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)
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Date: 1/26/05 08:13 pm (UTC)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)