Report: Theory Links Anthrax to Md. Pond

[LilBlinbBlahIce]

Report: Theory Links Anthrax to Md. Pond
Interesting. Does anyone find it odd that this guy, a white, probably Christian fellow is allowed to be free even though suspected of terrorist activity, while Jose Padilla, a mexican-Muslim, is in jail for being a suspect in a terrorist activity? Is there a double standard here? Is there going to be a line drawn regarding who can be detained on circumstantial evidence and who can't? Keep in mind, they are both American citizens, but Padilla is being held without legal counsel or charge, their only claim is that he is a terror suspect. What do y'all think? Are we not ready to detain, without charge, people who resemble us too much? Do you think he would be allowed to roam free if he was an Arab American?

 

[JJWalker]

Brother, everyone knows it just minority's in US prison system. Did this just become news to you?

 

[LilBlinbBlahIce]

That's not what I was trying to point out. I'm saying that in this new war on terrorism, where people can be rounded up merely on suspicion, has an unspoken racial and religious line been drawn in the sand? Will the majority of Americans still support expanded gov. "espionage" powers and arrests without charge if the suspects start to look more and more like they do? I think it's an interesting issue.

 

[XMan]

They have evidence on Padilla; they don't on the other guy. The other guy has been under 24/7 surveillance for over a year - sure, that's not prison, but it can't be enjoyable.

 

[LilBlinbBlahIce]

Originally posted by: X-Man
They have evidence on Padilla; they don't on the other guy. The other guy has been under 24/7 surveillance for over a year - sure, that's not prison, but it can't be enjoyable.

That's true, but Padilla has not been charged with a crime, all they have is some circumstantial evidence, not the same, yet similar to this case: evidence exists, but not strong enough for a charge. Padilla did not actually kill anyone, this man could be responsible for the death of five people. I think that based on our new model for dealing with terrorists, that would be grounds for imprisonment. So that takes me back to my original question: Is there an emerging double standard in the way we treat terror suspects?

 

[Alistar7]

I want to know who came up with the "tip" to search those ponds...

Lil, I have a feeling most americans wouldn't care what anyone looked like, if there was evidence they were possible terrorists they would want them locked up or deported.

Maybe the terrorists should undergo masive plastic surgery to appear "white", it would make the job much harder, but if it would mean not having to hear people complain about "racial profiling", great.

Maybe if the terrorists themselves were not Arab and didn't use a perverted religious perspective as their motivation people would not bew singled out on that basis, but that's the reality of the situation, not some ulterior motive cooked up to promote some racist agenda.

 

[LilBlinbBlahIce]

Originally posted by: Alistar7
I want to know who came up with the "tip" to search those ponds...

Lil, I have a feeling most americans wouldn't care what anyone looked like, if there was evidence they were possible terrorists they would want them locked up or deported.

Maybe the terrorists should undergo masive plastic surgery to appear "white", it would make the job much harder, but if it would mean not having to hear people complain about "racial profiling", great.

Maybe if the terrorists themselves were not Arab and didn't use a perverted religious perspective as their motivation people would not bew singled out on that basis, but that's the reality of the situation, not some ulterior motive cooked up to promote some racist agenda.

No, I agree with you A7, the reality is that the, lets call them "original" terrorists, were Arab, so anyone, including me, would have presumed that the Anthrax attacks were perpetrated by Arabs. The letters seemed to point in that direction as well. My point is, the major suspect turned out to be white. Does that, even on a psycological level, detract from the "terroristic" effect of the crime? I think its harder for people to accept a crime as terrorism if its not perpetrated by a certain prototype. I was wondering if y'all felt the same, and if in that regard, a new double standard could emerge.

 

[Alistar7]

Not at all, McVeigh was white as well.

From his attack they have learned to check mass quantites of fertilizer sales and keep aware of other situations. If you were being shot at by 100 people and you killed them all only to find out it was 99 white guys and one asain, would you be more wary of white people or Asians? Does that make you a bigot or just practical?

 

[LilBlinbBlahIce]

Originally posted by: Alistar7
Not at all, McVeigh was white as well.

From his attack they have learned to check mass quantites of fertilizer sales and keep aware of other situations. If you were being shot at by 100 people and you killed them all only to find out it was 99 white guys and one asain, would you be more wary of white people or Asians? Does that make you a bigot or just practical?

I'm not talking about racial profiling, in that regard it makes total sense to be more aware of people who fit the profile of the majority of perpetrators. I'm talking about standards in detention. Padilla was arrested and is being detained without charge or legal counsel based solely on circumstantial evidence that I am sure is no more compelling than what they have on this Anthraz guy. Why is one allowed to remain free and enjoy the benefits of our legal system while the other is not? Would he have been treated differently if he were Arab? Remember, the anthrax letters actually killed people, Padilla's so called "dirty bomb" plot did not.

 

[Alistar7]

Originally posted by: JJWalker
Brother, everyone knows it just minority's in US prison system. Did this just become news to you?

be back with ya in a sec Lil, must adress this though.


I won't bother stating I know what "everyone know's", I haven't had enough time to talk to every single person in the world to be able to claim that, I hardly remembering you asking me... Nice to be grouped together in a category though.


take a look at Ohio's prision population, especailly southern Ohio. The Appalachian areas are some of the WORST "ghettos" in the US. I have been the Hough District of Cleveland, race riots 1960's, the north side of pitsburgh, yup, I went where cops won't, the burned out areas of detroit, I would take any of those over the life the appalachian people live.
In some of ohio's prisons they make up to 50% of the inmate population.


So who commits more crimes in this country anyway? If minorities only make up a certain % of the population, is their % of crimes equal?

25% of the population, 25% of the crimes, etc?