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Tennessee Official: Water Complaints Could be "Act of Terrorism"
An anonymous reader writes "A Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation deputy director is threatening citizens with being listed as terrorists for giving official complaints. Sherwin Smith, deputy director of TDEC’s Division of Water Resources said: 'But you need to make sure that when you make water quality complaints you have a basis, because federally, if there's no water quality issues, that can be considered under Homeland Security an act of terrorism.' 'In terms of the comments made by a member of the Water Resources Division at the meeting, we are just receiving the information and looking into this on our end,' spokeswoman Meg Lockhart said. 'The department would like to fully assess what was said in the meeting. I am told that the meeting was far longer than the audio clip provided by SOCM and that Mr. Smith actually clarified his remarks. But again, we are looking into it.'"
The government's number one tool in the fight against terrorism.
"To stop the terrorists."
Welcome to the new McCarthyism. Any time you do anything "they" don't like, you're a ter'ist...
-- You are in a maze of little, twisty passages, all different... --
Citizen complaints sometimes terrify people!
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
Land of the fr... forget that.
Welcome to the american gulag.
Why don't they just kill everyone and call it a day?
It's definitely where we're headed to and as nobody seems to care very much, there should be no problem with a referendum for nation-wide suicide going through. That'll show the terrorists, can't scare a dead man. Hah!
yet every time I think officialdom can't get any more stupid, they go and prove me wrong... again!
Sherwin Smith should be fired immediately. If I threatened my customers, my boss would rightfully fire me on the spot.
This is no doubt the sort of horrifying terrorist plot the NSA telephone surveillance program has been so successful foiling. Thank good we has such dedicated protectors to save us from the terrorists.
Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
If the citizen was making false complaints to Homeland Security, that would be actionable, but this is TDEC complaining to HS that the citizen is a terrorist. IMHO, this would render the TDEC official the person wasting Staatssicherheit's time with a false complaint. If that's terrorism, then Mr. Smith is encouraging and/or procuring terrorism by having his staff make the reports.
davecb@spamcop.net
I wouldn't be surprised if it actually can be an act of terrorism to make a complaint. In that case don't blame the messenger.
Do you think that maybe he was referring to the equivalent of yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theatre? (Poison in the water supply.) Making threats to attack should be taken seriously, whether the method be bombs, guns or poisons.
Actually, someone in the government who hires an asshole to also work for the government do undermine the credibility of the government, thus reducing its power and in the end weakens the state, so yes, it wouldn't be that far fetched.
c++;
People abusing "terrorism" for bullshitting society are a terrorist threat to society themselves.
Cars kill more people, smoking kills more people, alcohol kills more people.
Educate the sheep. Stop this bullshit.
Privacy is terrorism.
This government official needs to be brought up on charges of making verbal threats and abuse of power.
Any civil servant threatening terrorism charges for complaints from the public should be immediately fired. He/she does not have the public interest at heart.
Are you a terrorist when driving if you come to a stop just beyond the white line at a stop sign or traffic signal? If we allow water board employees to decide who's a terrorist think what traffic cops can do to you for the most minor infraction.
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. George Orwell
listed as terrorists for giving unfounded official complaints
Fine even if that is the case we have other laws that cover things like that. "Making false reports", "libel", and "slander", would be some potential examples. These laws carry with them what most people consider to be appropriate penalties and restitution requirements. Slapping the term "terrorist' on everyone who steps even slightly out line has all sorts of negative consequences.
Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
Right. And lets take this a step further. What is an "official complaint"? Making a public statement I can understand as designed to instill fear among the general population. But raising the issue either through official channels for such feedback? Nope. They asked for comments, they got them. If they don't like them, tough.
Its also my understanding that the complaints were along the lines of: "This water makes me/my kids sick." Not, "There's poison in the water." The former is subjective and purely dependent on the sensitivity of the particular consumer to some attribute of the water.
Have gnu, will travel.
This water quality official is projecting his frustration onto the people he is supposed to serve. If he can't do his job, he should resign. Instead, he's trying to play the terrorist card. Embarrassed by this outrage, his superiors have gone into damage control mode saying his remarks were taken out of context and that he later clarified his position.
Wow. Is this what we have to look forward to?
Wansu, th' chinese sailor
If you're making a water quality complaint you can't know usually 100% that there's something officially wrong with the water.
you see, sometimes if water has a color problem that is not actually a water quality problem. same goes to some tastes the water might have.
so basically he threatened that you can't make a water quality complaint unless there's turds floating in your water... the reason why it's a complaint and not an alarm is that subjectively something about the water feels suspect.
it's friggin stupid to threaten with that, there's other ways they can sue people doing malevolent water quality reports just for the sake of making them extra work. threatening that the federal government is going to kill or take them away if they complain is just stupid(make no mistake that is how "bababa is a terrorist!" threatening is intended to work).
world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
And this is why we should fear how much the government should be allowed to intrude into our lives. Because who knows what sort of low-level bitter bureaucrat may just take a disliking to you, and end up abusing government powers.
Higher Logics: where programming meets science.
sherwin.smith@tn.gov
Go on. You know you want to. I did.
America is becoming a strange place.
(when I previewed this post I saw I had accidentally type strangle instead of strange - Freudian slip?)
... would be to fire Sherwin Smith immediately. There is no context for this kind of outrageous behavior. Then hire someone who will be more positive about making the water better.
now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
Everyone will have their daily forced medication of sodium fluoride. No complaints are allowed!
Signature intentionally left blank.
Perhaps what was meant was don't incite panic making a false claim, as in don't yell "Fire!"
The department would like to fully assess what was said in the meeting. I am told that the meeting was far longer than the audio clip provided by SOCM and that Mr. Smith actually clarified his remarks.
Talk about a massive abuse of authority, it's getting ridiculous how anything that the government doesn't agree with or makes them look bad and they'll use terrorism as excuse to indefinitely detain, control, and slander you.
http://theworkaround.com/
If there's several simultaneous valid complaints alleging something like a serious illness, the water system may have to be shut down while it's tested or risk spread of a contamination. We've had that happen several times where I live (and I live in a major metropolitan area) when initial tests have shown a possible bacterial problem and they've needed several days for comprehensive tests to tell whether there really is a problem or not. I'd be outraged if a single complaint would have them labeling the complainant a terrorist, but I suspect the missing context is that they're discussing concerted multiple reports filed with the intent of forcing a shutdown and possibly where the complainants are aware they don't have a reasonable basis for the complaints (think anti-fluoridation kooks wanting to "send a message").
Actually, terrorism is determined by its methods.
I agree that method of determination is garbage, nevertheless, that is how human social morality works.
Terrorists target 'innocent' civilians. Of course, if your entire way of life is at stake, no one on the other side is innocent.
For example, take the Sioux Indians in 1865 getting run off of their land by Caucasian invaders.
Suppose they sent someone over to Europe to stop the flow of money supporting the invasion, maybe breach a few dikes in Holland and give those Protestant bankers something else to spend their money on.
It would have definitely been terrorism.
Of course, that's what running people off their land with soldiers is also, except if its your tribe that ends up with the land, we call it Homeland Security instead of Terrorism.Like I said, Basic human social morality. Popularity makes the name sound like it's right instead of wrong but it's the same exact thing.
If a certain place in Tennessee wants to outlaw such behavior then so be it. That part of the country has alwayas been associated with conservative politics so if it's a problem just ignore it. Noone ever said that the residents have to live there, and who is going to constantly complaining about the water anyway? This whole issues is moot.
Yes, and if a certain place in Alabama wants to bring back slavery, so be it. That part of the country has alwayas been associated with conservative politics so if it's a problem just ignore it. Noone ever said that the residents have to live there.
Idiot.
Basically the complainants are aledgeing that the water is making them sick with no evidence what so ever as to the link between the water and the sickness. There was an offer to test the water that was declined therefore no evidence could be gathered.
egads. Shades of Monsanto. that means if I complain about the taste of fracking fluids in my water, the oil companies can tell me it is unfounded and ship me off to Guantanamo?
Damn. "Uh, no officers, I tole the doc that this water gives off such a wondrous aroma of money that it makes me shit funny."
The word "terrorism" seems to me more and more like the yellow star of WWII.
[/GodwinPoint]
Totof
Everything is scare tactics and threats...
Isn't Sherwin Smith's threat against the citizens in itself an act of terror? Complaining about the water might upset one government official. But Sherwin's comments have upset and terrorized everybody.
So if you complain that some corporation drilling in your neighborhood will turn your groundwated into shit, you'll be labeled terrorist, stripped of your rights and sent right to the nearest supermax prison. Welcome to the United Fascist States of America. Your corporate overlords don't like you compaining about shit they bring upon you to improve their profits.
First Monsanto is a seed producer and has nothing to do with fracking. Second The authorities asked to test the water to find the foundation for the issue but were refused. If they can't test the water what are the authorities supposed to do? Basically they are saying "Let us test the water or shut up".
Sounds like repression of free speech using saying act of terrorism as an excuse. I'd get the ACLU involved and sue them for repression of free speech. Ironically isn't threatening these people like this an act of terror in itself.
The government has the sole right to define terrorism, not the people. It's one of the checks and balances we have, so the people can't overpower the government at every turn by voting our elected officials out of office, protesting, or expressing dissent.
Even a single person's act could snowball into something which could throw a monkey wrench in the government's long term plans for shaping society. If someone does something that the severely upsets the government, but is technically within a constitutional right, what other recourse does the government have? Forming new laws takes time and a lot of arm wrenching of politicians to enact it. No politician wants to be directly identified with suppressing the people. And even if laws were formed, government does not have a crystal ball. It can't know what and how something that someone outside of it may turn out. No, for things that might actually affect the government, it must be able to act fast and decisively.
So, a broad interpretation of terrorism gives the government a way of dealing with this, by grabbing hold of people from its icy depths of bureaucracy, and no one knows who did it or why. In this way, the people have a right to make changes in the little things, but it keeps our government at the helm of the ship.
Terrorism is a high chrime, the usage of the term should not be taken lightly. It should not be allowed to persist unchecked. False accusations and threats of persecution to the populace (and his constituency!)) cannot stand. It is criminal. Not only should officials be socially denounced, but in severe cases, it warrants prosecution.
Welcome to Obamanist russ.sorry...America comarades. in my country we used to call them political prisoners but i like your pronounciation better. Terrorist. the sheer unknown of what or who they terrorise alows for more freedom of abuse of human right. Love it. Shuld be more of it. Stalin would be proud of what the USA has become. lol
For a country hell bent on individual rights protected under the constitution America is doing sweet fk all to protect itself from the terrorist within its government. Even the 2nd amendment doesnt seem to be working as intended since it seems most of recent troubles and anti people agendas can be leviated by a simple revolution but no one is willing to go to gitmo for standing up and being counted :) :)
lucky we have avganistan to vent our anger on them 'real' terrorists ah?
First they say a city water system is a good idea. Then they make it illegal for you to drill your own well. Then they increase the rates (over and over and over and...). All the while making the water taste like crap. And then they give you static for complaining. (And for those of you who aren't familiar with regional water rights disputes, it gets much worse.)
Aren't you glad you turned over healthcare to the gumint?
First they came for the tobacco smokers and I said nothing because I don't smoke.
Then they came for the huge soda drinkers and I said nothing because I don't drink soda.
Then they came for the foie gras eaters and I said nothing because I don't eat goose liver.
If they ever come for the bacon, THAT will result in an ginormous asskicking.
Well, is it?
Here we discover the hidden part of 1st amendment. You have free speech, but using it will put you on a terror list.
That's extreme right wing crazy talk!
Of course, since the NSA is spying on almost everybody, almost everybody are terrorists. These water police just make sure that the rest of the populace don't fall through the cracks.
Now stay in line citizen and don't spill that cup of water...
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
There is nothing wrong with democracy and having the people govern themselves as they see fit. If the people are fools, they will have a useless government that fails to serve them which will ultimately fall into despotism and shall no longer be a democracy. That is the cycle is the history and future of all democratic governments (to paraphrase Ben Franklin.)
Healthcare wasn't turned over to the "gumint" you ignoramus! I would be glad it if was actually turned over to the government; any failures of an actual healthcare system (what existed was nearly anarchy and is not that much further from it after The Heritage Foundation's "Obamacare" begins in 2014) -- i repeat: any failures of a government system, would be the responsibility of the citizens and they would deserve whatever they managed it to become.
The limitations imposed on the people's will (such as liberties that are out of reach of government) always end up failing eventually to the majority which again leads to despotism imposed upon minority groups (smokers for example) which undermines ideals -- the importance of which is really just an indicator of the lack of wisdom of the public. It's not long until they begin relinquish their powers as well.
Democracy Now! - uncensored, anti-establishment news
i've been saying it since 9/11. there's literally no such thing. It's a red herring, always has been. A way of conveniently labeling people to brand them as enemies. This is just one example in a long line of examples.
In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
If you report or publicly mention a bug in my software, then you are trying to scare people into not using my software. Thus, you are a terrorist.
If you give a movie or product a bad review, you might scare them into not seeing said movie or buying said product. Thus, you are a terrorist.
If you ever complain about anything, your negativity might badly affect other people. Thus, you are a terrorist.
Everyone, just walk around with a smile at all times and keep saying that everything is fine. The first person who grumbles gets sent off to Gitmo. (And the second... and the third...)
I don't know about you, but I feel happier already. See? *extremely big (slightly nervous looking) smile*
My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
Nearly. Terrorism is a motive, not an action. Terrorism is the use (or threat) of force in order to politically coerce a people.
Your Sioux example isn't really terrorism, as the motive behind the flooding would not be to scare people, but to divert resources (money). Running people off their land is also not terrorism, as the goal is to destroy a people, which is not coercion but genocide.
Terrorism isn't what someone does, it's why someone does something.
motto: "with drones we love"
state flower: Zeiss Ikon 85mm f2.1
state bird: "yeah, well THIS says you're number ONE!"
state pen: border to border
if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
People who shoot undercover videos of animal cruelty in stockyards are terrorists also, in many states, not just one. Can't you just smell the freedom?
Sounds like Mr. Smith either needs to review the U.S. Constitution or transfer to another field of endeavor.
Ha ha ha ha! God, I so hate the ignoramuses who run states like Tennessee.
Another way of stating it is better to die on your feet, than live on your knees.
According to a reliable rumor that I just started, Erin Brockovich is being held in Guantanamo Bay prison. A government spokesperson, who shall remain nameless, would neither confirm nor deny the rumor.
War also fits that description, but most people don't think war and terrorism are the same.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."