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Homeland Security Stole Michael Arrington's Boat

Posted by Soulskill on from the keeping-'murica-safe dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Michael Arrington, founder of TechCrunch, lives near Seattle and bought a boat there. He ordered it from a company based near him, but across the border in Canada. Yesterday, the company tried to deliver it to him, and it had to clear customs. An agent for the Department of Homeland Security asked him to sign a form. The form contained information about the boat, including its cost. The price was correct, but it was in U.S. dollars rather than Canadian dollars. Since the form contained legal warnings about making sure everything on it is true and accurate, Arrington suggested to the agent that they correct the error. She responded by seizing the boat. 'As in, demanded that we get off the boat, demanded the keys and took physical control of it. What struck me the most about the situation is how excited she got about seizing the boat. Like she was just itching for something like this to happen. This was a very happy day for her. ... A person with a gun and a government badge asked me to swear in writing that a lie was true today. And when I didn't do what she wanted she simply took my boat and asked me to leave.'"

11 of 812 comments (clear)

  1. so what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Rich people problems.

    1. Re:so what? by squiggleslash · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      Didn't you get the memo? We're supposed to care about this because Rich People are our betters, they are Job Creators(tm) and are never spongers or moochers, like all people whose employers pay them less than $50,000 a year.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    2. Re:so what? by Wonko+the+Sane · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      So cute. You still think government is more than just a mafia with costumes.

    3. Re:so what? by CanHasDIY · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      That's true, the first thing the United States of America did was get rid of slavery, then they restored all the stolen land to the natives, proving that the War of Independence was about the rights of men everywhere.

      1) We did, eventually, get rid of slavery, and it was, again, the blood of free men who made it possible. Your attempt at refutation only serves to further cement my point.

      2) Manifest Destiny was not and is not part of the Constitution, and thus, non sequitur.

      3) Nobody likes a douchebag pedant, you know.

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    4. Re:so what? by deadweight · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      As a private boat owner for decades now - FUCK YOU you commie asswipe. Having a country so poor no one can buy a boat would suck balls.

  2. No way... by The+Living+Fractal · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    A person in a position of power abused that power? Well color me surprised! I'm sure this has everything to do with DHS and nothing at all to do with the fact that every imaginable authority organization has had people who abuse their power since the dawn of time. Why is this news? Pursue your problem, get it resolved... But this is not "news for nerds" by any reasonable stretch of the imagination.

    --
    I do not respond to cowards. Especially anonymous ones.
    1. Re:No way... by NatasRevol · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      Pretty sure most of the states are going to beat him to it.

      Hmm, it's almost like a majority of the population is ok with it.

      Damn politicians, bending to their whims.

      --
      There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
    2. Re:No way... by DerekLyons · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      A person in a position of power abused that power?

      That's not exactly unusual on the 'net - once you have influence... the temptation to use it for your own personal hobbyhorses rises exponentially. (Heck, most of my friends use their blogs and Facebook feeds as platforms for their personal views - and they have pretty much no influence even over their own friends.)
       
      Oh, wait... you were talking about the DHS agent? No. She didn't abuse her power. She, as he insisted, followed the letter of the law. No paperwork, no boat.

  3. Re:They told me by StormyWeather · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Wow, your blaming this on Romney.. What a blind sheep you are.

  4. Re:Would you like some cheese with that? by tehcyder · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    It sounds to me like either he deliberately provoked the DHS agent, or else he's got some sort of autism. Any normal person would just have signed the fucking paperwork and got their boat.

    If I got stopped by the police and they said "we won't give you a speeding ticket if you just sign this piece of paper saying you admit you were doing 10 mph over the limit" I would sign the piece of paper, not make a big deal about it if I had in fact been going 12 mph over the limit.

    --
    To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  5. Re:LOL ... by im_thatoneguy · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    This is what happens when you give anyone power without having balance and checks to keep them in line.

    There are balances and checks. It's called the "legal system". It's why 2nd Amendment ideologues are so deluded.

    When the government infringes your rights... you are not within your rights to start shooting them in response. And even if you are "within your rights" they'll just shoot and kill you since being alive and sued is better than dead.

    There are plenty of checks and balances. At this point you file a claim that the government has illegally seized your property. And if they did then the courts will give you back your property. If they didn't then there was no need for balances and checks since you did something wrong.