UK teen banned from US for pricking who? what?

[Tengil]

Yes, he deserved some "comeback", but he cannot have had any idea of how SEVERE this would be. The usual penalty in the UK for doing this would be an £80 fine for "public order", similar to what Ozzy would have got had he been caught "taking a whizz" on Nelson's Column.
A single incident would NEVER result in a banning order, such as an order banning him from the town where the offence took place.

When sober, he may have worried that someone might actually READ the email, but probably thought it would end up in Obama's "trash folder", a bit like going to the top of Everest and shouting insults about someone - you don't expect anybody to actually be LISTENING, let alone taking notes and bringing in the FBI and local Police.

What made THIS teenager so damn SPECIAL given that there must be THOUSANDS of similar insulting emails going to Obama. To be fair, the Sun should publish the actual text of the email (censorship permitting), so we can see what might have made this stand out from the rest. It HAS to be available somewhere, including on the PC from which it was sent.

Well then he is simply stupid. And the "I dont remember" thing is most likely untrue.

FBI wasnt brought on to this, it was they who intercepted the email and acted most likely within their guidelines which is probably to forward it to Homeland Security.

 

[vinylweatherman]

Well then he is simply stupid. And the "I dont remember" thing is most likely untrue.

FBI wasnt brought on to this, it was they who intercepted the email and acted most likely within their guidelines which is probably to forward it to Homeland Security.

This is why seeing the email would help understand what is behind this story. Of the thousands of emails that must be equally insulting or threatening, what was so special about this one. Do they REALLY believe that this particular drunken teenager presents a LIFETIME RISK to homeland security. Surely a "time out" till he is 21 or 25 would be enough, giving him time to mature into an adult.

Could there be a policy of mass banning people from the US on the slightest pretext rather than trying to properly assess the risks? Many people banned from the US probably have no intention of going there, and may not even KNOW they are banned until they apply for a visa.

If it is simply "following procedure", there may be many more people that have sent similar emails to the whitehouse, or other agencies, that have been banned, but never told about it. They find out when they cannot get a visa.

 

[Tengil]

This is why seeing the email would help understand what is behind this story. Of the thousands of emails that must be equally insulting or threatening, what was so special about this one. Do they REALLY believe that this particular drunken teenager presents a LIFETIME RISK to homeland security. Surely a "time out" till he is 21 or 25 would be enough, giving him time to mature into an adult.

Could there be a policy of mass banning people from the US on the slightest pretext rather than trying to properly assess the risks? Many people banned from the US probably have no intention of going there, and may not even KNOW they are banned until they apply for a visa.

If it is simply "following procedure", there may be many more people that have sent similar emails to the whitehouse, or other agencies, that have been banned, but never told about it. They find out when they cannot get a visa.

But how would they know he was drunk? Its only his words.
What if they would have let it go and he would have later proved to be a whacko after entering US soil? Its better to be on the safe side.

 

[Mavin1]

Good thread Felicie and thanks.

My thoughts here, this is just a distraction to keep us focused on trivial things and to send a message that name calling to public officials will not be tolerated. It is simply a form of chipping away at personal freedoms. If this youngster was simply calling so and so a prick, so what, since when does that matter. It doesn't, but what does matter is how it will be one of many ways to make the public feel stiffled and affraid to speak out about anything. This is how manipulation of the masses is done and it is very effective for a good amount of the population.

While trivial things like this are also being focused on, we have massive marine die off and people becoming extremely ill because of the BP environmental disaster that has not gone away and attention is being drawn away from it.

We also have the S510 food safety bill and Codex Alimentarus that will pass if it is uncontested.

Pretty much like the O.J. Simpson incident that went on for frickin months, what was happening during that distraction.

If one were to be banished for making comments about our governing police state officials, then I would guess a good majority of us would have to be as well.

 

[LaurieJim]

Has the State or Homeland Dept. released any statements on this Life ban? This 17 year old will most likely have a rough time getting a decent job in the future with any Goverment agency if he wanted, he will have to explain 20 years down the line " Yes I called the President of the US a Prick when i was 17 while I was in a drunken state and have a life ban from entering the US".

This is just pure Bull Shit imo and I would like to see the email, unless they have it classified as Top Security or something. Did he threaten the Presidents life or that of his family or heaven forbid the First Dog Bo?

 

[slotplayer]

Good thread Felicie and thanks.

My thoughts here, this is just a distraction to keep us focused on trivial things and to send a message that name calling to public officials will not be tolerated. It is simply a form of chipping away at personal freedoms. If this youngster was simply calling so and so a prick, so what, since when does that matter. It doesn't, but what does matter is how it will be one of many ways to make the public feel stiffled and affraid to speak out about anything. This is how manipulation of the masses is done and it is very effective for a good amount of the population.

I don't think that is even close in this case, while deflection is a strategy use by both sides for various reasons it is used mostly with the main stream media.

More likely that not there is software to flag certain keywords in emails. I suggest you Google "Project Echelon"

 

[jod5413]

Well I sure hope they dont send me packing, i call most all of them in Washington pecker heads out in public, a Dick head is a Dick head, sorry if I offended.

You are not!!!

 

[jetset]

I don't think that is even close in this case, while deflection is a strategy use by both sides for various reasons it is used mostly with the main stream media.

More likely that not there is software to flag certain keywords in emails. I suggest you Google "Project Echelon"

I agree that it is unlikely President Obama even saw this email (but he may be getting a little feedback from his spin doctors now LOL)

Nevertheless, the punishment does not fit the crime in this case imo, and that's an important tenet in meting out justice.

Even if this email was singled out by screening software, at some stage or other a sentient human must have had to handle it, and presumably seek authority before issuing an exclusion ban.

What's surprising is that someone in that human interface didn't say "hold on guys - are we not over-reacting a bit here - is there a better way to handle an abusive teenager across the Atlantic?"

And why was this particular email singled out from others (if we accept that even a minority of nutcases or drunks probably bang out similar trash talk all the time). Do they all get banned?

We're all speculating here on something on which we do not have full knowledge, but from what we do know so far this appears to be an unnecessarily harsh decision.

Edited to add that there is also the element of public figures being expected to take more flak than ordinary private citizens - criticism and ridicule often go with the territory and the fame, especially in politics. As someone commented previously in this thread, the previous president (and others before him) were subjected to unrelenting ridicule and scorn for much of their tenure in the Oval Office.

 

[slotplayer]

I agree that it is unlikely President Obama even saw this email (but he may be getting a little feedback from his spin doctors now LOL)

Nevertheless, the punishment does not fit the crime in this case imo, and that's an important tenet in meting out justice.

Even if this email was singled out by screening software, at some stage or other a sentient human must have had to handle it, and presumably seek authority before issuing an exclusion ban.

What's surprising is that someone in that human interface didn't say "hold on guys - are we not over-reacting a bit here - is there a better way to handle an abusive teenager across the Atlantic?"

And why was this particular email singled out from others (if we accept that even a minority of nutcases or drunks probably bang out similar trash talk all the time). Do they all get banned?

We're all speculating here on something on which we do not have full knowledge, but from what we do know so far this appears to be an unnecessarily harsh decision.

Edited to add that there is also the element of public figures being expected to take more flak than ordinary private citizens - criticism and ridicule often go with the territory and the fame, especially in politics. As someone commented previously in this thread, the previous president (and others before him) were subjected to unrelenting ridicule and scorn for much of their tenure in the Oval Office.

I agree it was over the top and looks like it was exactly what it was, wise azz 17 year old. Perhaps they wanted to send a message. We can guess with a certain degree of certainty that there are other emails that are flagged. We're a only aware of this kid because it was made public by the media so there could be more bannings.

 

[P.V.]

My niece often calls me a "dickhead", do I ban her from my life FOR life

and