The title comes from the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C. Professor Walter F. Murphy, emeritus of Princeton University and retired Marine colonel who was decorated for heroism during the Korean War has discovered that freedom is still not free when he was “denied a boarding pass because I was on the Terrorist Watch list.”
Apparently Murphy had made a televised speech that was critical of George Bush’s violations of the constitution. One of the clerks at a certain airline Murphy was attempting to fly on said: “Have you been in any peace marches? We ban a lot of people from flying because of that.”
You can read more about this awful American hero/terrorist here.
UPDATE: I received an e-mail back from the professor confirming the original story. This is no hoax.
45 Comments
this really shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Marmot? When are you going to kick trouble-making hippies like Elgin and The Metropolitician off your site? Don’t be surprised if you find yourself on the Terrorist Watch List if you keep giving these haters of Freedom a voice on your blog.
partypooper, i think your wires are crossed. how does linking to this article make anyone a ‘hater of Freedom?’
I suspect (hope) partypooper is posting in jest. Seriously, if we we in the West aren’t a little more careful about our responses to terrorists, we could wind up depriving ourselves of our freedoms and saving the actual terrorists - the real haters - the trouble of doing it themselves.
If you aren’t in the US, you should really be here to check out the hysteria over the hysteria.
The above item sounds somewhat far fetched to me - mainly due to another hysteria that is now a hallmark of contempoary Americna society - fear of being sued — or — “liability”…
Liability, liability, liability, is something you hear constantly.
“Civil liberties” isn’t up with that yet except in certain groups.
But the hysteria over the hysteria of counter-terrorism is unbelievable.
If I were a documentary producer, I think I’d take a cue from those award winning documentaries on the hysteria of the far Christian right in the US, and I’d shoot a film on the civil liberties crowd. But, really, if I had the money, it would be hard to pass up the global warming religious hysteria that is all over the news too….
Could it be that there was another Walter Murphy on the list? It’s not exactly an uncommon name. And speaking of “the list”. If it is out at all the airline counters, why hasn’t anybody put it on the internet?
I sent an e-mail to the professor, out of curiosity, to see if this was real. Maybe I will hear back. Maybe the *real* Walter Murphy they were after was this one.
globalvillageidiot,
The Partypooper was serious as a heart attack and you should be very careful. The man listens to music like Black Sabbath, Ratt and Iron Maiden, for Christ’s sake!
“The Partypooper was serious as a heart attack and you should be very careful. The man listens to music like Black Sabbath, Ratt and Iron Maiden, for Christ’s sake!”
I applaud his taste in music. He should be aware that Ozzy always considered Sabbath to be a hippie band.
Throwing out the BS flag on this.
While I sympathize with Dr. Murphy, I hardly think an assessment by an American Airlines clerk that, “[w]e ban a lot of people” because of involvement in peace marches is worthy of being taken at face value. Peace marches alone will not do that; affiliation with groups that support terrorists will. Not unsurprisingly, several groups that ultimately support terrorists elicit donations from groups that believe they are donating to help some peace process (the involvement of such groups should come as no surprise; the Soviets organized and funded government opposition and “peace” protests in the U.S. for decades, although the money flow was into rather than from those groups). It could be – and in fact is much more likely – that Dr. Murphy “helped” some group and in that way unwittingly associated himself with such a group.
The another highly likely explanation is that another Walter F. Murphy did something to be placed on the list.
Probably if someone looked into this, “the rest of the story” would paint a very different picture of what happened, and why. I also find Dr. Murphy’s conspiratorial view on his lost luggage to be somewhat absurd.
In light of all of that, it was both sloppy and irresponsible for Graber to not explore the other, much more likely, possibilities. But it’s good for a few comments.
As a Metalica fan, I have to tell you that my bullshit meter is up to code orange on this one. This piece seems suggest the same thing: http://blog.wired.com/27bstrok.....the_p.html
I have gotten the extra luggage search at least three times over the past five years. By Murphy’s logic, my membership in Republicans Abroad should have spared me from that hassle.
Murphy’s whole rant is built on uninformed hearsay from an unnamed clerk. Sorry, but that dog don’t hunt
I got an e-mail straight from the professor himself:
Unless someone sent me a spoof reply to my e-mail, this report is no hoax and the man confirmed what happened.
Does anyone else want to take a stab at explaining this story away? I mean, take a good look at this guys’ vitae. He is not a nutcase and is a genuine Korean war hero with credentials plus. Just how does a Marine Corps colonel and McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Emeritus become a terror suspect in today’s America?
Here is an update from the balkan blog.
USinKorea,
Since when is reporting facts hysteria? Was he not in fact put on the terrorist watch list after having made very critical comments about Bush? Wasn’t Maher Arar illegally arrested at JFK and deported to Syria where he was tortured because he made the mistake of helping an acquaintance sign a lease for a home in 1997?
(http://www.maherarar.ca/)
It isn’t hysteria. Something would still be very wrong if even only one such injustice had occurred-but the list goes on and on.
I agree with Richardson here. I don’t put a lot of stock in the airline clerk’s off the cuff commentary if he or she indeed said those words.
Remember the singer Cat Stevens. He was banned from entering the U.S. a few years ago and everyone said the U.S. was overreacting. Now the public knows some of the things he has said and some of his associates. Come to find out, they were probably right to to not let him in the country.
And maybe, just maybe, this was a mistake. Imagin if you can the government making a mistake.
I share Richardson’s skepticism. Keep in mind that the basis for Professor Murphy’s outrage is his belief that he was singled out based on his political speech.
The most obvious point here is that Professor Murphy is relying on hearsay from an American Airlines counterperson as to the reasons for his being stopped. As far as I know, American Airlines does not generate the terrorist watch list, so the employee may or may not have _any_ idea how that list is generated, and the criteria used in putting names on the list. Note that his account does not include any comment by a TSA employee concerning the reasons for the search.
Second, the business about his luggage being “lost” is speculative. Professor Murphy acknowledges that this could have been “mere coincidence.” However, he appears to use it to buttress his claim of harassment - otherwise, why include it in the narrative?
Third, Professor Murphy’s credentials, while eminently respectable, are irrelevant. His claim, it should again be pointed out, is that he was harassed based on his speech. Seems to me that there’s an underlying supposition that he should not have been stopped based on his status. However, as far as I know, TSA doesn’t keep an automatic pass list.
Finally, the business about the president’s and vice-president’s prior service, and the bit about Valerie Plame is further irrelevant to Professor’s Murphy’s claim of harassment. I would also note that the whole Valerie Plame thing has been debunked at length (I have no inclination to get into an argument about that here - go ahead and read up on your own).
Frankly, I would have expected better analysis from an attorney and “McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence (emeritus).”
Let me be clear; I’m not saying Dr. Murphy is being dishonest, but that what he’s saying is not likely to be accurate (and unlike leftwing media, I make a distinction between a lie and a mistake in facts). A story from someone who sees conspiracy in lost luggage needs a close look, and corroborating sources, which this story does not have.
When looking at the possibilities, Dr. Murphy’s account is much less likely correct than a) him being mistaken for someone else of the same/similar name, b) being the victim of government incompetence, or c) him inadvertently associating himself with an organization that would merit being on the “no fly” list. I’m sure there are other likely explanations as well. But his participation in peace protests or speech making – alone – is not one of them.
So far there are only his claims and recollections of what happened, and nothing else. That seems to be enough for some, who apparently don’t see a need to examine such claims critically, but not for me.
“The man listens to music like Black Sabbath, Ratt and Iron Maiden, for Christ’s sake!”
This speaks more to arrested musical taste development than to seriousness.
You can call BS on this one. The good prof was able to board his plane. All that happened was he was randomly selected for additional screening. See the full story here: http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110009923
Sorry lefties. The US government doesn’t care about what you think or who you vote. Go back to your fantasy world.
Is vanity still one of your favorite sins, dlatn?
Everything is fine in the White House! There is no need to be concerned with what they do! Do not question the choices of your betters, and return to your televisions! Republican über alles!
In summary, if the good professor’s civil rights were violated, as he appears to judge they were, who better to bring a legal challenge against the system? I await news that he has taken the appropriate action to file such a suit, given that he now has “standing”. Better, he can make this a class action suit on behalf of all those “SSS’s” similarly inconvenienced.
Uh, dlatn, some of those red necks were actually black, brown, red (Mitchel Red Cloud) and yellow, and that was just on the US side. Non-white heroes in the commonwealth forces included CPT Reg Saunders (Kapyong) and SGM Wing Kee. You really must get out more.
William G (#21)
Please help me understand the mental path you took from that quote to “über alles.” I stared at it for a good 30 seconds and still don’t get it.
BTW, I thought that some folks would be happy to know that the security system is not engaged in ethnic profiling on this one.
hm. so what i’m gathering is either…
1) Kip Hawley, the TSA administrator is lying or “mistaken.”
2) The airline employees were lying or “mistaken.”
3) Professor Murphy is lying or “mistaken.”
Why is it that everyone is so eager to believe #3? (Professor emeritus? War veteran? 24 years of military service?) Or is it everyone is so sure of the airline employees’ basic competence? The same people who aren’t able to spell my last name correctly. Even when they’re looking at my driver’s license.
Also, when did y’all start getting onto the “blind faith in government” wagon? Doesn’t anyone remember cointelpro?
Is no one familiar with Bruce Schneier?
http://www.schneier.com/cgi-bi.....rms=no+fly
http://www.schneier.com/cgi-bi.....terrorists
When did political ideology become more important than protecting civil liberties? Ah well, I guess “liberty or death” has always been easier to say than practice.
I think my previous comment could use a few more question marks. ???????? There we go.
I’d also like to partially agree with slim about Ratt and Iron Maiden… but Sabbath? Sabbath is timeless, man!
Okay, I’ll admit, I like the Maiden too.
\mm/
Steve,
Saying the US government doesn’t care what a person thinks is a disingenuous argument in light of the recent revelations that it has consistently attempted to downplay global warming, going as far as to censure scientific evidence from its scientists (not to mention the lies about Iraqi involvement with Al Quaeda, weapons of mass destruction, etc.)…but that’s besides the point.
So, how would you explain the reasons behind the NSA sending a Canadian citizen to Syria to be tortured because he was suspected of being a terrorist simply because he innocently co-signed a lease to help out someone he thought was an immigrant? It certainly isn’t an isolated case. We know of at least another Canadian who suffered the same injustice.
For that Sabbath remark, I’ll probably burn in hell, where it will be my luck that some of those other bands are in residency.
“In summary, if the good professor’s civil rights were violated, as he appears to judge they were, who better to bring a legal challenge against the system?”
Yes. You’re probably right. If it was indeed a mistake as Steve suggests, then the system is at the very least flawed and should be challenged.
“’d also like to partially agree with slim about Ratt and Iron Maiden… but Sabbath? Sabbath is timeless, man!
Okay, I’ll admit, I like the Maiden too.”
Sabbath is mainly jazz and classical music. It’s a bit of a musical experiment really. They took that old idea that a tritone is a sinister musical progression (diabolus in musica) and ran with it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritone
As for Maiden…you gotta respect Bruce Dickinson for his work ethics, getting a real job even though he doesn’t need the money.
Sabbath is indeed timeless. I’ll turn 47 this month, and I still listen to them from time to time
Go ahead and make excuses for an America that has descended into a Keystone Cops version of police statehood. The uncivilized treatment I was subjected to upon my recent return from a short trip to Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand was deeply disturbing.
Thank you reasonable citizens of Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand for treating this traveler decently. Up yours, U.S. Customs, Department of Homeland Security, and shockingly successful fearmongers of my sheep-like fellow countrymen. I want my country back!
Re globalvillageidiot in #4 above, what you fear has already happened. Try and argue against an overreaction to terrorism, and you’ll get what Professor Murphy and I got.
You’re obviously not Mongolian. It’s always good fun to hang around Incheon Customs when the flight from Ulan Bator arrives.
Hawley’s explanation from the government side seems very reasonable. The professor should sue if he thinks he was wronged.
Why is everyone surprised when they find the government doing things they dislike? Somehow, a big government under the right means we’re well on the way to a police state, but big government under the left is for our own good.
And the right should stop overreacting to terrorism. They should get with the program and start overreacting to global warming.
“And the right should stop overreacting to terrorism. They should get with the program and start overreacting to global warming.”
A balanced approach to both issues would be a good starting point. Governments - left, right, and all points in between - should have gotten with both of those programs a little earlier than they did.
not to get off subject, but since it was brought up, before global warming became fashionable, i took a geology class and i remember the prof. saying we are just nearing the end of the ice age. that is, the earth was warming up and will warm up regardless of what we do. perhaps human activities are expediting the warming but i don’t understand all the hysteria. the left accuses the right of overreaction regarding terrorism, but couldn’t the right accuse the left of overreacting with global warming? anyway, i’m on the same boat with globalvillageidiot.
There is a problem with this sort of thought and that is that it fails to address the problem, rather indulges in the assumption that all criticism is based on some sort of ideological way of thinking.
Just perhaps — what happened to Professor Murphy — is a sign of a system and administration that is not working and needs improvement or change. It may also be a sign of politically-inspired censorship on someone’s part but such a conclusion has yet to be proven. Considering Mr. Murphy’s record and the ongoing NYC police department’s highly questionable activities on behalf of the RNC, this affair does look suspicious, IMHO.
My take is it has nothing to do with what this guy said or did, but rather is an indictment of big government and the monstrosity known as the Dept. of Homeland (In)Security. To call it revenge for obscure anti-Bush remarks would imply a certain level of competence in the bureaucracy–and I just don’t see it.
This no-fly list obviously needs a lot of work and there should be some mechanism to correct it if you feel you aren’t a terrorist (but at least this guy made his flight). As it stands, Franz Kafka’s character probably would have better luck than this guy in getting answers.
Also, about the luggage: How comforting if missing bags could be blamed on a government conspiracy instead of Murphy’s Law.
Some people just want to believe.
UFOs or govt conspiracies to lose luggage, doesn’t’ matter.
I’m inclined to believe it since I’m on one of the lists to get extra screening. I studied in Moscow for a semester while I was in college, and from what I’ve been told by people in the industry, my name will remain on these lists for at least 5 years after my last trip to a “questionable location” no matter what my stated reason for going there was. “Random” security checks are not random at all.
Here’s an article about another problem, namely our lack of Arabic translators, and how the government uses the same kind of policy to turn down qualified people because of their travels:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13...../newsweek/
Thanks for tracking down the story Steve and shedding light on the matter. Sounded like BS to me.
It is a very big and imperfect system out there folks and inconveniences will have to be suffered. If you feel you must blame someone for more security, may I suggest the jihadists instead of some Bush conspiracy theory.
It amazes me how people react so differently to the random checks. I’ve been checked twice and I have no problem with it. Yes it is inconvenient but everyone has a part to play to make sure travel is safe. One acquaintance of mine was checked once. He was outraged and went into utter hysterics about the whole ordeal. Guy still talks about it to this day as if it was the most humiliating thing anyone has ever suffered.
Amd to add to lirelou’s comment at # 21, at least one of those rednecks was a Korean-American, Young Oak Kim. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young-Oak_Kim)
Let’s see Gore won an academy award for a movie about Global Warming–I guess the CIA and the black helicopters didn’t get there in time.
I’ve been pulled over for those special screenings too, too many times. But, I don’t go on a whine that “THE MAN” is out to get me.
Cindy Sheehan doesn’t seem to have any problem jetting around the US or the world. They don’t get much battier than her.
One-way tickets, purchased with a CC or not, can get you special attention.
On a side note I’ll point out that it’s something of a logical misstep to attempt to use someone’s war credentials or education to give credence to what he says about what someone else told him about being placed on the “no-fly” list, and that’s aside from the credibility lost for suggesting a luggage mishandling conspiracy for anti-Bush peace speech activities.
Just goes to show how a partisan agenda can get in the way of logic and rationality. That’s not to say that there aren’t problems with the no-fly list, but in this case, it seems that the events have very reasonable causes, not conspiratorial ones.
i’d rather have it this way rather than see something bad happen inside the US. FBI, CIA, Bush govt are all doing a great job.
Chinese Nationals selling weapons to China. Busted.
Middle Eastern people with US citizenships having signed onto Al Qaeda in 1991, training US citizens to target US citizens abroad. Busted.
It’s because of idiots that freedom cannot be free. Not that it was ever free. And, it will never be free. That’s why it’s worth a lot. Freedom.
I call BS on nappunsaram #37. I’ve traveled to Moscow a number of times and have never found myself on any such list. I don’t think I’ve even been subject to an extra search once.