# Homeland security deports British twenty-somethings based on "joke" tweets **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 30, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223 "2012-01-30T20:35:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/121 "2012-01-31T19:16:39Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Uh… no. Only those people who send out electronic messages about destroying America. > > I’m not worried that that subset of travelers is not allowed into my country. You may want to read up on this “Tweeter” craze that the kids are using these days. As well, some lessons in modern slang might prove useful. Otherwise, you will run the danger of being mocked by those rotten kids that keep running across your lawn. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/122 "2012-01-31T19:36:44Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Before we condemn everyone on this planet, we need to consider the possibility that this story is fiction, and a hoax. I would be very happy to have it confirmed that this story is a hoax. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/123 "2012-01-31T19:40:44Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No. I’m not interested in spending any time or money to find out if they are “just joking around with their friends”. I personally think it would be critical for a security agent to be able to distinguish between credible threats and threats that can be ignored. Otherwise a lot of time is spent chasing down phantoms. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/124 "2012-01-31T20:00:06Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > You may want to read up on this “Tweeter” craze that the kids are using these days. As well, some lessons in modern slang might prove useful. > > Otherwise, you will run the danger of being mocked by those rotten kids that keep running across your lawn. I’ve traveled all over the world and never had a problem entering a country. It would appear that the kids are the ones with the problem, as they don’t seem to be able to do that. Too bad for them. Perhaps they need to do a little growing up first. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/125 "2012-01-31T20:27:05Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Again, what does TSA have to do with it? I misspoke of course. It’s the CBP. Just assume that substitution. > [@](#): > > Again, you seem to think that refusing entry is some rare event that barely ever happens. Every country does it all the time. If you think getting into the U.S. is hard, you should look up Turkey’s practices. Hell, I remember _Canada_ giving Americans a hard time because the border agents were in a labor negotiation at the time. And you consider this an acceptable status quo? I don’t really take much comfort in the easy comparison with Turkey. And when evaluating my own country’s policies, I take little comfort in “they do it too” or “they’re worse.” We should strive to create the standard in all things. And kicking out a couple of kids because of stupid tweets, costing them time, money, and pleasure, and denying my fellow Americans the benefit of their business is not something I want my government to be doing. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/126 "2012-01-31T20:28:12Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Before we condemn everyone on this planet, we need to consider the possibility that this story is fiction, and a hoax. Robert X Cringley (a pseudonym), who writes a technical newsletter, [has this to say:](http://www.infoworld.com/t/cringely/you-have-the-right-remain-silent-twitter-185305?source=IFWNLE_nlt_notes_2012-01-30) Interesting. We can always pick another TSA story if need be. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/127 "2012-01-31T20:53:51Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’ve traveled all over the world and never had a problem entering a country. It would appear that the kids are the ones with the problem, as they don’t seem to be able to do that. Too bad for them. Perhaps they need to do a little growing up first. They were talking with their friends using popular cultural references (our own culture at that). They weren’t caught attacking G8 representatives at the airport. Just how far does the stick have to go up someone else’s ass before you wonder what it’s going to feel like when they get around to you? The TSA couldn’t manage to stop an ACTUAL terrorist (Christmas underwear bomber) even when they were warned ahead of time. This was because of a spelling mistake. Imagine what a spelling mistake in a computer can do to the head of the TSA (John Pistole). He can probably unwind things back to sanity but what about some average citizen named John Mace. “it says here in our computer that you’re trying to bring 190 lbs of mace into the country”. “is that true? " hey boss, it says right on his passport that he weighs 190 lbs so this must be some kind of code”. Sir is this your real name? “our computers show you tweeted that you dumped a big load after that last taco bell run”. Where is this load now? “please step into this back room, we need to sort this out”. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/128 "2012-01-31T20:56:15Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > And you consider this an acceptable status quo? I don’t really take much comfort in the easy comparison with Turkey. And when evaluating my own country’s policies, I take little comfort in “they do it too” or “they’re worse.” We should strive to create the standard in all things. And kicking out a couple of kids because of stupid tweets, costing them time, money, and pleasure, and denying my fellow Americans the benefit of their business is not something I want my government to be doing. Yes. Yes, I do. And it’s something I _do_ want my government doing. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/129 "2012-01-31T21:01:52Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > They were talking with their friends using popular cultural references (our own culture at that). They weren’t caught attacking G8 representatives at the airport. Just how far does the stick have to go up someone else’s ass before you wonder what it’s going to feel like when they get around to you? > > The TSA couldn’t manage to stop an ACTUAL terrorist (Christmas underwear bomber) even when they were warned ahead of time. This was because of a spelling mistake. Imagine what a spelling mistake in a computer can do to the head of the TSA (John Pistole). He can probably unwind things back to sanity but what about some average citizen named John Mace. “it says here in our computer that you’re trying to bring 190 lbs of mace into the country”. “is that true? " hey boss, it says right on his passport that he weighs 190 lbs so this must be some kind of code”. Sir is this your real name? “our computers show you tweeted that you dumped a big load after that last taco bell run”. Where is this load now? “please step into this back room, we need to sort this out”. I think a lot of you are missing an important issue, and that is how DHS deals with someone trying to enter the country and someone already in the country. With the former, they really don’t have a lot of time to make a decision that might or might not cost lives. Think of all the similar types of tweets and such DHS looks at every single day for people already in the US, and how often does something like this happen? Almost never. Stand in the middle of Main Street and yell: “I want to destroy America”, and probably nothing will happen. Do the same thing on flight from London to NYC, and it’s an entirely different matter. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/130 "2012-01-31T21:11:34Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think a lot of you are missing an important issue, and that is how DHS deals with someone trying to enter the country and someone already in the country. With the former, they really don’t have a lot of time to make a decision that might or might not cost lives. The first tweet (about Monroe) was posted on the 3rd of January. The second tweet was posted on the 16th of January. So, they had between 1 and 3 weeks, depending on just which phrase the NSA actually flagged them for. They then had 24 hours to determine if these two idiots realistically posed any threat what so ever. A system that trips a false positive this easily is either hideously hair triggered (in which case you will drown in false positives) or dreadfully designed (in which case you’ll be missing a lot of positives) In total, you are spending between $120 and $200 billion a year for this. I find it amusing that you feel this sort of expense should not be more accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/131 "2012-01-31T21:12:35Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Yes. Yes, I do. And it’s something I _do_ want my government doing. Is this just because you don’t like the people in question, or you feel it is actually somehow defending you from some sort of threat? ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/132 "2012-01-31T21:17:44Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > What part of “it’s a different dialect - it means to party” did you not understand? Nobody joked about destroying America. Then todays youth are stupid if they choose to make slang expressions using words that have serious meanings. How about they decide to call a really rough handshake a “rape”? What happens when they say they are going to rape someone? Are we supposed to excuse it, or actually waste time assessing if they’re serious? Buy a clue. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/133 "2012-01-31T21:18:37Z")
It looks like ABC News [has confirmed the story.](http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/pair-held-twitter-homeland-threat-mix-reports/story?id=15472918#.TyhaKMVSS5I) > [@](#): > > U.S. Customs and Border Protection released a statement in which the department confirmed that two people had been taken for “secondary interviews” and said that during those interviews, information was uncovered that “revealed both individuals were inadmissible to the United States.” ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/134 "2012-01-31T21:33:57Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Stand in the middle of Main Street and yell: “I want to destroy America”, and probably nothing will happen. Do the same thing on flight from London to NYC, and it’s an entirely different matter. Oh, did these tourists shout that out on the flight? That make this an entirely different matter, and Homeland Security were right to deport them. What? They did no such thing? **John Mace** just made that part up? They just tweeted some slang to their friends which was grossly misinterpreted by some civil servant buffoons who are so out of touch as to be laughingstocks? Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/135 "2012-01-31T21:37:09Z")
> [@](#): > > U.S. Customs and Border Protection released a statement in which the department confirmed that two people had been taken for “secondary interviews” and said that during those interviews, information was uncovered that “revealed both individuals were inadmissible to the United States.” Now I’m just totally guessing at this point, but I betcha that the “information” that was uncovered was that these were just regular guys, and the homeland security buffoons had really screwed the pooch on this one due to their own stupidity. Therefore the only sensible course of action was to put the frighteners on the foreigners and send the problem as far away as possible. Too bad that they forgot that news is able to travel across the Atlantic due to this newfangled thing called “the wireless”. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/136 "2012-01-31T21:38:47Z")
Stories like this would put me off visiting the US again. I hope if I ever do visit again nobody finds this comment and uses it to deny me access. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/137 "2012-01-31T21:56:11Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think a lot of you are missing an important issue, and that is how DHS deals with someone trying to enter the country and someone already in the country. With the former, they really don’t have a lot of time to make a decision that might or might not cost lives. Think of all the similar types of tweets and such DHS looks at every single day for people already in the US, and how often does something like this happen? Almost never. We’ve all seen what the TSA has done to people in this country. And I don’t see your logical behind differentiating between someone trying to enter the country and those who are already here. There are plenty of people already here who wish us harm. The TSA has done nothing but spend large sums of money reacting to something after-the-fact. Every time something happens, a new protocol is added to the security system. There is no end to banned items with this type of system. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Stand in the middle of Main Street and yell: “I want to destroy America”, and probably nothing will happen. Do the same thing on flight from London to NYC, and it’s an entirely different matter. nobody said anything provocative on the plane. It was innocuous messages among friends. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/138 "2012-01-31T22:04:05Z")
This is not TSA. > [@Magiver](#): > > nobody said anything provocative on the plane. It was innocuous messages among friends. And nobody yelled anything on Main Street, either. Those examples were given as extremes, but the incident in question is closer to the plane situation than to the Main St. one. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/139 "2012-01-31T22:23:22Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Buy a clue. Ah, rudeness towards those with whom you disagree. Well done, you! ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223/140 "2012-01-31T22:23:57Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Yes. Yes, I do. And it’s something I _do_ want my government doing. Why? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/homeland-security-deports-british-twenty-somethings-based-on-joke-tweets/611223.md?page=8)