Yourspace (within reason, obvs).
This is nice, isn't it?
To quote:
'A high school freshman upset by the war in Iraq has been questioned by federal authorities after venting her frustration with President Bush last spring on her MySpace.com Web page.
Julia Wilson posted a picture of the president, scrawled "Kill Bush" across the top and drew a dagger stabbing his outstretched hand. She later replaced her page after learning in history class that such threats are a federal offense.
It was too late.
Federal authorities had found the page and placed the girl on their checklist.
The 14-year old freshman was taken out of class Wednesday and questioned for about 15 minutes by two Secret Service agents. The incident has upset her parents, who said the agents should have included them.
The girl says the agents' questioning led her to tears and that she's not a dangerous person.'
1. Yes, the dagger was really STABBING HIS OUTSTRETCHED HAND. For shame.
2. I never realised there was a whole website called Kill Bush until googling this article.
3. She's a fourteen year old kid who doesn't know how to express her distaste for the Iraq war, so she drew a picture. For fuck's sake. At least she wasn't penning war poetry like this:
'On That Day
the planes dropped out of the sky
their pilots wanting people to die.
they flew from Boston that day
to the Trade Centers not far away
the lives they took
enough to fill a book
the world - the nation cried
Friends and relatives had died
in the rubble they hadn't found many
we parayed they were alive
few if not any
on that morning that fatefull day
alls we can do now
is reflect in memory
bow our heads and pray.'
or the lesser-known:
'Parents
Parents are like the Twin Towers.
Standing there proud and tall.
For the whole world to see.
And to protect us from all.'
Something in that for all of us I think.
4. I guess this photograph of ol' George about to get his ear cleaned by a pal wouldn't be myspace worthy either:
Doesn't he look sweet? I rather like the 'wot me worry' expression on his face there.
382 days til the next election.
Comments
How, exactly, do the feds find out about some 14 year olds' MySpace? Does some busybody tip them off? Some security-minded citizen with far, far too much spare time?
I like the idea that deadly terrorist masterminds would post what they're up to on their MySpace page. So sneaky.
Is it not illegal in the states to question a person under the age of 16 without a guardian present?
you are so on the secret service's "checklist" now.
watch. your. back.
I second the watch your back, fits.
You can't say anything these days without being hassled by the Secret Service, or ASIO, or, I don't know, some sort of disgruntled group of parents or churchgoers.
Sigh.
Dear Gerome,
The open internet is subject to constant monitoring by a variety of security organisations world wide. Most agencies use automated blanket scans based on two criteria. The type of data and the flow of data. Type of data examines file sizes and types, and information of note. Basic key word searches and the presence of specific files deemed to be of interest that will be brought to the attention of the operator. Flow of data refers to the monitoring of the movement of files and packets around the net. This automated monitoring method targets choke point network devices such as the key global internet routers and fibre linkages and brings suspicious data flows to the attention of the operator, such as large quantities of encrypted data moving from a personal connection in Washington to known addresses in Pakistan for example. So an operator is confronted with a log list of possible suspicious activity based on type and flow of data and this is where the human factor and interpretation comes in. An appropriate analogy is that the world’s best close circuit security camera system is only as good as the observation skills of the fat sleepy security guard sitting behind a number of video displays. So roll the dice.
Dear kk,
Numerous terrorist sites exist on the internet. Some are cunning and untraceable usually from non-western countries, some are run by morons who have revealed themselves and are about to have their doors kicked in by suits and swat. My space is an obvious poor decision and is easily traced via service provider to originator but if the service provider or originator is off shore or is freaking, then he/she may be out of reach and unable to be pin pointed. So perhaps not that foolish for a serious terrorist to get their message widely read on this popular means.
Dear Ukulele,
US anti-terror laws removed such constraints if the matter is associated with national security.
Dear La Nadine,
Don’t use the word ‘checklist’, it triggers their key word search engines! Oh no! I said it!
Dear Susanne,
I’ve got Fitsy’s back.
Fitsy,
I’ve got your back.
PS I am a raving twat with a patronising tone. Long live freedom of speech. Fight the power. I can see all of your harddrives.
Sillies, there's no secret service in Australia. We have the right to free speech.
This is taken from the otherwise well-written Kill Bush website
"And the consequences are there: tenths of millions of dead and implacably devastated countries. That is the true face of USA terror."
Erm... Tenths of millions... thousandths of hundreds and halves of dozen.
But really Bush is such a puppet in all this. Blaming him for the Iraq war is like blaming Hitler's kitten for the holocaust.
Hi Ms Fits, enjoyed your blog for some time now. So I can get an even bigger Ms Fits 'fix', what is the name of your radio show please? Cheers, love your work
Ms Fits,
To make a good first impression with ASIO, could i suggest that you sleep with your door open tonight. ASIO won't have to smash it down and leaving it open will save you a repair bill.
If you have one of those pre-set yuppie kettles, please put it on for about 4.45AM.
Don't forget to fill it right up to the top because ASIO usually send around 8-10 heavily armed officers to deal with girls like you.
Here you hug the Prime Minister with a screw driver and get away with it if you go the right sort of school. Try doing that with Bush and see what happens.
Here you hug the Prime Minister with a screw driver and get away with it if you are the right sort of tool.
Couldn't have put it better myself.
I just woke everyone up laughing at what kk said...
"I like the idea that deadly terrorist masterminds would post what they're up to on their MySpace page. So sneaky."
Hahahahhahahahhaah.... thanks.
Seeing we're all addressing one another here ...
Kranki, I hope Hitler's kitten died a slow and painful death, the little bitch.
B.S. Fairman, great idea!! Although I think I'd just be too tempted to go for his kidneys.
Seeing we're all addressing one another here.
BEVIS
Since you and I both went to the same school as the idiot boy with the screwdriver, let's dust off those old blazers and drop in to Kirribilli, or possibly take a tour of the White House.
Is this weekend good for you?
I seem to remember a lecturer telling me once there in nothing in our Constitution which guarrantees our right to free speech.
But I think we should definitely call a referendum and get the right to swear, drink, vent spleen and say 'bomb' whenvs we want promptly inserted ...
If it was illegal to reproduce nasty pix of, threaten and villify our fearful leader, we'd all be in Big Barney Rubble.
Australia has no secret service? I am assuming that's a joke. By the way, ASIO is not our equivalent of either the secret service or the CIA, just in case you wondered.
No, as far as I know, we don't have a constitutional right to "free speech" as such. We are a lot more linked to the UK model of what can and can't be said. Did you know that one of the possible punishments for treason in this country can still be handed down as a death penalty?
TLS,
I was actually joking on both counts and was reading these comments all 'woe is me, no one understands my awesome GSOH'.
I didn't know about the death penalty though, the rumours are true, you are the smarts.
Comments are closed.