Well, I guess that means
I will be spending today
driving around to
local libraries
taking out all copies of
both Pamela books . . .
Posted on 12/18/2005 12:13:41 AM PST by Deek1969
What do you get when you try to check out Mao Tse-Tung's infamous "The Little Red Book" from the library?
A visit from Homeland Security agents.
At least that's what happened to a senior at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, according to the Standard-Times newspaper of New Bedford, Mass.
The college student was visited by federal agents two months ago, after he requested a copy of Mao's tome on communism. Two history professors at UMass Dartmouth, Brian Glyn Williams and Robert Pontbriand, said the student told them he requested the book through the college library's interlibrary loan program. The student, who was completing a research paper on Communism for Pontbriand's class on fascism and totalitarianism, filled out a form for the request, leaving his name, address, phone number and Social Security number.
He was later visited at his parents' home in New Bedford by two agents of the Department of Homeland Security, the professors told the Standard-Times. The professors said the student was told by the agents that the book is on a "watch list," and that his background, which included significant time abroad, triggered them to investigate the student further.
Although the Standard-Times knows the name of the student, the paper declined to name him because he is not coming forward because he fears repercussions should his name become public. He has not spoken to The Standard-Times.
The student told Pontbriand and Williams that the Homeland Security agents told him the book was on a "watch list." They brought the book with them, but did not leave it with the student, the professors said. Williams said in his research, he regularly contacts people in Afghanistan, Chechnya and other Muslim hot spots, and suspects that some of his calls are monitored. "My instinct is that there is a lot more monitoring than we think," he said. Williams said he had been planning to offer a course on terrorism next semester, but is reconsidering, because it might put his students at risk.
ping
I don't believe the story at all. I think it's agitprop, similar to made up "racist vandalism" agitprop.
This is very, very frightening. What's more frightening is that when I scroll down this thread to read the responses, a lot of people are going to be cheering having government spy on what people are reading. I wonder what president hillary will consider "subversive reading material" and who will be on her "watch list?"
Well, I guess that means
I will be spending today
driving around to
local libraries
taking out all copies of
both Pamela books . . .
I agree -- IF this really happened at all. Failing to name the student sets off alarms in my head.
My BS meter went off too. There are no sources. In fact, I would bet this whole story is fabricated.
Good. Nice to know DHS is doing its job.
Of course, the MSM would have us believe that even an investigation amounts to shocking, reprehensible abuse of an American citizen by thugs in black helicopters.
This entire article is NOT passing the smell test. What's the student's name? What were the names of the agents? Has the reporter actually seen the inter-library request? And why on earth would someone need to check out "Little Red Book" via an inter-library loan when the dang thing is available online from thousands of sources. This is usually reserved for books that are rare or hard to come by, not something so readily availble as Mao's "work".
It is perfectly acceptable to cite an Internet source. Most (American) professors recognize this since Harbrace released the edition with instructions on citing Internet sources.
You wouldn't believe the college students out there who put their Social on fairly public documents (tests, papers, etc) as a matter of habit. In the last class my wife taught, nearly 3/4 of the students wrote their Social right under their name. I almost had a heart attack the first one I saw, and did convulse just a little bit when I found that almost all of them did it.
I must say that I almost had a heart attack when I read your post there too.
Do these kids even realize what their setting themselves up for?!?!?!?!
YIKES!
These kids are apparently growing up thinking that privacy isn't something they will enjoy. They have also been trained in the Gumint Indoctrination Centers that your Social is not private. Danger Will Robinson! Danger!
I don't know about
nowadays, but at college
in the 70s,
the main ID was
your social security
number, and the school
based ALL its tracking
on it, ALWAYS asked for it.
It was just normal
for students -- back then --
to put it on everything.
At least at my schools.
Sure your Social was on all official school forms, but I'd never seen kids turning in work with there Social on it before that.
They tried to make your DL# here in GA your Social, and that didn't fly too well with the voters.
Maybe they were Communist recruiters posing as Homeland Security agents.
Make at least as much sense as the other drivel in the story.
I'm sorry but you can not equate the writings of Mao, Marx and Hitler with those of Madison and Hamilton.
Good Call!!!!
The student from UMass Dartmouth has now admitted to having made up the entire story of his having been visited by Homeland Security representatives.
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