My husband is on the government's Terrorist Watch list

[shance]

My husband is on the government's terrorist watch list
By Sarah O'Brien

My husband is not a terrorist.

He's not an ex-convict, a felon or on the lam, and if you don't count the occasional Post-it notes or paper clips that come home with him from the office, he's not even a petty thief.

But so far, he's had trouble convincing the government of this.

Every time he flies, regardless of the airline, he gets flagged when he checks in because he's on our government's terrorist watch list. As it was explained to us the first time it happened, something about his name, Michael Patrick O'Brien, creates the need for an airline manager to clear him.

This involves the manager taking a look at my husband and his driver's license and disappearing into the bowels of the airport. We assume this is where the manager accesses a secret computer that somehow confirms my husband is actually just a boringly normal person harboring no nefarious plans.

(snip)

Although he was irritated that he had to prove his non-terrorist status instead of the government being required to fix its mistake, he faithfully mailed his application for innocence and waited for notice of freedom to arrive. Surprisingly, a response came within a couple of weeks. The Transportation Security Administration sent him a letter that could only have been written by a government lawyer. A sentence reads, "Where it has been determined that a correction to records is warranted, these records have been modified to address any delay or denial of boarding that you may have experienced as a result of the watch list screening process."


More at link:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.terrorist28may28,0,2723012.story


Sarah O'Brien is a former reporter and editor who lives in Hampstead. Her e-mail is [e-mail].


EDIT: COPYRIGHT. PLEASE POST ONLY 4 OR 5 PARAGRAPHS
FROM THE COPYRIGHTED NEWS SOURCE PER DU RULES.

[SPKrazy]

1. If He Were Truly On The "Terrorist Watch List"

he'd have been held in Gitmo by now.

His name is flagged for whatever reason and he has to be searched.

When they fix it he may be unflagged.

[shance]

3. Take the time to read the article

before writing about what you don't know.

Hopefully you'll be flagged at some point and get to go through what this guy went through. Then perhaps you'll be a little more understanding about what he and his family have had to endure.

Cheers.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MADem]

10. It happens to me, every damn time I fly

And it pisses me off. You'd think if I was a-gonna be a terrist, I woulda done it when I had that super-secret clearance the gubmint done give me during my long military service...

Even talking like the Monkey won't get me off the list. It isn't a minor inconvenience, as you clearly understand, it is a mind-numbing, soul crushing experience. And, as you note, it is something to ENDURE.

Randomly, not a problem. Every FUCKING time, more than a HUNDRED since "Nahn Wun Wun changed EVER'THANG" I wonder if I live in a place called America.

[Toucano]

19. "Hopefully you'll be flagged..."

Is that really what you hope for?

Isn't that reply a bit harsh? The poster clearly misunderstood, but does that really merit a response like that?

I think the acrimony around here is getting a bit thick.

[hlthe2b]

4. Well aren't you just blase' about this?

I urge you to do a bit more research. There are countless Americans on that list by error and they remain so, despite all efforts to get this "fixed" and their name "unflagged." The only one I have heard of that has been able to get it corrected, was only after repeated harranging of former Homeland Security Head and lots of pressure--Senator Edward Kennedy.


I've been flagged before (prior to the "list" for whatever reason--probably because I had a one-way ticket)and I can assure you it is an incredibly horrendous experience. You are treated like a criminal by very very very rude employees, who feel empowered to do whatever the hell they want, in front of everyone.

[SPKrazy]

6. I'm Not Blase, It Happens All The Time Apparently

and I'm damned glad it hasn't happened to me

I'd be outraged

but he isn't on a terrorist watch list or he'd be locked up

his name is similar or the same or maybe just starts with the same letter for all I know and he gets hassled at airports.

I didn't vote for this shithole administration that did this to him.

I'm glad he isn't in Gitmo

And I'm sure he's pissed as I would be

But he isn't denied the right to fly (which probably isn't a "right" in any sense that rights are granted by the constitution) I don't like to be searched. I didn't like my 15 month old son being searched and crying when they made him stand on two painted feet on the floor and I was 10 feet away being wanded. Meanwhile men who looked to be of middle eastern decent were walking through the inspection area without any hassle.

[MADem]

12. I fight back, in a very polite way

I pull my "command voice" out of retirement, and make sure that everyone within 20 feet of me knows that they are tossing a retired senior officer. I ask, loudly, HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU DO THIS TO CURRENT AND FORMER MILITARY PERSONNEL?? The government gave me a clearance, but now in my dotage you need to toss me? Am I an EXCEPTION? Can you tell me WHY this happens EVERY TIME I FLY? (That usually screws them out of the "it's random" excuse, and if they try pulling it, I correct them, again, LOUDLY.) They never have a good answer, and it causes no small amount of grumbling by those around me.

I don't do it in a mean way, just a high decibel way. I can make my voice carry. My tone is reasonable, but LOUD. I maintain a pleasant demeanor. Often, I've had people come up to me and apologize. I tell them it's not their fault, but they need to think about who they vote for, because it's "the powers that be" who are letting this happen to ALL OF US. It's me today, it could be YOU tomorrow.

[Mr_Spock]

8. You seem to have no issue so long as it's not you

That's very thoughtful and compassionate of you :eyes:

[SPKrazy]

9. It Cracks Me Up The Way People Jump To Conclusions

I do have issues, I just want to be clear that this man is not being locked up at Gitmo

he is being hassled

I didn't make the situation where he is being hassled

I don't like it

He does get to fly

I hope that they can fix his problem

I wouldn't want it to be me

And this wasn't the OP's story, it was a story the OP had linked to, so it's not like we're even talking about the OP

Geebus

You'd think everyone forgot their Prozac today

[Mr_Spock]

13. "You'd think everyone forgot their Prozac today"

Yes, one might wonder :eyes:

[NVMojo]

2. what industry is your husband in? I refuse to fly anymore whenever

I can do so. Feck the pigs.

[Toucano]

20. I'm not sure that shance is Sarah O'Brien

It's a little unclear to me.

[shance]

21. Please note that I am NOT the wife of this husband!

It is an article that I found important. However, he is NOT my husband. Although I would certainly defend him as if....

It is unbelievably insane and absurd what this poor family has endured.

[AngryAmish]

7. So am I

Small price to pay for safety. I just can't do electronic check-in.

[Spangle]

11. To put it bluntly.. Alot of US are.

Any activist runs the risk of being put on that lists. Activist automaticly means (now days) as being against the Government. Hence, a 'terror' suspect. Even if the activist is connected to 'peaceful activism.' Another words.. NO TERROR. Except for maybe a 'set down.' Yea, some terror there.

When these lists were first being used.. alot of people where shocked to find themselfs on that list. Normal, everyday people. Go to work, go home. MAYBE attened a meeting, checked out a book, etc.. about ideas that the 'government' didn't want people exposed to.

I haven't flown since 9-11 and the 'new processing'. Not because of 9-11, but because the need hasn't arose. I've offten wondered if I am on that list. After reading some of the storys from the early days.. I realized it didn't take much to get on that list.

It's bad enough that they have such lists. What is really tacky is that people don't know they are on the lists until they arrive at the airport. Causing traveling delays. Some even turned away all together. Got a ' one time family event' to go to... if you plan on going by plane.. your waiting to long to use the other options.. You end up mmissing the event.

As mentioned in this article.. there isn't a real push in the government to stream line the process for these 'people' on the list. What they have done is stream line it for those who fly often and are 'cleared.'. THAT is because the airlines complained and were trying to get people to FLY again. Hence, the fact that the lists include alot of 'innocent' people.. that is a 'hush hush' topic.

Buy the ticket, then find out later you can't fly. Or that your going to be harrassed.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

14. My husbands name is on the list

I know this from reading numerous reports concerning his rather common name popping up on no-fly lists. He flies for the first time since 9/11 next month. I just hope he doesn't get embarrassed, or his fellow passengers look too askance at him if he is yanked out of line.

[shance]

17. Why aren't Americans demanding to know how people get on this list?

Of course we know its anyone who disagrees with this Administration. That is their definition of a "terrorist".

This is the most unbelievable abuse of power and many are taking it instead of fighting this.

[regnaD kciN]

15. Not to be callous, but...

...with a name like Michael Patrick O'Brien, there's a strong likelihood that he shares the name of someone in the military wing of the I.R.A. Hence the flagging.

It sucks, but probably no more so than being an Arab-American named Jihad. Or Osama. Or Muhammad. Or any Muslim-sounding name, for that matter, judging by our current paranoia. :shrug:

[Armstead]

16. This is because we stupid Americans have become chickenshits

America has become a nation of scared little pansy babies, who don't want to accept the fact that life inevitably involves risk

All of the whining over lack of security brought this kind of shit on. Your husband is a victim of the inevitable results of our national embrace of Big Brother.

Jeezus, if this country were to act like adults, we's simply focus on reasonable precautions, like basic screening and not letting real or potential weapons and cargo on board.

But nooooooooo. We Americans had to clamor to put all of this Big Brother shit in place with the misguided belief that huge databases and ID checks for every passenger would actually allow both freedom and risk reduction.

[heartofthesiskiyou]

18. Your phone and internet connection might be listed

under your husbands name.

They could easily check the SSN to find they are looking at "Michael Patrick O'Brien" who is not the party of interest. Conclusion; the fact that it continues is evidence that they got whom they are looking to "pester".

When they trace your internet connection or phone bill, after hits on "Gen. Smedley D. Butler", (your sig) a name the scares the hell out neocomms, places Patrick on "the list".

Without more info that would be my theory at a glance as I know that Butler and people that know about (and especially support what he stood for) the Gen. represents one of the strongest forms of threat to neocomms. His name on a sig on a thousand+ DU poster would flag NSA attention.