashdotter who even knows what "troll" means.
Too bad those internments have nothing to do with anything.
What are those examples supposed to prove? Because Japanese and German people were once treated with suspicion, it must somehow mean that treating Muslims with suspicion is wrong? Or what? I don't get it. This is now, and what Muslims are doing or not doing has nothing to do with what some other people were doing or not doing many decades ago. There's no connection.
The fact still remains that Muslims have a reputation for being terrorists and troublemakers, and it's their own fault. Thus, people are suspicious of them. Their reputation is well deserved, and if you look at Islam's history you'll see that there's nothing new about what they're doing.
I bet the number of Muslim friends you have is considerably lower than the number of Muslims who would gladly decapitate you. Are you really going to argue that Muslims pose no threat and that Islam is a Religion of Peace (tm) just because you have a couple of benign Muslim friends? Did it ever occur to you that maybe there's a world outside your small sphere of existence?
Except I'm not, you know, attacking or oppressing anyone. Muslims, on the other hand, are actually doing that as we speak.
Muslims always get a free pass. No matter how much they threaten, terrorize, kill and rampage, nobody says a word. If someone does say something, he's guilty of "hate mongering" or "racism." Muslims are never guilty of anything. Do you have a rational reason for ignoring what they do and attacking anyone who talks about it?
Really? Where did I say Americans were worthless? Go back and check, I didn't. People as individuals are not to be confused with the country and how its being run. I simply asked what you had to be proud of lately given all that has gone on. You still can't answer it though can you? There are vague allusions, but you danced around the issue. In fact you gave a very political answer.
I asked honestly because I was very curious. I don't live there, I have limited first hand exposure to the US but see it through the eyes of friends, who aren't exactly proud, and the media. I gave you my view of what I've seen, and instead of answering the question you've gone on the offensive. Twice.
I have no choice but to read a lot of your press. Besides freedom, the main export of the US is itself. You can always dig up those great human interest stories, but as a society I haven't really seen anything worth writing home about in a long time. I also see America through two kinds of friends. Those who have lived their all their lives and those who have gone there to study. Racism seems to be rampant, even if your institutions of "higher learning". That has nothing to do with your current administration. Bush may have done a lot to mess up the country, but society has done a pretty good job on their own. Cops being given a pass on inappropriate behaviour has nothing to do with the current administration. People suing each other over spilled milk happened long before he found his way in to the white house. As a society, America has been viewed as arrogant for a long time. If you weren't aware of that perhaps you need to broaden your horizons.
There is a theory floated about why game developers are so obsessed with the World War 2 genre. Its because that was the last time America had a clear and unambiguous military victory. That was 60 years ago, yet how many times have they picked up arms since then?
I was simply hoping to find out if there was some great societal aspect there which I missed, but apparently there isn't as your two answers have really told me all I need to know.
That doesn't make any rational or logical sense. Just because Hitler was a crazy person who persecuted the Jews for no reason doesn't mean that it's exactly the same thing with Muslims. By the way, I don't remember saying that Muslims should be sent to death camps or that they should be opposed because they're a "threat to your comfort."
Depends on how you define persecution. You don't seem to have a problem with the way Muslims persecute people, though. I'm guessing you aren't familiar with the way religious minorities are treated in Islamic societies.
Newsflash: I'm not American. I'm Northern European.
This matter has hardly anything to do with 9/11, Bush, Iraq or the US. You're clearly way out of your depth in this discussion.
The statistics only count incidents in Iraq and Afghanistan where particularly heinous terrorist tactics were used. However, Iraq and Afghanistan are just two places. Islamic terrorism is global. Thailand is a notable hotspot, though.
There's a dramatic difference between what terrorists and US forces are doing. The terrorists routinely, deliberately and indiscriminately target civilians because they're waging Jihad against infidels or heretics. They also have no qualms about using innovative tactics like child suicide bombers. US forces, as a rule, do not deliberately kill civilians, and it's not legal for them to do so. One reason for collateral damage and accidental killings in Iraq is the situation that has been caused by terrorists. Any person US forces come in contact with can be hostile. Any car that comes near could be set to explode. It's really easy to armchair criticize them when you're not in that situation. If the terrorists would cease their Jihad efforts, Iraq would be a much more peaceful place.
Do you fucking morons even know what trolling is? Having an unpopular opinion is not trolling. Having an opinion that differs from Slashdot's leftist dogma is not trolling. Get a fucking clue.
Choo choo. Here comes the clue train, last stop is you: disagreeing with Slashdot's leftist dogma is not trolling.
Really? Is there perhaps a Zionist Mind Control Satellite forcing them to do things against their will?
And I never said otherwise.
It's actually "moderate" Muslims and Islamic apologists like you who do the most damage to reform efforts by shutting down all critical discussion about Islam and attacking freedom of speech.