Homeland Security watching your library requests.

From the initial story:
Two history professors at UMass Dartmouth, Brian Glyn Williams and Robert Pontbriand, said the student told them he requested the book through the UMass Dartmouth library's interlibrary loan program.
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From the University's statement:
The student has indicated that another university library processed the request.
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I call shenanigans.
 
This is just too easy!

This whole thing is easy enough to either confirm or discredit; just go down to your local library and request Mao's little red book, "The Militant's Formulary," "The Turner Diaries," a biography of Che Guevarra, "The SAS Survival Manual," and anything from Paladin Press. Oh, it might help if you wore a "Free Leonard Peltier" t-shirt along with an NRA baseball cap.

Then, just sit back and wait.
 
Well of course that would get the authorities to come. At the very least, the fire department would show up because the NRA cap would burst into flame at being brought close to the Peltier t-shirt.
 
manny said:
Well of course that would get the authorities to come. At the very least, the fire department would show up because the NRA cap would burst into flame at being brought close to the Peltier t-shirt.
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You're probably right, manny! Not everyone would appreciate the uncomfortable mix though, thanks for seeing it!
 
I guess I shouldn't have taken out "I want to murder the president of the United States and by reading this book I confirm it as my firm intention" by Sheikh Mustafa Al-Jihad...

It's just such a page-turner.

--- G.
 
Morrison's Lament said:
I guess I shouldn't have taken out "I want to murder the president of the United States and by reading this book I confirm it as my firm intention" by Sheikh Mustafa Al-Jihad...

It's just such a page-turner.

--- G.
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:big:

Sorry...can't help it...that there IS FUNNY!

-z
 
Beth said:
He might not have written their names down. If a couple of homeland security agents came to my door to discuss my choice of reading materials, I might be too upset and frightened to remember to write down their names.
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Perhaps, but someone that frightened isn't too likely to be making that big a stink about it afterwards.
I don't know what to think about this. The sources that have reported it seem reliable enough that I wouldn't doubt their veracity under other circumstances. I don't understand why that particular book would be targeted though. It's not like it's about how to build bombs. It's just political.
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Even reliable sources can be taken in by a hoax, other other misinformation.

If the story is true, and there are no other relevant facts regarding why this student was targeted, it's a disturbing story about where our society is right now and where it is headed. Unfortunately, given the other stories about what our government is currently doing, I find it quite plausible.
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I don't. There's just too much about it that is too pat, too extreme, and too conveniently pushing the "jackbooted thugs" and "thoughcrime" angle.

Another question that no one has asked, why was the contact with the student made by "agents from the Department of Homeland Security?" and not the FBI, who normally handles this sort of thing. When the library monitoring thingie was enacted, it was under the purview of the FBI. But they're too often seen as the "good guys"; whereas Homeland Security has all sorts of Orwellian and Stalinist connotations.
 
What's a "library"? Is that the place I've heard about where they have these things called "books"? I didn't know they still made those. ;)
 
luchog said:
Another question that no one has asked, why was the contact with the student made by "agents from the Department of Homeland Security?" and not the FBI, who normally handles this sort of thing. When the library monitoring thingie was enacted, it was under the purview of the FBI. But they're too often seen as the "good guys"; whereas Homeland Security has all sorts of Orwellian and Stalinist connotations.
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Is there such thing as "agents of Homeland Security"? I thought Homeland Security was just an umbrella to coordinate all the activities of all the other agencies. Outside of some fictional TV shows, I don’t recall anywhere where it was said Homeland Security would have its own dedicated agents.
 
manny said:
From the initial story:

From the University's statement:I call shenanigans.
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I also think it smells, but the "inter" in "interlibrary" means more than one library is dealing with the request. It is a way to get research materials (sometimes books, sometimes journal articles) from other libraries.

Daredelvis
 
I don't know about this specific event...but, as it happens, I have been pretty vocal in my local paper about the Peltier issue, and no one has come to my house with the rubber hoses. Yet.

Seems likely there is more to this story...
 
ImaginalDisc said:
does indeed suggest that there's no way Homland Securty would have the student's info. Incidentally, I wonder why the student wouldn't have th agents names and badge numbers. Federal agents still have to provide identification for inspection in these sorts of events, right?
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Not if they are evil agents. Were they wearing black trenchcoats?
 
I went to the library today (main branch downtown Orlando), to load up on some books on CD, real books, and some DVDs. Outside the library there was an elderly gentleman with a small table,a chair, and a petition. I walked over to read his petition and maybe get some insight from the "citizen exercising his right to free speech". Apparently he was protesting the ACLU. He had a tiny (6" X 4" sign), lying next to him with a bunch of goobly gook. I tried to read his signage, but it made no sense whatsoever. I asked him why he was protesting the ACLU, and he first told me some silly joke, and then other crap that I had no idea what he was saying.

I tried to point out to him that if the government ever decided to squelch him, the first organization to come to his aid would probably be the ACLU. He kept smiling at me and trying to ignore me and deal with the others around him.

In the 5 minutes that this encounter occurred, at least 5 people came up and signed his petition without reading what they were signing. I had noticed that he had at least a 100 or so signatures.

You still gotta to love a democracy and the voice of the people.

Charlie (still no clue why the ACLU is evil) Monoxide
 
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.

Have you forgtten the three rules of college student behavior?

1. There is no petition college students will not sign. "Sure, I'll support the cause de jure!"

2. There is no intoxicant college students will not take. "What do you call this stuff? Nevermind man, pass it over."

3. There is no thing on two legs college students will not have sex with. "Hey sexy man/woman/kangaroo, wanna head over to my place?"
 
ImaginalDisc said:
Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.

Have you forgtten the three rules of college student behavior?

1. There is no petition college students will not sign. "Sure, I'll support the cause de jure!"

2. There is no intoxicant college students will not take. "What do you call this stuff? Nevermind man, pass it over."

3. There is no thing on two legs college students will not have sex with. "Hey sexy man/woman/kangaroo, wanna head over to my place?"
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They weren't necessarily college students, just regular schmucks coming out of the library or walking down the street.

Though, I do agree with your 3 rules.

Charlie (can never get enough rule 3) Monoxide
 
The guy's story is a hoax
The UMass Dartmouth student who claimed to have been visited by Homeland Security agents over his request for "The Little Red Book" by Mao Zedong has admitted to making up the entire story.
The 22-year-old student tearfully admitted he made the story up to his history professor, Dr. Brian Glyn Williams, and his parents, after being confronted with the inconsistencies in his account.
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It's garbage like this that makes it easier for the fascists to take command, since everyone's going to be disbelieving of actual complaints.

Hasn't this twerp ever heard of the Boy Who Called Wolf?
 
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