Clock kid sues for $15 million

[Sanctissima]

It's a little sloppy, but I'd give him an A-.

"But Mr. Goofballs, this is Spanish"

---

Okay, for starters, your first remark is bullshit. If the president of the United States issues a public statement of support for you, then you certainly aren't being targeted as a possible terrorist. And if you're trying to avoid terrorism and religious persecution, one of the last places you go is fucking Qatar (unless you've decided to take a crack at the whole being the persecutor thing).

As for the actions of the police, yes, it was ridiculous. His civil rights were violated, I'm not saying they weren't. That said, your assessment is ridiculous. Handing out millions of dollars to everyone who's ever been wrongfully accused by the police would completely fuck the US economy over. First off, there's millions of Americans who would be compensated, so it would be one massive class-action lawsuit which would suck the government's money dry. Secondly, at least 10% (although probably more within the vicinity of 25%) of Americans would suddenly become millionaires, which would ultimately lead to major economic collapse. The US dollar would become useless with the flooding of the market, hyperinflation would ensue, and America's economy would be on-par with Zimbabwe's.

If you're saying that millions of Americans have had their civil rights violated by the police, such as by being denied their right to have an attorney present during questioning, then I think you should be more concerned with how your country is some kind of dystopian police state that blatantly disregards its own highest laws than what might happen to your economy if you were to compensate all those people.

Well, for starters, I'm Canadian. We aren't exactly what I'd call a police-State.

And really, do your research. There's tons of baby-boomers, black rights activists and other Americans who have had their civil rights violated over the course of the past several decades. Those people easily make up a few million, and if you were to tally the whole sum of living Americans who, at some point in their lives, have been abused by the police, you'd at the very least have 1/10th of the population.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Have they actually left yet?

Yes, and they now want to come back home to Texas - even if there are armed, masked people demonstrating against their local mosque.

Yea, that's small town factionalism for you.

[Sanctissima]

1) My remark was largely in regards to Qatar's financing of terrorism, not it being a target of it. No offence intended, but "being forced to leave the US to escape persecution" is grade-A bullshit. Maybe the family felt that way, but I doubt it. They were getting a lot more support than they were condemnation. I'm pretty sure the scholarship offered by the Qatar Foundation had a lot more to do with it.

2) I do, but I fail to see how this is worth $15 million in reparations.

As for your first point I don't think it really counts if the people who are within your city (and this is a small town near Houston, so no it isn't some Liberal paradise) are a bunch of bigots.

Fair enough, but they could always just move to some other part of America. In fact, they wouldn't even have to leave Texas in order to get to a more open-minded neighbourhood.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

"But Mr. Goofballs, this is Spanish"

---

If you're saying that millions of Americans have had their civil rights violated by the police, such as by being denied their right to have an attorney present during questioning, then I think you should be more concerned with how your country is some kind of dystopian police state that blatantly disregards its own highest laws than what might happen to your economy if you were to compensate all those people.

Well, for starters, I'm Canadian. We aren't exactly what I'd call a police-State.

And really, do your research. There's tons of baby-boomers, black rights activists and other Americans who have had their civil rights violated over the course of the past several decades. Those people easily make up a few million, and if you were to tally the whole sum of living Americans who, at some point in their lives, have been abused by the police, you'd at the very least have 1/10th of the population.

So just because it has been happening without impunity for the last several decades we should just take it up the ass and smile?

[Soldati Senza Confini]

As for your first point I don't think it really counts if the people who are within your city (and this is a small town near Houston, so no it isn't some Liberal paradise) are a bunch of bigots.

Fair enough, but they could always just move to some other part of America. In fact, they wouldn't even have to leave Texas in order to get to a more open-minded neighbourhood.

I mean, I was thinking they could have moved to Inner Houston, or Dallas, or Corpus Christi, or any of the big cities really, but that's what they want to do that's what they want to do.

After their experience with Texans I really don't blame them. I'd get the hell out of the U.S. back to El Salvador if my neighborhood persecuted me upon first impressions.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

As for your first point I don't think it really counts if the people who are within your city (and this is a small town near Houston, so no it isn't some Liberal paradise) are a bunch of bigots.

Fair enough, but they could always just move to some other part of America. In fact, they wouldn't even have to leave Texas in order to get to a more open-minded neighbourhood.

There is no place in the United States where they wouldn't be targets for some group of bigots.

[Ifreann]

Have they actually left yet?

Yes, and they now want to come back home to Texas - even if there are armed, masked people demonstrating against their local mosque.

Armed, masked protesters, you say? Well clearly it is just an insult to America for them not to deal with that kind of shit for potentially the rest of their lives.

---

"But Mr. Goofballs, this is Spanish"

---

If you're saying that millions of Americans have had their civil rights violated by the police, such as by being denied their right to have an attorney present during questioning, then I think you should be more concerned with how your country is some kind of dystopian police state that blatantly disregards its own highest laws than what might happen to your economy if you were to compensate all those people.

Well, for starters, I'm Canadian. We aren't exactly what I'd call a police-State.

And really, do your research. There's tons of baby-boomers, black rights activists and other Americans who have had their civil rights violated over the course of the past several decades. Those people easily make up a few million, and if you were to tally the whole sum of living Americans who, at some point in their lives, have been abused by the police, you'd at the very least have 1/10th of the population.

That would be almost 32 million people. If 32 million people have had their rights violated by the police, then I stand by my point that they have more pressing concerns than how to pay for all that compensation.

---

As for your first point I don't think it really counts if the people who are within your city (and this is a small town near Houston, so no it isn't some Liberal paradise) are a bunch of bigots.

Fair enough, but they could always just move to some other part of America. In fact, they wouldn't even have to leave Texas in order to get to a more open-minded neighbourhood.

They could. Or they could move somewhere else. Why exactly do you think they should stay in America? Is it really just because Obama was nice to them? 'Cos he won't be president for long.

[Sanctissima]

1) My remark was largely in regards to Qatar's financing of terrorism, not it being a target of it. No offence intended, but "being forced to leave the US to escape persecution" is grade-A bullshit. Maybe the family felt that way, but I doubt it. They were getting a lot more support than they were condemnation. I'm pretty sure the scholarship offered by the Qatar Foundation had a lot more to do with it.

2) I do, but I fail to see how this is worth $15 million in reparations.

1) They were living in an anti-Muslim town, and were the subject of enormous media attention, which only served to exacerbate the situation. There may have been support, but they were also getting slammed from the left (Maher, Dawkins to some degree) and the right (Fox News) in the media. That's not healthy for a child. In Qatar, they had opportunities, and could start over.

2) How much are your Constitutional rights worth, then? Put a number on it. What number do you think would keep them from doing this again?

1) But there wasn't a need to start over, at least not entirely. There's plenty of non-crazy towns in Texas, and the left was largely supportive of them. And Dawkins is a known islamaphobe. In fact, he pretty much hates religion in general, and is willing to make a complete ass of himself just to make a point. As far as the left is concerned, he's the exception, not the rule.

2) As a general estimate, given the circumstances of this particular case, $50,000 dollars. And suing them, no matter the amount, would not prevent them from doing this again. Firing and replacing the perpetrators certainly would, but suing for $15 million just polarizes the issue.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

1) They were living in an anti-Muslim town, and were the subject of enormous media attention, which only served to exacerbate the situation. There may have been support, but they were also getting slammed from the left (Maher, Dawkins to some degree) and the right (Fox News) in the media. That's not healthy for a child. In Qatar, they had opportunities, and could start over.

2) How much are your Constitutional rights worth, then? Put a number on it. What number do you think would keep them from doing this again?

1) But there wasn't a need to start over, at least not entirely. There's plenty of non-crazy towns in Texas, and the left was largely supportive of them. And Dawkins is a known islamaphobe. In fact, he pretty much hates religion in general, and is willing to make a complete ass of himself just to make a point. As far as the left is concerned, he's the exception, not the rule.

2) As a general estimate, given the circumstances of this particular case, $50,000 dollars. And suing them, no matter the amount, would not prevent them from doing this again. Firing and replacing the perpetrators certainly would, but suing for $15 million just polarizes the issue.

1) Also Bill Maher, and a number of anti-religionists on the left, as well as those who are simply anti-Islam on the right.

2) Actually, I believe that when they have to pay enough to hurt, it's a problem. And if the insurance carrier threatens to drop them if any shit like this goes down again, then they'll take steps to prevent it.

[Vestr-Norig]

The compensation culture in the States never cease to amaze me.

[Sanctissima]

Yes, and they now want to come back home to Texas - even if there are armed, masked people demonstrating against their local mosque.

Armed, masked protesters, you say? Well clearly it is just an insult to America for them not to deal with that kind of shit for potentially the rest of their lives.

---

Well, for starters, I'm Canadian. We aren't exactly what I'd call a police-State.

And really, do your research. There's tons of baby-boomers, black rights activists and other Americans who have had their civil rights violated over the course of the past several decades. Those people easily make up a few million, and if you were to tally the whole sum of living Americans who, at some point in their lives, have been abused by the police, you'd at the very least have 1/10th of the population.

That would be almost 32 million people. If 32 million people have had their rights violated by the police, then I stand by my point that they have more pressing concerns than how to pay for all that compensation.

---

Fair enough, but they could always just move to some other part of America. In fact, they wouldn't even have to leave Texas in order to get to a more open-minded neighbourhood.

They could. Or they could move somewhere else. Why exactly do you think they should stay in America? Is it really just because Obama was nice to them? 'Cos he won't be president for long.

I'll just respond in one big post.

Yes, America has some major problems. But this isn't exactly the topic. I don't think it's any big secret that there are a lot of bigots, islamaphobes and racists in the country's police force. That said, you don't solve this by going on a suing binge.

Sure, there's no guarantee what the next president's position on Islam will be. Then again, I really doubt any of his potential successors would implement anti-Islamic laws. There's certainly some that would like to, but none of them are in a position to actually win, let alone have control over Congress. And it's not like just the president came out supporting Mohamed. NASA and tons of others did too. Why leave a country that is largely supportive of you?

[Lunatic Goofballs]

It's a little sloppy, but I'd give him an A-.

"But Mr. Goofballs, this is Spanish"

No mire un caballo de regalo en la boca.

[Sanctissima]

1) But there wasn't a need to start over, at least not entirely. There's plenty of non-crazy towns in Texas, and the left was largely supportive of them. And Dawkins is a known islamaphobe. In fact, he pretty much hates religion in general, and is willing to make a complete ass of himself just to make a point. As far as the left is concerned, he's the exception, not the rule.

2) As a general estimate, given the circumstances of this particular case, $50,000 dollars. And suing them, no matter the amount, would not prevent them from doing this again. Firing and replacing the perpetrators certainly would, but suing for $15 million just polarizes the issue.

1) Also Bill Maher, and a number of anti-religionists on the left, as well as those who are simply anti-Islam on the right.

2) Actually, I believe that when they have to pay enough to hurt, it's a problem. And if the insurance carrier threatens to drop them if any shit like this goes down again, then they'll take steps to prevent it.

1) True. But as I said, as far as the left is concerned, the vast majority was supportive of Mohamed. The right, on the other hand. Well, that's another story entirely.

2) Potentially, but that might cause more issues than it would solve. For starters, there's the inherent sense of resentment it would cause. Already, support for Mohamed has already waned (which is a shame because by this point I think his parents are taking advantage of the situation more than anything), and with it any larger ramifications this could have had for racial prejudice and religious bigotry as a whole. Like you said, for that school and town in particular, it would lead to a change in policy (albeit very begrudgingly). As a whole though, I'm not sure if it would turn out as a net positive. When people are pissed, they do stupid things.

[Ifreann]

Armed, masked protesters, you say? Well clearly it is just an insult to America for them not to deal with that kind of shit for potentially the rest of their lives.

---

That would be almost 32 million people. If 32 million people have had their rights violated by the police, then I stand by my point that they have more pressing concerns than how to pay for all that compensation.

---

They could. Or they could move somewhere else. Why exactly do you think they should stay in America? Is it really just because Obama was nice to them? 'Cos he won't be president for long.

I'll just respond in one big post.

Yes, America has some major problems. But this isn't exactly the topic. I don't think it's any big secret that there are a lot of bigots, islamaphobes and racists in the country's police force. That said, you don't solve this by going on a suing binge.

Couldn't hurt.

Sure, there's no guarantee what the next president's position on Islam will be. Then again, I really doubt any of his potential successors would implement anti-Islamic laws. There's certainly some that would like to, but none of them are in a position to actually win, let alone have control over Congress. And it's not like just the president came out supporting Mohamed. NASA and tons of others did too. Why leave a country that is largely supportive of you?

Maybe it doesn't seem that way to them. After all, they're not just dealing with what's being said about them on TV. If they stayed in America they'll be subjected to Islamophobic abuse in person as well. And when their story stops getting covered in the press, and celebrities have stopped Tweeting their support, they're still going to get abused for being Muslims. Why stay in a country where they'll have to face that? Because some Americans don't hate Muslims?

[Yumyumsuppertime]

1) Also Bill Maher, and a number of anti-religionists on the left, as well as those who are simply anti-Islam on the right.

2) Actually, I believe that when they have to pay enough to hurt, it's a problem. And if the insurance carrier threatens to drop them if any shit like this goes down again, then they'll take steps to prevent it.

1) True. But as I said, as far as the left is concerned, the vast majority was supportive of Mohamed. The right, on the other hand. Well, that's another story entirely.

2) Potentially, but that might cause more issues than it would solve. For starters, there's the inherent sense of resentment it would cause. Already, support for Mohamed has already waned (which is a shame because by this point I think his parents are taking advantage of the situation more than anything), and with it any larger ramifications this could have had for racial prejudice and religious bigotry as a whole. Like you said, for that school and town in particular, it would lead to a change in policy (albeit very begrudgingly). As a whole though, I'm not sure if it would turn out as a net positive. When people are pissed, they do stupid things.

1) So that makes part of half of the country (out of those who were paying attention), and the majority of the other half of the country. Take out those who didn't have a strong opinion, and your family is a target for harrassment. Sure, he had supporters, but how many of them were going to ensure his family's security?

2) So he shouldn't sue and try to change the posiiton of the school district because people might do stupid things? Like what? Arrest him and subject him to questioning without access to an attorney or his parents? Or were you talking physical harm? If so, then that just supports my first point. He shouldn't refrain from filing in defense of his rights just because some people might get pissed that they're getting called out on acting wrongly.

[Infected Mushroom]

I reject the terminology of ''excuse,'' no one is expected to have technical knowledge on how a bomb looks like; the only depictions of bombs most of us have seen are in the movies. So if it could appear to be an IED (if at least some people would have thought so) and the people involved say they got that impression, its completely acceptable and understandable.

Everyone should have technical knowledge about a simple circuit.

Fuck, people should have at least a passing knowledge about how a fucking grenade works. Michael Bay has literally made explosions into a successful trope in America.

You can't reasonably sit there and talk about how people shouldn't be expected to have technical knowledge of shit when America is literally addicted to things that go boom.

No, I have no ''passing knowledge'' of how a grenade works or technical knowledge about circuitry (even just a passing knowledge) and neither do a large number of my classmates. And schoolteachers are even older people with even less access and exposure to technology. For many people, all they know about bombs comes from the movies and video games.

That's the standard for measuring whether or not a non-technical person is reasonable in suspecting if something could be a bomb or not. There isn't a statutory duty or a common law duty in place where ordinary citizens (like teachers) who aren't trained in bomb recognition should be expected to know what is and isn't a bomb if it looks like a bomb in the movies.

[Infected Mushroom]

Everyone should have technical knowledge about a simple circuit.

Fuck, people should have at least a passing knowledge about how a fucking grenade works. Michael Bay has literally made explosions into a successful trope in America.

You can't reasonably sit there and talk about how people should have technical knowledge of shit when America is literally addicted to things that go boom.

Fun thought experiment:

You have to put explosives in that pencil case, where exactly do you hide them in the lining? There isn't enough space for sufficient semtex to blow his fucking nose, let alone the room.

many people don't even know what semtex is

If I asked my professor teaching my afternoon class he probably couldn't give even a passing definition (besides maybe having heard it mentioned in some movie); you're assuming too much technical literacy

it's not an issue that even crosses most people's minds (''what is the minimum volume needed to be able to sustain an IED, this doesn't meet that minimum volume, the semtex won't work''), do these sound like the sorts of things we can expect of non-technical people?

Without wikipedia-ing I don't even know what a semtex is and I certainly have no knowledge of circuitry

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Everyone should have technical knowledge about a simple circuit.

Fuck, people should have at least a passing knowledge about how a fucking grenade works. Michael Bay has literally made explosions into a successful trope in America.

You can't reasonably sit there and talk about how people shouldn't be expected to have technical knowledge of shit when America is literally addicted to things that go boom.

No, I have no ''passing knowledge'' of how a grenade works or technical knowledge about circuitry (even just a passing knowledge) and neither do a large number of my classmates. And schoolteachers are even older people with even less access and exposure to technology. For many people, all they know about bombs comes from the movies and video games.

That's the standard for measuring whether or not a non-technical person is reasonable in suspecting if something could be a bomb or not. There isn't a statutory duty or a common law duty in place where ordinary citizens (like teachers) who aren't trained in bomb recognition should be expected to know what is and isn't a bomb if it looks like a bomb in the movies.

So basically you have nothing to grasp on, got it.

I am totally okay with you admitting you have been willfully ignorant about technology because of reasons. Just don't pretend your opinion matters much.

"Non-technical persons" don't exist anymore when all of us know how to use a fucking handheld computer and we have some idea of the parts that go into making that device. Just looking at my smartphone I can tell you there is at least 1 USB Port, a screen, a microphone, a camera, battery, touch screen, touch sensors, and a motherboard or circuit board inside it, as well as a SIM card and a SD card, with a red light and an LED flash.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Fun thought experiment:

You have to put explosives in that pencil case, where exactly do you hide them in the lining? There isn't enough space for sufficient semtex to blow his fucking nose, let alone the room.

many people don't even know what semtex is

If I asked my professor teaching my afternoon class he probably couldn't give even a passing definition (besides maybe having heard it mentioned in some movie); you're assuming too much technical literacy

it's not an issue that even crosses most people's minds (''what is the minimum volume needed to be able to sustain an IED, this doesn't meet that minimum volume, the semtex won't work''), do these sound like the sorts of things we can expect of non-technical people?

Without wikipedia-ing I don't even know what a semtex is and I certainly have no knowledge of circuitry

Basic reading should tell you semtex is an explosive that you could put in narrow spaces or mold it however you like.

I'm not even an explosives expert but I can kinda figure what the fuck he's talking about. Now you're just degrading your argument from "I don't have technical knowledge of explosives" to "I have the reading comprehension skills of a 5 year old, why am I expected to have the reading comprehension of a high school student?"

[North Arkana]

Fun thought experiment:

You have to put explosives in that pencil case, where exactly do you hide them in the lining? There isn't enough space for sufficient semtex to blow his fucking nose, let alone the room.

many people don't even know what semtex is

If I asked my professor teaching my afternoon class he probably couldn't give even a passing definition (besides maybe having heard it mentioned in some movie); you're assuming too much technical literacy

it's not an issue that even crosses most people's minds (''what is the minimum volume needed to be able to sustain an IED, this doesn't meet that minimum volume, the semtex won't work''), do these sound like the sorts of things we can expect of non-technical people?

Without wikipedia-ing I don't even know what a semtex is and I certainly have no knowledge of circuitry

I can assure you many American teens know semtex as an explosive thanks to a certain video franchise. They know the wrong things about it, but they know it goes boom.

[Infected Mushroom]

many people don't even know what semtex is

If I asked my professor teaching my afternoon class he probably couldn't give even a passing definition (besides maybe having heard it mentioned in some movie); you're assuming too much technical literacy

it's not an issue that even crosses most people's minds (''what is the minimum volume needed to be able to sustain an IED, this doesn't meet that minimum volume, the semtex won't work''), do these sound like the sorts of things we can expect of non-technical people?

Without wikipedia-ing I don't even know what a semtex is and I certainly have no knowledge of circuitry

I can assure you many American teens know semtex as an explosive thanks to a certain video franchise. They know the wrong things about it, but they know it goes boom.

it can't be expected of an ordinary schoolteacher/school administration

[Soldati Senza Confini]

I can assure you many American teens know semtex as an explosive thanks to a certain video franchise. They know the wrong things about it, but they know it goes boom.

it can't be expected of an ordinary schoolteacher/school administration

You don't have to be a technical person to know some technical stuff.

Shit, I have mid-level technical knowledge as opposed to people who program shit and build robots, "passing technical knowledge" should be at least the very minimum you should know about technical stuff (like, for instance "this shit is made of X electronics and it kinda doesn't look like a bomb, looks more like a cheap Hollywood prop").

Someone of my level of technical knowledge can more or less tell you that no, that shit isn't a bomb, doesn't look like a bomb, and that you're just delusional if you think that is a bomb.

Someone with explosives training can tell you all of the above PLUS why is that shit not a bomb in great detail.

[Santinado]

Now I believe that this boy was arrested due to racial and/or ethnic profiling, however, I also believe that suing for $15 million is over-the-top.

[North Calaveras]

was all the shit from Microsoft and college offers and a visit to the white house not good enough?

[North Arkana]

Now I believe that this boy was arrested due to racial and/or ethnic profiling, however, I also believe that suing for $15 million is over-the-top.

This is why reading the thread should happen before posting...