New info on that "Writer raided" story

[resonant]

The story from the Romance Writers Report that I typed in here, about the writer who said she was raided under the Patriot Act for doing novel research? The RWR is backpedaling on it now.

Since a lot of you read it here, I thought it was only fair to share the new information.



In the January issue, in response to a letter to the editor expressing shock that such a thing could happen and that it didn't get bigger play, we got this:

"The President Responds:

Jungle Beat is an opinion column.

RWA does not verify the facts printed.

'Dilyn,' wishing to remain anonymous, declined RWA's offer to print an article on the episode."

And at the end of that issue's Jungle Beat, Stephanie Bond, who wrote the original story, reports that she'll no longer be writing the column, which might or might not be a coincidence:

"On a personal note, this is my last Jungle Beat column; I've truly enjoyed bringing you bits from the book industry over the past year and a half, but I'm passing the column on to another member so I can devote more time to another pet RWA project, Romance Sells. Thanks for your time, attention, and feedback to Jungle Beat."

Since about the only basis I had for judging the story was, "Well, this is a national magazine; surely they wouldn't print something they hadn't verified," this does seriously shake how much credence I can put in the story. spikewriter also linked to an article questioning its truthfulness.

I would like to know whether it's true or not, but what I'd like even more to know is: If such a thing happened, would it be legal?

I tried looking at the text of the Patriot Act, but it's written as a series of amendments to other acts -- it's literally made of sections that say things like "Amend HP2218: in line 6, add 'and transcripts'" -- so that a person like me with very limited legal knowledge can't really make heads or tails of it.

Comments

[halimede.livejournal.com]

I know I've seen a 'translation' of the patriot act online, but duh, I don't have the link handy. I'd google, but I just came down with the flu (the joy of sitting next to someone with flu earlier and the week) and the letters on the screen are a bit spinny.

I've seen some similar stories pop up on friendsfriends (as having happened to these actual LJers) as well as smaller but equally insane events in reputable media. This (http://barlow.typepad.com/barlowfriendz/2004/12/a_taste_of_the_.html) seems verifiable, and suggests that illegal searches are certainly happening:

He led me to an office in the baggage claim area that was thicker with cops than some banana republics. They greeted me with same distaste they'd likely have shown an actual terrorist and treated me accordingly for the remainder of that very long day. On the counter lay small quantities of marijuana (for which I have a physician's recommendation), mushrooms, and ketamine that had allegedly been encountered in my suitcase. That the total volume of this prize was significantly more compact than the amount of high explosive necessary to endanger an aircraft, and indeed, insufficient to merit a felony charge on any count, didn't matter to them. They clearly regarded me as a threat to public safety. When I pointed out to the officials that they only had authority to search for threats to the aircraft, one of them, a bug-eyed, crew-cutted troglodyte, declared that, if I had taken any of these substances, then I would have endangered Flight 310. That such an obviously ungifted person was capable of so imaginative a conceptual leap remains a marvel to me. (emphasis mine)

RWR

[(Anonymous)]

RWR isn't "backpedaling" on the story; they're just making it clear that they never verified it because it only appeared in an opinion column. Personally I find it hard to believe that someone would make something like that up, especially since presumably they weren't anonymous to the author of "Jungle Beat."

I think it's pretty normal for RWA columnists to change in January--I know someone from my chapter just took over an RWA e-notes column. And if she's quitting writing the column now, she must have been planning it that way for at least several months (i.e. since before the story was printed) while RWA looked for a replacement.