Vindictive, Vicious, and Venal, too

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[Don_Modesto]

Three V's and the W.

Vindictive: Plame, federal prosecuters...

Vicious: Torture.

Venal: Dissenters:

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Professor_who_criticized_Bush_added_to_0409.html

Professor who criticized Bush told added to terrorist 'no-fly' list Michael Roston
Published: Monday April 9, 2007

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A top Constitutional scholar from Princeton who gave a televised speech that slammed President George W. Bush's executive overreach was recently told that he had been added to the Transportation Security Administration's terrorist watch list. He shared his experience this weekend at the law blog Balkinization.

Walter F. Murphy, the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Emeritus, at Princeton University, attempted to check his luggage at the curbside in Albuquerque before boarding a plane to Newark, New Jersey. Murphy was told he could not use the service.

"I was denied a boarding pass because I was on the Terrorist Watch list," he said.

When inquiring with a clerk why he was on the list, Murphy was asked if he had participated in any peace marches.

"We ban a lot of people from flying because of that," a clerk said.

Murphy then explained that he had not marched, but had "in September, 2006, given a lecture at Princeton, televised and put on the Web, highly critical of George Bush for his many violations of the Constitution."

The clerk responded, "That'll do it."

Murphy was allowed to board the plane, but was warned that his luggage would be "ransacked." On his return trip, his luggage was lost.

Murphy is a decorated Marine who served in the Korean War and was a reservist for 19 years. Mark Graber, who presented the blog post, adds that there were other reasons that Murphy was an unlikely terror suspect.

"While he holds some opinions, most notably on welfare, similar to opinions held on the political left, he is a sharp critic of ROE V. WADE, and supported the Alito nomination," he wrote.

The blog post on Murphy's experience can be accessed at : http://balkin.blogspot.com/2007/04/another-enemy-of-people.html

[Ron Tisdale]

yikes...sometimes I really have to wonder what this country is coming to. If participating in a peacefull march or demonstration is considered normal precedent for placing someone on a terrorist watch list... {shakes head}...

Best,
Ron

[dbotari]

As a Canadian, I used to do the "dash across the border" quite often. Unfortunately, with the recent changes made by the US, I now require a passport to cross into the states (and I believe US citizens require one in order to cross back into the States from Canada), which has put a damper on the number of trips I now take. I guess its the price one pays for vigilance...

[James Davis]

As a Canadian, I used to do the "dash across the border" quite often. Unfortunately, with the recent changes made by the US, I now require a passport to cross into the states (and I believe US citizens require one in order to cross back into the States from Canada), which has put a damper on the number of trips I now take. I guess its the price one pays for vigilance...

What vigilance?:rolleyes:

If one goes far enough from the beaten path, getting across our border isn't tough.

People still sneak into the U.S. daily. Some of them want to just get a job and wire some money back to their family. Some have reasons for coming here that are not so noble.

It doesn't seem terribly logical to punish some peaceful citizen that hasn't done anything wrong when the borders are wide open anyway.

[Hogan]

Bush did this, Bush did that...

SNORE.

[James Davis]

Bush did this, Bush did that...

SNORE.

I'm sick of hearing about Bush too, but I can't think of very many of our representatives who are truly concerned with our security. We're running the air conditioning at full blast when all the doors and windows are open.

[happysod]

Scary - can imagine it now, "have you or any members of your family ever involved themselves in a serious political debate...".

Unfortunately, the UK will probably have to go one better just to show we support the US and have a "special" relationship - luckily our "focus driven" initiatives with "joined up government" normally mean the only people at risk of prosecution are your auntie Maureen who's been dead the past ten years - there's a lot to be said for having media-savvy incompetents in charge sometimes.