Lain

Well who knows if this sort of thing has gotten out of hand. But of course, there could be other explanations as to why there is an essay and Islam on her computer. If they had evidence as some tools that could be potentially used to make a bomb, then yeah, by all means, I would start freaking out.

sick little jag

so wait...the FBI or Homeland Security decided to investigate her for skipping school? jesus.

I don't think an essay on Islam and suicide for the cause is enough to warrant labeling someone a terrorist. I mean, short of it saying "I think suicide bombers are SMART! and I want to be one!"....and then having some sort of concrete evidence that they are planning one.

Ugh. I know I don't want people do be dying because of suicide bombings, but I don't want this overly invasive, overstepping government either.

mh67511

You also have to remember, there could be stuff that they aren't making public for security reasons. That being said I'm still a little iffy on this. I have a hard time beliving that a 16 year-old girl would be planning a suicide bombing!

I remember once on the phone with a friend I loudly said I am planning an attack, to see if they were listening in, but nobody came.

Lain

But then again, these two are illegal immigrants. I'm not saying that they are a threat...it just builds up a few questions here and there

And mh, I agree. Maybe there's more to the story that is being kept from the media.

Lexis

I know there have been some cases of young Palestinian women becoming sucicide bombers because those in charge of planning them believe they are less likely to be stopped than males - so its not completely out there for these girls to have been planning an attack. And the Columbine and Red Lake boys were young too.

However, I agree - an essay doesn't seem anything like compelling enough evidence. I guess we'll see.

Citizen Sarah

Jeez thats ridiculous those poor girls. I have a piece of creative writing on my comp from the POV of a suicide bomber which I wrote for a competition- but I couldn't possibly be a suicide bomber cus I'm a nice white Christian girl.
ahh the politics of fear...

sum1

I don't get why everybody's so sure they didn't do it. There's plenty young terrorists (of both genders). And it's not like people can afford to take chances where terrorist bombing might be involved.

Avatar

I got a copy of the lyrics to Steve Earle's John Walker's Blues on my computer ("We came to fight the Jihad, and our hearts were pure and strong / As death filled the air, we all offered up prayers, and prepared for our martyrdom") ... should I be worried?

To quote Ben Franklin: "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve
neither liberty nor security."

sick little jag

thank you for quoting that. it pretty much sums up my feelings on the matter after having thought on it further. i'm not willing to give up my liberties just so long as we can feel "secure".

sum1

By that quote, anybody who accepts having governments deserves neither liberty nor security. And then only anarchists would be entitled to either.

AmandaB

I agree. If they did follow through with these alleged suicide bombings, everyone would have been screaming that they were illegal immigrants and should have been caught before any of the bombings happened.

I feel we don't know the whole story.

sick little jag

well, who is to say i don't believe in anarchy. i am beyond frustrated with the u.s. government in its current state. i'm completely in favor of getting rid of it or starting over.

TokyoNiGHTS

I guess that's where the problem comes in. Do we go ahead with these current actions which are basically racial profiling, or come up with a new way of doing things? We can't really afford to take chances on this issue, but do we go about this by making an entire group of people feel completely uncomfortable about living in this country? If you're going to do this to them, who's stop it from going further and the government is able to go into your home anytime they want to check on what you're doing? Just imagine skipping school once and having your house raided.

WalkingOnSunshine

I don't understand the concept of the US making people feel insecure I suppose for lack of a better word or term. Because, the US is a pretty politically correct country - always trying to appease all sides of any issue. I don't think it is a matter of making a group feel uncomfortable. I think it is a matter of our security organizations acting on their intel and stopping things before they start.

But, if you are scared of I guess insulting the illegals by questioning their citizenship or lack thereof. Then I don't know what we should. Maybe we should sit on our hands and play nice because we don't want to offend anyone?

Of course, we don't know the whole story, but maybe, just maybe I thought most people would have been glad to hear that two alleged suicide bombers are in custody and were not successful in their glory death plans. But that is just me.

AlexEvans

First, arresting criminals doesn't seem an unacceptable infringement on liberty. Immigration charges are still crimes, and it seems far more likely to me that the girls were investigated because of this than because of skipping school (a suggestion that is unsubstantiated and which I would call ludicrous if people didn't seem to be taking it seriously). Secondly, investigating people who commit one crime for possibly intending to commit others is not racial profiling - not even if the first crime is immigration fraud.