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CNN and a a lot of other outlets are reporting that JPL engineer Sidd Bikkannavar, an American-born citizen, was detained at the border when returning from racing solar powered cars overseas.
The border guards demanded he turn over his government-issued NASA phone and its PIN and held him in their detention area.
Bikkannavar also was interviewed by The Verge:
"It was not that they were concerned with me bringing something dangerous in, because they didn't even touch the bags. They had no way of knowing I could have had something in there," he says. "You can say, 'Okay well maybe it's about making sure I'm not a dangerous person,' but they have all the information to verify that."
Bikkannavar says he's still unsure why he was singled out for the electronic search. He says he understands that his name is foreign — its roots go back to southern India. He didn't think it would be a trigger for extra scrutiny, he says. "Sometimes I get stopped and searched, but never anything like this. Maybe you could say it was one huge coincidence that this thing happens right at the travel ban."
Land of the free? Home of the brave?
(Score: 4, Funny) by Pslytely Psycho on Wednesday February 15 2017, @06:01AM
Well he was a scientist, and scientists are responsible for terrorism.
They invented spears, pikes, swords, gunpowder, guns, cannons, bombs and nukes.
Terrorists have used spears, pikes, swords, gunpowder, guns, cannons, and bombs, and want nukes.
The connection and conclusion is obvious.
Scientists support terrorism.
We should ban travel from countries with known scientists.
Just to be safe.
/s
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by q.kontinuum on Wednesday February 15 2017, @07:28AM
And by cutting budget for schools and universities, it can be ensured that
a) There won't be any domestic terr- ahm... science
b) You will be able to identify a potential terr- ahm... foreigner by his ability to speak two coherent sentences in a row
c) "we" and "them" can benefit from the general bias against elitists
(This is not necessarily directed against the USA as such, just against current politics. And that trend can be seen in way more countries than just within the USA)
Registered IRC nick on chat.soylentnews.org: qkontinuum
(Score: 2) by butthurt on Wednesday February 15 2017, @04:14PM
The Chinese invented gunpowder, cannons and bombs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_artillery_in_the_Song_dynasty [wikipedia.org]
If any U.S. customs agents are reading, please take note!
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday February 15 2017, @07:42PM
It's been cold despite all the claims about global warming.
We should really have great public bonfires where all those filthy liars come to burn their own deviant books.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 16 2017, @03:17AM
Especially the Nordstrom catalog.