# US Embassy refuse help to persona non grata activists in Cairo **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 6, 2014, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-embassy-refuse-help-to-persona-non-grata-activists-in-cairo/683005 "2014-03-06T11:38:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-embassy-refuse-help-to-persona-non-grata-activists-in-cairo/683005/21 "2014-03-06T22:21:26Z")
Name didn’t ring a bell. Apparently she’s famous for heckling Obama. I’m sympathetic to some of her views, probably, but it sounds like she’s more interested in publicity and protesting than actually getting anything useful accomplished. Hence, Twitter. Hope the arm heals up, though. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-embassy-refuse-help-to-persona-non-grata-activists-in-cairo/683005/22 "2014-03-06T22:29:43Z")
> [@blindboyard](#): > > Perhaps Medea Benjamin has had some sense smacked into her. As for the embassy, their job is to represent the citizen of the nation in another nation, no matter how obnoxious those citizens might be. > [@Marmite\_Lover](#): > > yes you would think that wouldn’t you The US has told it’s citizens countless times that if they break the law in another country they will be subject to prosecution in that country. Did anyone actually expect a Navy Seal intervention? ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-embassy-refuse-help-to-persona-non-grata-activists-in-cairo/683005/23 "2014-03-06T22:30:24Z")
[http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/us-embassies-at-your-service-around-the-globe/2014/02/27/26104ff2-82de-11e3-bbe5-6a2a3141e3a9\_story.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/us-embassies-at-your-service-around-the-globe/2014/02/27/26104ff2-82de-11e3-bbe5-6a2a3141e3a9_story.html) > [@](#): > > True, but the assistance comes with an asterisk. For example, the officers can’t renew your driver’s license or recommend a 24-hour pharmacy where you can pick up your psychiatric meds. (All real requests.) They also can’t spring you from jail or foot any bills, although they can provide a list of lawyers, press for fair prison conditions and equitable treatment, and advise family members on how to transfer funds to an impaired traveler. > > “There’s a misperception that we’ll pay for their flight home,” Smith said. “A 19-year-old came in and wanted a free ticket.” So if you are in prison, the Embassy staff will offer some help - but they don’t run around for every American acting like a dips hit. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-embassy-refuse-help-to-persona-non-grata-activists-in-cairo/683005/24 "2014-03-06T23:32:12Z")
If she was injured by Egyptian security people, I’m sure our embassy would help her out by giving her a list of Egyptian lawyers that she could consult with so that she can pursue the matter through the Egyptian legal system. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-embassy-refuse-help-to-persona-non-grata-activists-in-cairo/683005/25 "2014-03-07T00:51:05Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Name didn’t ring a bell. Apparently she’s famous for heckling Obama. Co-founder of Code Pink. You’ve probably heard of that organization. She may be more famous for heckling Hillary. She’s a Hillary Heckler. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-embassy-refuse-help-to-persona-non-grata-activists-in-cairo/683005.md?page=1)