Child was behind Facebook poll on killing Obama

[last_texas_dem]

Source: CBS News Political Hotsheet

>>>>When a poll was posted to the popular social networking site Facebook asking if President Obama should be killed, the Secret Service launched an investigation.

Today they announced the results: Turns out a kid was behind the poll. And no criminal charges will be filed against him or his parents, according to the Associated Press, citing a Secret Service spokesman.

The poll, posted to the site over the weekend, asked, "should obama be killed?" The possible answers were "yes," "maybe," "if he cuts my health care" and "no."

At least 730 people took the user-generated poll before it was removed by Facebook. Results were not available because the third-party application used to post the poll was disabled.>>>>

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/10/01/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5355792.shtml

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Not sure if this makes me feel any better or worse...

[eleny]

1. I'm suspicious

How old was this kid?

[onehandle]

2. A 17 year old with a house full of guns could be considered a 'child.' What about the parents?

What are they teaching him?

[Demobrat]

23. They're teaching him to use guns to solve problems.

Obviously.

[katty]

55. 17? a child?! that's no child

[onehandle]

58. It is in the eyes of the law.

And I have no idea how old the kid is.

But he could be ten minutes from his eighteenth birthday and be a 'child.'

[marshall]

62. Most teenagers are referred to as minors in such circumstances

Child usually refers to much younger.

[onehandle]

74. A 'minor' is anyone 18 or younger. 17 months or 17 years, they're exactly the same to the law.

So whoever made the decision not to prosecute (because they were a minor, I assume) called them a child because the law said they were.

And because they were a 'child' they did not reveal their identity.

Now we as rationalizing people would call a 17 year old a minor, or even an adult as they can appear or actually act like an adult. It's just how we see things. Sometimes a judge will say that a minor could be tried as an adult, but they never say a child could be tried as a minor. The law says <18 = minor, > 18 adult.

But in the eyes of the law, all under 18 are the same. A minor, which is a child.

[Ter]

76. You're mistaken

They wouldn't say child unless he was a pre-teen.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

72. Same age as the Columbine shooters....

So there's nothing to worry about.

[Laf.La.Dem.]

3. No way!

A Child - NO WAY - the child's parents did this poll and now they are pointing their finger at the child:mad:

[dalaigh lllama]

7. I'd say the adults who are in the birfer crowd

are probably not internet savvy enough to put together a poll on FB. I'd say probably the kid -- but influenced by the parents' attitudes.

[HipChick]

14. yep...playbook that drug dealers use...get the minor to do your deeds

[MidwestRick]

17. You know this...

how?

[Hepburn]

27. Look at the possible responses to the poll:

One of which was about discontinuing the poster's health insurance. What minor has health insurance on his/her own that could be discontinued? SChip? Hardly...so we are talking private pay issues ~~ and some minor posted a poll about his/her OWN policy?

I call bullshit.

[Oeditpus Rex]

34. He posted that as a choice of responses for other people

It wasn't about his own policy.

I'd wager the kid was parroting his asswrench parents.

[Hepburn]

36. If he takes away MY healthcare....

...:shrug:

[Oeditpus Rex]

39. ...which is presumed to be said by the person taking the poll

One answers a question in one's own voice. Given the question, "Do you think _____ ?" one would answer, "Yes, I do" or "No, I do not."

[robinlynne]

29. a child would not think of : "if he takes away my healthcare".

[shanti]

41. thank you

n/t

[Lilith Velkor]

49. Have you ever met anyone who was under the age of 18?

[quakerboy]

68. He would if his parents had FuskNoise on all day

[RamboLiberal]

52. Are we sure it wasn't this kid - cause he sure would've posted

this kind of poll.



Jonathan Krohn

Born March 1, 1995 (1995-03-01) (age 14)
Georgia, U.S.A.
Nationality United States
Occupation Writer, Political pundit,Conservative

Jonathan Krohn (born March 1, 1995) is the author of the book Define Conservatism, who gained national attention when he addressed the 2009 Conservative Political Action Conference at age 13. In 2009, he was a finalist for Time magazine's Time 100 for the year 2009.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Krohn

Remember the mouth this smartass little sucker has? Too bad Thom Hartmann is a pacifist cause I'd have been tempted if I was Thom when he interviewed this smart-aleck to smack him upside the head.

[mbperrin]

56. Thank you! No kid has an opinion on "taking" their health care.

Another deft slip and another fuckhead escapes the responsibility....

[dalaigh lllama]

4. So...ostensibly between 14-18 y.o.

Hope the SS scared the poop out of him/her and the parents.
Now lets hear about whether they'll have a talk with all the people who voted "yes"

[bluestateguy]

5. So?

I'm sorry, but I don't care if it was a kid or not. His name should be revealed, so that every college he applies to will be aware of this information.

Is there a white collar juvenile hall system?

I'm getting really tired of episodes like this where somebody makes a threat, and the Secret Service "visits" them, and then nothing happens, other than a stern lecture from two bulky guys in suits and sunglasses.

[Crzyrussell]

26. You want

to destroy this child's life? How is that in his best interest?

[bluestateguy]

31. I bet you this "child" was 16 or 17

Old enough to be charged as an adult for serious crimes, which this clearly was. Destroy his life? No, but every college he applies to should have this information. Bob Jones University would probably still admit him.

[Crzyrussell]

45. Your

motive seems to be more about revenge than rehabilitation. Why the colleges? So he can't get an education and a future? The visit from the Secret Service was probably enough to scare him straight.

[Regret My New Name]

64. I'm glad everyone in the world doesn't know some of the stupid shit I did when I was 16 or 17....

You may have been a perfect angel, but I'm betting there are more than few others around here who were not...

[Captain Hilts]

6. He needs to be punished in some way. nt

[Hepburn]

28. Punished?

I want him WATCHED and his parents, too. The SS just seems to have shrugged this off and I cannot see that some child posted a poll about his/her own policy of health insurance. That does NOT fly.

JMHO

[Critters2]

8. "A kid" who mentioned health care in a poll about killing POTUS.

I don't bloody well think so.

[Hepburn]

25. Sure....

...right....all chidren are that caught up in the POTUS discontinuing THEIR healthcare. I smell bullshit ~~ what minor has healthcare on his/her own that Obama could discontinue?

[Critters2]

46. My point precisely. nt

[Igel]

60. So put quotation marks around it.

There, it's no longer about his own health care.

If you want even more fun, put :sarcasm: after the quotes.

After all, how many "town hall" meetings have people complained about government interference with their health care, and with what could be read as implicit threats.

Sorry, I can read this in too many ways. The SS is paid to not understand the possibility of sarcasm or even satire, simply because they don't have much margin for error. We, on the other hand, have pretty much a 99% (or greater) margin for error because, well, absolutely nothing depends on us understanding this kid correctly. (Although, to be honest, most people would never think, "Gee, do I understand this poll correctly?" because it allows for the possibility that we're wrong.)

[robinlynne]

30. exactly.

[Ironman3476]

9. An honest mistake

children - republicans - who can tell the difference?

[svpadgham]

18. Children act more mature

n/t

[catzies]

66. Yes, and children have potential and can actually grow up to be good people

Unless they become conservative Republicans first.

[fascisthunter]

10. ya know the parents planted this hatred in the kid's head

fucking bastards brainwashing their kids.

[Hoyt]

51. Probably home schooled n/t

[Frances]

11. How does this child's age compare to the age of children

prosecuted for other crimes?

I thought 9 year olds had been treated as adults in some states. Am I wrong?

[SpookyCat]

21. That was exactly my thought. n/t

[tridim]

12. Damn, this gives the crazies a big loophole.

They can now threaten the President (or worse) and just blame their kid.

[thereismore]

13. Cowardly teabag parents hiding behind their kid. nt

[Auggie]

16. +1

[JuniperLea]

20. +2

[berni_mccoy]

22. +1000. This is what happened.

[Regret My New Name]

65. That's what I'm thinking *might* be the case.

[Blue_Tires]

73. my thought as well...

[cpamomfromtexas]

15. I bet I know this punk! He's a bully in our neighborhood.

[NOLALady]

19. Wow.

"And no criminal charges will be filed against him or his parents, according to the Associated Press, citing a Secret Service spokesman."

That makes me feel better. I can sleep better knowing the POTUS is protected.

[mzteris]

24. I want to know the age of this "kid". n/t

[Trillo]

32. The zero tolerance posts here on a progressive board are illuminating:

Ruin the child's future, Take away his or her college, Watch 'em until death does part.

For these posters of thoughts, why not just execute this kid? Why make his or her future life a living hell, when the phrase is supposed to be "pursuit of happiness" (for all of us).

The President also gets to live and pursue happiness, and this kind of action, that of forgiveness to a child is a magnanimous mercy full of good. May we all learn from it.

[crim son]

33. Yep.

And a thief should be shot and killed for stealing a purse. We're all for fairness and justice unless something really pisses us off. :eyes:

[Posteritatis]

38. I'm sure there's some who think that and just aren't daring to say it openly. (nt)

[heliarc]

40. I'm not going to defend poorly thought out posts of some.

But there should be a lack of tolerance for quite a few things people say and do. I'm not so sure I put it past a lot of this right wing movement to start killing Census workers and the President. And there is clearly a media blitz to encourage just such a thing. How much is too much? Saying you're going to kill the president? Killing a substitute teacher because he's a Federal Agent? Because Michelle Bachman fomented your anger on the issue?

I think that saying inflammatory things like that should be prosecuted. It doesn't mean it has to ruin someone's life forever but someone at the very least should be watching that "child" and his/her parents. Shrugging it off as a harmless prank is folly.

[babythunder]

44. If he made a similar poll

about a classmate he would most likely be expelled and be dealing with the authorities. If you haven't noticed due to school shooting schools and authorities take these types of threats seriously. So I'm not quite sure why you are just shrugging it off because it's the President?

[fascisthunter]

77. get over it

oh speshulll one

[davidhilton]

35. and who actually believes this?

[Posteritatis]

37. Considering not all minors are innocent and wise little angels, I see no reason not to. (nt)

[No Elephants]

42. I don't believe it was a kid, period.

[Vidar]

43. This is very suspicious.

[BlueIdaho]

47. Bullshit.

[JonQ]

48. Ah, kids are kind of irrational

and tend to make stupid choices.

He's probably learned his lesson.

[Odin2005]

50. "Teen" would be more accurate.

[RamboLiberal]

53. For those of you thinking a young person couldn't have done

this poll. Anyone remember this little RW smart-mouth twit.



Johathan Krohn. There are RW kid parrots out there. Sorry, didn't mean to insult parrots.

[angrycarpenter]

54. I think I may have been the last person to post a comment on that poll.

At the time that it was pulled there were 77 votes combined for the first three choices and 2000 odd votes for NO. Most of the comments went like, "I hate his socialist policies but I wouldn't want to see him killed". I commented that everyone should be true to their rhetoric. If he is indeed Hitler and Stalin combined and the anti Christ to boot then they should vote YES. Then I called them a bunch of idiots for letting radicals control their message.

[santamargarita]

57. Then lock up his asshole parents

:puke:

[IndianaGreen]

59. The teen's parents are the ones that infuse the kid with those political views

If this had been a poll about "should President Bush be assassinated", I assure you that charges would have been filed.

[marshall]

61. I wonder if he was in a school that aired Obama's message to schools?

How many other stuff online is the work of bored kids with clueless parents?

[Regret My New Name]

63. I wonder just how old the 'child' is...

When people say child I tend to think of someone under 12. Whereas a teenager is called a teenager. Anyway, if the kid was under the age of 12, I find the "if he cuts my health care" option to be suspicious.

[Turborama]

67. "Results were not available because the third-party application used to post the poll was disabled."

Hmmm, I hope that only means the results and details of who voted yes aren't available to CBS/AP.

[and-justice-for-all]

69. That does not make it OK...nt

[divineorder]

70. The Kid May be a Loophole for the Parents.

Kid gets an account, and the parents use the kids password, or they dictate to him what they want on the poll. So far the Internet can't distinguish between the two. Or the parents use the kid's info to create an account for themselves.

The parents do this because they figure the Secret Service won't be so hard on a kid as they would on an adult.

However, this may not be so consequence-free as some think. I wouldn't be too surprised if the ISP that serves them cuts off their service or puts them on some sort of strict surveillance policy. The Secret Service would have had to go there to narrow down the possibilities to that house, which is no way to make friends at the cable/satellite/phone ocmpany.

[Vinca]

71. Child welfare should be looking into this kid's home environment.

[alp227]

75. Maybe the headline means adult with a child-like mind

Anyone who could've written this poll has a very very immature mind. Or I think teabag homeschool fundie kid with such ideological parents wrote this BS. Still, I guess there were no criminal charges because it wasn't something saying "I wanna kill Obama!"