Colgan pilot a terrorist!!!

[Captain Morgan]

Amen! Just as we don't know for sure he is a terrorist, you don't know for sure he is not without further details. As much as I think there are flaws in the TSA and various government agencies. In this day and age we have to play it safe. I love the picture with her looking like she wants to bomb something, he's got a sh!t-eating grin on his face, and of course the ACLU (American Un-civil Liberties Union) ambulance chaser is sitting right there waiting in the wings to further turn our country into a communist regime. If this guy is innocent, I feel badly and I hope the government restores him back to his position and everything goes back to the way it was. If he isn't innocent, then we have have foiled illegal activities and saved thousands of people along with saving our economy and our jobs. You should be thanking our government instead of criticizing them. Unfortunately most people today were brought up by their hippy parents who didn't do anything but demonstrate, smoke dope, and question authority; very productive.

 

[Dieterly]

Why was Senator Kennedy placed on US “no fly” list?

By David Walsh and Barry Grey
21 August 2004

[SIZE=-1]Use this version to print[/SIZE][SIZE=-1] | Send this link by email | Email the author[/SIZE]
At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on August 19, convened to discuss the September 11 commission’s recommendations, Senator Edward Kennedy revealed that for a period of five weeks this spring he had been repeatedly told he could not fly on commercial airplanes because his name was on the government’s “no fly” list.
The longtime Massachusetts Democratic senator (first elected to complete his brother John’s term in 1962, and now the second most senior member of the Senate) disclosed that between March 1 and April 6 airline agents had blocked him from boarding flights, mainly between Washington DC and Boston, on five separate occasions.
The 72-year-old Kennedy briefly recounted the Kafkaesque incidents: “He [the ticket agent] said, ‘We can’t give it to you ... You can’t buy a ticket to go on the airline to Boston.’ I said, ‘Well, why not?’ He said, ‘We can’t tell you.’ Tried to get on a plane back to Washington ... ‘You can’t get on the plane.’ I went up to the desk and said, ‘I’ve been getting on this plane, you know, for 42 years. Why can’t I get on the plane?’”
On each occasion, at Boston’s Logan International Airport, Washington’s Reagan National Airport and one other, airline supervisors ultimately overruled the ticket agents and permitted Kennedy to board his plane. All the flights were on US Airways.
Kennedy staff members eventually telephoned the Transportation Security Administration, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, and officials there promised to rectify the mistake. However, it took them several weeks to clear up the matter. In fact, only days after Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge called Kennedy in early April to apologize, another airline agent attempted to block the Massachusetts Democrat from boarding.
Kennedy commented at Thursday’s hearing, “If they have that kind of difficulty with a member of Congress, how in the world are average Americans, who are getting caught up in this thing, how are they going to be treated fairly and not have their rights abused?”
This seemingly bizarre episode is largely being treated as a joke in the US media. But it raises questions that are anything but amusing.
The secret “no-fly” list was instituted after the September 11 hijack bombings. The government will not disclose any information about the watch list. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has obtained FBI documents indicating that more than 350 Americans have been delayed or denied boarding since the list came into being. None of them, however, has been arrested or charged with any crime.
Senior ACLU counsel Reggie Shuford told the Washington Post, “That a clerical error could lend one of the most powerful people in Washington to the list—it makes one wonder just how many others who are not terrorists are on the list. Someone of Senator Kennedy’s stature can simply call a friend to have his name removed, but a regular American citizen does not have that ability. He [Kennedy] had to call three times himself.”
The ACLU has filed lawsuits in San Francisco and Seattle, demanding that the government explain how wrongly flagged travelers may get their names off the list.
The day after Kennedy’s revelation, Democratic Congressman John Lewis of Georgia reported that he too has been singled out for special scrutiny because someone on the watch list allegedly has the same name. Lewis told reporters he cannot obtain an electronic ticket, must show extra identification, and has his luggage checked by hand.
According to the Associated Press, Lewis said one airline representative in Atlanta told him, “Once you’re on the list, there’s no way to get off it.” A faculty member at the University of Houston, also named John Lewis, reported a similar problem.
There is some unclarity as to the name appearing on the watch list in the Kennedy incident. The Washington Post reports that “A senior administration official who spoke on condition he not be identified said Kennedy was stopped because the name ‘T. Kennedy’ has been used as an alias by someone on the list of terrorist suspects.” A number of media outlets carried the same version of the story.
Of course, “Ted” Kennedy’s real first name is Edward, and would appear as such on any ticket or identification documents, so why the senator’s name should set off alarms, even if a ‘T. Kennedy’ appeared on a “no fly” list, is a mystery that has not been explained.
The New York Times reports a different story: “The alias used by the suspected terrorist on the watch list was Edward Kennedy, said David Smith, a spokesman for the senator, who uses his full name, with a middle initial, of Edward M. Kennedy.”
Homeland Security officials, echoed uncritically by the media, present the Kennedy episode as an innocent mistake, an example of continuing glitches in the Homeland Security system. Even if one accepts the claim that Kennedy’s flight problems were the result of a mistake, considering what they reveal about the government watch list, the episode can hardly be deemed innocuous. If the seven-term senator from Massachusetts, one of the most prominent figures in national politics, can be treated as a terrorist suspect, then what are the implications of the government watch lists and databases for ordinary people?
Even if Kennedy got caught up in the Homeland Security network by mistake, the fact remains that scores of others have found themselves blocked from boarding planes because of their antiwar and anti-Bush political views.
There are, moreover, aspects of the Kennedy affair that cannot be so easily explained away. Why did it take Ridge four weeks to apologize, and why, after the mistake was supposedly corrected, was Kennedy stopped yet again?
Given the decade-long history of political conspiracy and provocation carried out by the Republican right against prominent Democrats—from the scandal-mongering and entrapment of Clinton that culminated in the Kenneth Starr witch-hunt, the Monica Lewinsky affair, and Clinton’s impeachment, to the stolen election of 2000, to the still unexplained anthrax attacks against Democratic leaders in Congress—the state harassment of Kennedy and Lewis, both of whom are considered in media and official circles to be “icons” of the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, cannot be so casually dismissed.
With the installation of the Bush administration, the most right-wing forces within the US political establishment assumed power, and they have continued to employ the same methods they used to capture the White House. As a result, relations within the political establishment have become increasingly poisoned, even as the Democratic Party has continued to lurch to the right and sought to conciliate its Republican antagonists.
Events of the past few years have demonstrated that extreme right-wing elements in and around the Bush administration are moving toward the criminalization of political opposition.
In May 2003, for example, Republican officials in Texas, taking their lead from House Majority Leader Tom Delay, called on the Department of Homeland Security to track down 53 Democratic state legislators who had boycotted the Texas House of Representatives and fled to neighboring Oklahoma in an attempt to block a redistricting bill that favored the Republicans. Delay asked the FBI to intervene and return the “fugitives” to Texas.
Two months later, in July 2003, a leading Republican in the US House of Representatives, Congressman Bill Thomas of California, called on Capitol police to oust Democrats from a room where they were caucusing. The Democrats were meeting to discuss how to deal with Republican legislation that would sharply reduce corporate payments to workers’ pension funds.
No serious investigation has ever been carried out into the attempted assassination of the Democratic leadership of the US Senate, when letters filled with anthrax spores were sent to the offices of senators Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy in the fall of 2001. The anthrax attacks are widely believed to have been carried out by right-wing elements with ties to the US military or intelligence apparatus.
Kennedy embodies the flaccid and impotent state of American liberalism. He is nonetheless demonized by elements within and around the Republican Party, who denounce him as a traitor for his criticisms of the Bush administration and its conduct of the Iraq war.
Was the airport harassment a deliberate act of political intimidation—a “shot across the bow” aimed at Kennedy and other congressional critics of Bush’s policies?
Another intriguing question arises: why did Kennedy remain silent during the five weeks of his harassment?
Was he concerned that the revelation would discredit the “no-fly” list and the panoply of sinister Homeland Security operations, which he and the rest of the congressional Democrats have endorsed? Did he sense that he was, in some way, being set up? Or did the incident have its desired effect of further intimidating a “liberal” critic?
In any event, Kennedy’s failure to immediately denounce these episodes amounts to one more Democratic capitulation to the police-state propensities of the Bush administration.
See Also:

 

[Dieterly]

One more "terrorist"...

For Rep. John Lewis, flying is a big hassle
Congressman still faces airport screening problem

Associated Press
Published on: 07/18/08
WASHINGTON — Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta says a mix up on a terrorist watch list is still wreaking havoc on his air travel five years after the problem arose.
The 11-term Democratic congressman wrote to the House Homeland Security Committee this week that he's still subjected to repeated airport searches and required to present multiple forms of identification. The problem persists even though Homeland Security recently gave him a letter to show airlines that was supposed to clear things up.
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If it's still happening to a congressman, he wrote, "you can only imagine what the average American suffers."
"I have been trying to get off (this list) for years," he wrote. "It is wrong."
Lewis' travel hassles -- along with those of other high-profile figures such as Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts -- began several years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, as the government quickly expanded its watch lists. Airline officials have told Lewis that extra security is triggered because someone with a similar name is under suspicion.
On one occasion, a flight attendant speaking on the loudspeaker called for Lewis to identify himself in mid-flight. The attendant asked for his driver's license and questioned him, he said.
Transportation Security Administration spokesman Christopher White said Friday that Lewis is probably getting screened because airlines are misinterpreting security lists.
The agency submits three updated lists to the airlines daily, he said. One is a "no-fly" list for people not allowed to board planes. Another "selectee" list is for passengers requiring extra screening, and another "cleared" list is for safe passengers like Lewis who have been certified by Homeland Security after experiencing problems.
"Some airlines do a great job of matching the lists to the manifests, some do not," White said.
TSA hopes to improve the process by taking over the job from the airlines next year, he said.
A Lewis spokeswoman said the situation has improved, but he still must take extra precautions to avoid embarrassment, such as notifying TSA when he plans to fly.
On Friday, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., wrote Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to respond to Lewis' complaints. Thompson asked that Chertoff report to the committee how many other people with the name John Lewis have reported similar problems.

 

[rightseatjocky]

Omg, his wife is so hot!!!
I need one that hot too, she makes me soooo
hornyyyyyyy!!!!
uke:

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Sit at home and collect min. guarantee? Sign me up!

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Burkha, anyone???

Some have pantyhose fetish; me - I drool over a sexy Burka. :0

 

[Max Powers]

I always get a kick out of these white Muslim converts.

He wants to look and act the Muslim part and keep his job. His beard is groomed like a true Muslim, just missing that red dye on the beard. I'm pretty sure he was a clean shaven guy on the flight deck.

He's just an angry guy somehow looking to sue. I bet his muslim wife helped hatch a plan to get on this list, lose his job, try to litigtate it back and sue for big bucks in the end.

Yep your completely right!!!!!!

Oh I should probably tell you I was being sarcastic with my comment, seeing as your a fracking knuckle dragging moron you probably wouldn't see the sarcasm.

 

[Herkdrv]

Amen! Just as we don't know for sure he is a terrorist, you don't know for sure he is not without further details. As much as I think there are flaws in the TSA and various government agencies. In this day and age we have to play it safe. I love the picture with her looking like she wants to bomb something, he's got a sh!t-eating grin on his face, and of course the ACLU (American Un-civil Liberties Union) ambulance chaser is sitting right there waiting in the wings to further turn our country into a communist regime. If this guy is innocent, I feel badly and I hope the government restores him back to his position and everything goes back to the way it was. If he isn't innocent, then we have have foiled illegal activities and saved thousands of people along with saving our economy and our jobs. You should be thanking our government instead of criticizing them. Unfortunately most people today were brought up by their hippy parents who didn't do anything but demonstrate, smoke dope, and question authority; very productive.

Yeah, they're real geniuses. I get to ride on the crew bus with them from the employee lot, and let me tell you, the mentality is that of a high school student.

I'm confused. Should I blindly follow the TSA and the government, or are they a bunch idiots that are not to be trusted? :erm:

 

[Captain Morgan]

I'm confused. Should I blindly follow the TSA and the government, or are they a bunch idiots that are not to be trusted? :erm:

I have friends in the TSA that I have personally worked with in law enforcement during an older life that I lived. What happend was, they retired from their law enforcement jobs early and went to work for the DHS or TSA in higher up positions after 9-11. Those people I would trust. Those are the people that are making the calls with regards to people like this gentleman who is under scrutiny. Don't forget the DHS and TSA was created very quickly and as I said in my previous post, it has kinks that will be worked out with more time. The thing about the TSA I don't like and who I was referring to in the post in the other thread is that they hired people who aren't remotely qualified. I wish that they had hired people who had law enforcement background and at least a 2-4 year degree. So you see, it's apples and oranges with the two posts that you dug up. I hope that clarifies what I believe with regards to the TSA and DHS. BTW, when I did my stint in cargo, the company I was with had j/s priviledges on certain 121 carriers. Every time I'd show up to j/s I would have to show ID and have my passport verified even though we weren't in CASS at the time. This happend because my name matched someone's on the terror watch list. Same name, different birthday. It was verified that I was not the same person and I was well on my way. I don't care anymore. It doesn't bother me and I was happy to help out and be verified not a terrorist. If that's what it takes to keep us, our children, and our jobs safe, then so be it.

 

[buscap]

Well.

I just gotta say. Humor is in the eye of the beholder. Nothing funnier than a train wreck sometimes.

But.

We all know what a pain in the butt the Feds, in their many incarnations, can be. We should all be angry about this and supporting the dude...despite the fact his wife was beat with an ugly stick the size of a cellphone tower.

I don't want to be safe. I want my liberty.

Layer upon layer of insurmountable bureaucracies do not make me safe. They deny me my liberty.

Charge the guy with a crime or let him fly. It's that simple. You either have a case or you don't.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Agreed there is a balance of power, that's why there are three sectors of our government. (I sure did learn a lot in civics) This just takes the cake though. I'm going to try to talk with my friends and see wtf is going on over there...

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=ae0f320a-39c0-4684-99d4-503a300a5a00&

 

[cloudkicker1981]

I dont know this guy and I sure wont be converting anytime soon but dont forget what country we live in! He deserves to have his day in court and a chance to prove himself. In one way or another this COULD HAPPEN TO YOU. I was sitting in EWR this morning and there was a news articale on CNN about, a us district attorney, an air force general (also airline pilot), and an 11yr old on the no fly list. What a freaken joke......ruining someones career becuase of a possible computer screw up.

If he is guilty than Im glade they got him but I have little faith in HOMLAND SECURITY.

 

[flynryan15]

If this guy wanted to be taken seriously he should have shown up in court looking like a professional pilot. I.E. clean shaven instead he decides to show up dawning his Muslim beard. Sorry buddy you can't have your cake and eat it too! I might have felt bad for him if he looked like a coworker.

 

[temcgrew]

Why was Senator Kennedy placed on US “no fly” list?

That was supposed to be the "no sell drinks to" list for the Flight Attendants.

 

[temcgrew]

I dont know this guy and I sure wont be converting anytime soon but dont forget what country we live in! He deserves to have his day in court and a chance to prove himself. In one way or another this COULD HAPPEN TO YOU. I was sitting in EWR this morning and there was a news articale on CNN about, a us district attorney, an air force general (also airline pilot), and an 11yr old on the no fly list. What a freaken joke......ruining someones career becuase of a possible computer screw up.

If he is guilty than Im glade they got him but I have little faith in HOMLAND SECURITY.

It isn't hard to have your name on the no fly list. I've had co-workers in the same boat. The news media treats the few stories they have done like it is only 3 people out there. That poor 3 year old boy!!! BOO HOO!!!

The Homeland Security Department can give you a certified letter when you prove you are not the actual person on the list. My question for this guy is this, Is he the one on the list or another guy with the same name? If it is the latter, then no problem. If HE is the guy that was put on the list then HE needs to prove why he shouldn't be on it. If the DHS tagged him, then there IS a reason he popped up on the radar. All this beside the fact that his wife is OOOOOGLY!!!!

 

[ackattacker]

For all the people posting in support of the DHS I sincerely hope you are kidding. Sarcasm is hard to detect on a board full of morons.

Lest you forget the case of Robert Gray, another airline pilot "terrorist". He ended up with his day in court and won, but not before the DHS tried everything in their power to ruin his life and career. All for no apparent reason. To this day they won't say why, but the best guess is that it started out as a mistaken identity and ended up with DHS bureaucrats covering each other's asses. Easier to ruin a person's life for "secret reasons" than to publicly admit you made a mistake. Gotta get that promotion you know.

There are at least 400,000 people and posssibly as many as 1,000,000 on the "terrorist list". Funny how none of them seem to ever be arrested for actual terrorist activities...

 

[DrewBlows]

If this guy wanted to be taken seriously he should have shown up in court looking like a professional pilot. I.E. clean shaven instead he decides to show up dawning his Muslim beard. Sorry buddy you can't have your cake and eat it too! I might have felt bad for him if he looked like a coworker.

It's not against the law to be Muslim.

 

[DrewBlows]

It isn't hard to have your name on the no fly list. I've had co-workers in the same boat. The news media treats the few stories they have done like it is only 3 people out there. That poor 3 year old boy!!! BOO HOO!!!

The Homeland Security Department can give you a certified letter when you prove you are not the actual person on the list. My question for this guy is this, Is he the one on the list or another guy with the same name? If it is the latter, then no problem. If HE is the guy that was put on the list then HE needs to prove why he shouldn't be on it. If the DHS tagged him, then there IS a reason he popped up on the radar. All this beside the fact that his wife is OOOOOGLY!!!!

The government has not charged him with anything and if they did the government would be responsible for proving his guilt not the other way around. Without getting into specifics think "innocent until proven guilty".

 

[flynryan15]

It's not against the law to be Muslim.

You are right and I never said he couldn't. But what I am saying is that he can practice Islam without the beard. Not to mention show up in court looking like a airline pilot and it will gain him more support.

Honestly I could careless if he worships Peter Pan!!!

 

[temcgrew]

The government has not charged him with anything and if they did the government would be responsible for proving his guilt not the other way around. Without getting into specifics think "innocent until proven guilty".

So is he the actual person on the list or is it just someone that shares his name?

Since he is the one taking the government to court to get his name off the list, then HE needs to prove his case. He isn't being charged with anything, like you said, HE is charging the government with something and now the burden of proof is for him to prove that he was wrongfully put on the list. The only way to do that would be to prove why he isn't a terrorist. This time the government is "INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY".