Treating Ordinary People Doing Ordinary Things Like Criminals
The prospect of terrorism is being used to criminalize ordinary people doing ordinary things in pubilc places. There's a Salon article about this, about Mall of America. G.W. Schulz, Daniel Zwerdling, and Andrew Becker write:
On Nov. 9, 2008, the Bloomington resident (Francis Van Asten) videotaped a short road trip from his home to the Mall of America. Van Asten, now 66, planned to send it to his fiancée's family in Vietnam so they could see life in the United States.As he headed down an escalator, camera in hand, mall guards caught sight of him.
"Right away, I noticed he had a video camera and was recording the rotunda area," a security guard wrote in a suspicious activity report.
Van Asten, a one-time missile system repairman for the Army, was questioned for approximately two hours, records show. He was asked about traveling to Vietnam and how he came to know people there. The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force was alerted. He was given a pat-down search, and the FBI demanded that his memory card be confiscated "for further analysis."
Authorities were concerned about his footage of an airplane landing at Minnesota's nearby international airport. They also worried Van Asten was conducting surveillance of mall property.
Exhausted and rattled, Van Asten had trouble finding his car after the ordeal was over.
"I sat down in my car and I cried, and I was shaking like a leaf," Van Asten said in an interview at his home. "That kind of sensation doesn't leave you real quickly when you've had an experience like that."
Bobbie Allen, a musician who lives in downtown Minneapolis, was stopped for writing in a notebook. As he waited for a lunch date on June 25, 2007, Allen jotted down some words, which caught the attention of security guard.
One guard wrote in Allen's suspicious activity report: "Before the male would write in his notebook, it appeared as though he would look at his watch. Periodically, the male would briefly look up from his notebook, look around, and then continue writing."
Guards asked for his name and for whom he was waiting. Allen, who is black, felt singled out for his race, according to the report. The guard responded that he was "randomly selected" for an interview.
The guards called Bloomington police, after deciding Allen was uncooperative and his note-taking "suspicious." Allen was cleared, but a suspicious activity report was compiled, complete with surveillance photo, age, height, address and more. Much of that information ended up in a Bloomington police report.
This isn't acting on meaningful intelligence. It's anything but. It's an excuse for security guards to act like bullies. And if we do change America, formerly the land of civil liberties, to a country just like so many countries that don't have our Constitution, the old "the terrorist have won" really does apply.
Lisa Simeone, who tipped me about this, sent this email to Mall of America:
In the "Plan Your Visit" section, you forgot to include information about the Stasi-like questioning shoppers will have to endure from your authoritarian security guards.The cat is out of the bag: since the exposure in the press of your paranoid techniques because you believe, apparently, that "The Terrorists Are Everywhere!" neither I nor anybody I know will ever set foot in your mall. You think you have the right to bully, harass, and abuse citizens? Fine. Then lose money. You can feel proud that, some day, you will have put several of your vendors out of business. And taken a dump on the Constitution in the process.
I have disseminated the Salon article and NPR account to all my friends and colleagues. I work in radio and print, and it's my pleasure to spread the word about your appalling actions. If You See Something, Say Something? I've seen it, and I'm saying plenty.
Weird. I live in Bloomington right by the mall. I would say they don't have a whole lot of security really. I haven't seen more than a few random security guards in the, literally, hundreds of times I've been there. Of course, I've never had a video camera either. I'm really on the fence on this one. It's sad that this Bloomington resident was treated this way but considering 100,000 people go to that mall PER DAY they have to be safe and on the look out. People have been saying for years that MOA could be a target because a terrorist could easily kill 10 of thousands of people there.
CC at September 9, 2011 7:50 AM
"the terrorist have won" really does apply
I won't yet grant them victory. But they certainly have succeeded in many ways. The terrorists cannot defeat us through force, but they can provoke us into destroying ourselves. We're giving them a solid assist.
Christopher at September 9, 2011 8:03 AM
Nothing wrong with a property owner, or in this case duly appointed representatives, asking "watcha doing?"
Nothing wrong with saying nothing, or telling them "it's none of your business" or "I'm filming a documentary on donut munching renta-cops, would you like to be in it?"
If they ask you to leave, leave.
If the ask you to go to their office, respectfully decline. If they insist, ask them if they're placing you under arrest. If they say no, then you're under no obligation to go with them, nor answer any questions or subject yourself to their interrogation.
If you want to scare the crap out of them, pull out your cell phone and say "hey, mind if I call my lawyer?" It doesn't hurt to have a lawyer or two in your address book, either.
I R A Darth Aggie at September 9, 2011 8:32 AM
"People have been saying for years that MOA could be a target because a terrorist could easily kill 10 of thousands of people there."
And "people" are idiots, in that this is true, literally, at thousands of venues all over the USA.
Panic! And give me your permission to find YOU guilty of something!
Radwaste at September 9, 2011 8:37 AM
It is getting worse for sure. I am glad you posted this Amy, I was going to send it to you last night but got too busy. People, we need to stop allowing this crap to go on. !!!
Melody at September 9, 2011 8:54 AM
The terrorists cannot defeat us through force, but they can provoke us into destroying ourselves. We're giving them a solid assist.
Amen, Christopher. Starting with the TSA, right on down to "if you see something, say something."
I'll say something, alright. Like how about "The USA fought in two world wars to STOP the spread of communism, and now OUR OWN GOVERNMENT is trying to impose it on us 'for our protection'. I'm NOT buying, thanks anyway."
Flynne at September 9, 2011 8:56 AM
Yeah, I was in the Seattle airport recently--you know, where so many terrorists have struck--and the PA came on, warning us to observe and then report other people in the terminal for suspicious behavior, and to especially note any bags left alone etc.
Minneapolis has been struck many, many times too--but winter storms, not terrorists, but maybe it could happen.
The national boo-hoo-athon, and glorification of all things military will build up to the 9/11 crescendo.
This is all PR for the $1 trillion a year we waste on the defense-VA=homeland security boondoggle-a-rama.
BOTU at September 9, 2011 9:40 AM
and the PA came on, warning us to observe and then report other people in the terminal for suspicious behavior, and to especially note any bags left alone etc
The Ollie North rule?
Stinky the Clown at September 9, 2011 10:20 AM
BOTU, you really oughta go fuck yourself. You don't even live in the States, but it's the US military that's sheltered your idiot soul on each side of the Pacific. You're a child.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at September 9, 2011 11:31 AM
The guy pisses me off. Why get out of bed in the morning if your going to be so naive? Why turn on your computer if you're going to type stupid things into it?
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at September 9, 2011 11:32 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/09/09/treating_ordina.html#comment-2467620">comment from Crid [CridComment at gmail]Absolutely, Crid. As a small way of saying thanks, I always answer advice requests from soldiers before anybody else's, and tell anybody reading me in the Stars & Stripes who writes me to spread the word about that.
By the way, soldiers' problems are usually far less asinine than those of the general public. The sad ones are the ones about spouses who haven't been faithful while they've been over in the Middle East. But, people in the military generally don't write me about stuff like "Somebody said thank you after sex and I'm terribly offended." Something about being in harm's way makes you leave the dumb stuff behind, I'm guessing.
Amy Alkon at September 9, 2011 11:36 AM
Has anyone else seen the "If you see something, say something" ads?
Have you noticed that every single one of them has some white urban hipster leaving an unattended bag on the subway or bus?
How many white urban hipsters have tried to bomb a bus since the Weathermen disbanded in the late 60s?
brian at September 9, 2011 1:40 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/09/09/treating_ordina.html#comment-2467840">comment from brianHah - love that, brian. Great point.
Amy Alkon at September 9, 2011 1:43 PM
Here's a See-Something-Say-Something poster being used in Nevada. Very East Germany:
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/feature/2011/09/07/mallofamerica
Lisa Simeone at September 9, 2011 1:57 PM
"If you want to scare the crap out of them, pull out your cell phone and say "hey, mind if I call my lawyer?" It doesn't hurt to have a lawyer or two in your address book, either."
(Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie)
This report on Mall of America's security ran on NPR earlier this week; I heard parts of it. I've heard the mall's a tourist attraction. Anyway, the overly-harsh security there will deservedly turn away a lot of prospective customers. This is surely a case of a security organization gone amok.
Iconoclast at September 9, 2011 5:05 PM
I gave up on going to malls, in general, years ago. I hit a mall once a year. That is to pick up my Franklin-Covey planner stuff.
I find no attraction in dealing with crowds, paying a 25% premium and going out of my way to do it.
Going to malls always reminds me of the Night of the Comet or Dawn of the Dead.
Jim P. at September 9, 2011 7:00 PM
Hey Crid-
You pay federal income taxes? Count on putting in $6k a year to the Defense-VA-Homeland Security maw.
Another way to look at it: A family of four has to come up with $12k to feed the military maw. Every year.
We spend $3.3k for every resident of the United States every year on Defense-VA-Homeland Security. The money is taxed by force away from productive citizens who create jobs and the wealth to pay those taxes. $1 trillion every year and rising.
It is anyone in the federal government who should thank me for paying their salaries and fatso pensions, not vice-versa.
The military boondoggle is amazing. The Homeland Security boondoggle is double amazing, And the VA should plain be wiped out and privatized, and vouchers given to vets.
And all federal pensions should be wiped out.
What is sad is that you actually want this money t be taken out of your pocket and given to the federal government, a total dead weight on our economy.
Parasites are not patriots.
BOTU at September 9, 2011 9:36 PM
BOTU,
In the U.S. Constitution the founders provided for the the military in Article 1 - Section 8:
If you want to debate the constitutionality of the military as it stands today -- that would be whole months to break down every project and expenditure.
But you insist on conflating the Military onto any and every subject at the slightest opportunity.
I will grant there is integration and information sharing between DOD and DHS, post-9/11. But 9/11 is the reason. Your whole argument is based on that conflation.
When you can finally present some logical thoughts, please come back. Until then go elsewhere you little catamite.
Jim P. at September 9, 2011 10:10 PM
> Another way to look at it:
Don't bother, this isn't for real.
It's hard to speculate on what could have happened to give you such an enduring though narrow, brittlely narrow, obsession. It's safe to say you've had no personal experience of the military in your own life, or of any disciplined, masculine environment. (Football? Nah....) Nor presumably have the people warmly close to you. You never talk about procurement, violent crises, the environment, history, or any larger sphere of human affairs. You never mention authors who've deepened your understanding of military incompetence.
And you don't look forward. You've never offered plans for cleaning anything up, or accomplishing through better means the very real functions the military executes for the civilized world. You seem to think defense was never needed, isn't happening now, and won't need to happen in the future.
These deficiencies don't merely betoken a failure of gratitude on your part, though that would be plenty odious: They're a failure of awareness. All we get is The military is a ripoff, man. It's not an issue for you, it's just a bugaboo. We're left to wonder if a guy in uniform fucked your date on prom night, or became your stepdad soon after Mom was widowed.
Considering what's happened in the last ten years, why aren't you even more offended by the bankers?
Is there something you'd like to share with the group?
Ask yourself: IS IT INTERESTING?
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at September 9, 2011 11:42 PM
Isn't this mall supposed to be a tourist attraction? Nothing more SUSPICIOUS than people taking photos/video at a tourist attraction, right?
You can't expect these highly trained 'security' guards to differentiate between terrorist and tourist. They both start and end with T and have an R in the middle.
DrCos at September 10, 2011 4:37 AM
> Nothing more SUSPICIOUS than people taking
> photos/video at a tourist attraction, right?
Or blacks taking notes.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at September 10, 2011 5:28 AM
"Ask yourself: IS IT INTERESTING?"
Yes, it is very interesting.
I just found out the local library I frequent will close on Sundays because they cannot afford utility bills.
While the U.S. is going bankrupt, neither Democrats nor Republicans want to talk about defense budget.
As BOTU mentioned, after ten years Japanese bombed the Pearl Harbor, they became our ally and make all the goodies for us.
After ten years of 9/11 attack, what do we have to show for?
One of the reason I admire Nixon was that he was a very practical man. He knew when to quit. He did not say the U.S. was defeated. He said we are going to take a silver medal.
I am starting to think that U.S. military industry complex and Al Quada need each other. Just like Red Sox needs Yankees.
The only difference is that Halliburton is making money at the expense of public library I would like to be opened on Sundays.
This pisses me off.
chang at September 10, 2011 7:59 AM
> Yes, it is very interesting.
You two could get a room leave the rest of us out of it.
Chang is presumed to be very young; BOTU has offered comments suggesting affinities in that direction.
Just imagine the heightened intensities of your "interests" if you shared them only with each other.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at September 10, 2011 10:11 AM
Have to agree with ending the VA and replacing it with vouchers for vets. Most of us avoid the VA when possible, and not just because of sketchy quality issues. Retired brass get top-notch treatment, grunts get to wait.
I don't enjoy spending $8,500 a year on medical insurance but at least my doctor treats me in a reasonable timeframe.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 10, 2011 10:49 AM
Nothing more SUSPICIOUS than people taking
photos/video at a tourist attraction, right?
What's not suspicious is now suspicious.
Stinky the Clown at September 10, 2011 11:40 AM
Or blacks taking notes.
Arrested for WWB. (Writing While Black)
steamer at September 10, 2011 2:01 PM
If you see something, say something:
"Excuse me, sir, you forgot your bag."
"Thanks, mister, I would leave my head behind if it weren't screwed on!"
It's that simple. :-)
mpetrie98 at September 10, 2011 11:54 PM
Remember when they used to ask you "Has anyone had access to your bag without your knowledge?"
lujlp at September 11, 2011 2:22 AM
The only difference is that Halliburton is making money at the expense of public library I would like to be opened on Sundays.
This pisses me off.
So libraries, which are primarily state/city supported, are closing because the federal government gives contracts to Haliburton.
Got it.
Steve at September 12, 2011 8:45 AM
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