Watch out with what you post

[100%]

Source : http://www.livejournal.com/users/anniesj/331112.html

this is a word of warning, a word to the wise, and a word of utter exhaustion after the wringer I've been put through in the last twenty-four hours.

A couple of weeks ago, following the last presidential debate, I said some rather inflammatory things about George W. Bush in a public post in my LJ, done in a satirical style. We laughed, we ranted, we all said some things. I thought it was a fairly harmless (and rather obvious) attempt at humor in the face of annoyance, and while a couple of people were offended, as is typical behavior from me, I saw something shiny and forgot about it, thinking that the whole thing was over and done and nothing else would come of what I said.

I was wrong.

At 9:45 last night, the Secret Service showed up on my mother's front door to talk to me about what I said about the President, as what I said could apparently be misconstrued as a threat to his life. After about ten minutes of talking to me and my family, they quickly came to the conclusion that I was not a threat to national security (mostly because we are the least threatening people in the entire world) and told me that they would not recommend that any further action be taken with my case. However, I do now have a file with the FBI that includes my photograph, my e-mail address, and the location of my LJ. This will follow me around for the rest of my life, regardless of the fact that the Secret Service knows that I am not a threat.

Obviously, I cannot link to the original LJ post that I made, because I have removed it from my LJ to protect myself and those who commented in that thread from receiving any further visits from the FBI. I apologized for the miscommunication, though I did *not* apologize for voicing my opinion of George W. Bush. I will never apologize for speaking my mind. I will, however, apologize when I say something wrong way and for unintentionally offending/threatening someone, because I am an extremely nonviolent person....

Read the rest : http://www.livejournal.com/users/anniesj/331112.html

[Smurfette]

I didn't bother with the link because what's quoted is believable enough given the news articles I've come across relating the same sort of events.
The US services are obviously going to be paranoid after 9/11 but you can't help wondering where it's going to end... perhaps 15% will wake up in an orange jumpsuit one morning.

[DanB]

Having a free holiday in Cuba?

[bigboab]

Dan you better hunt out your cuban gear too.

Here is what I found on the same site:

Dan's journal

Viewing most recent 4 /

Friends / Calendar / OTR Radio

ViewSubjectMemoryEditCommentsContact

10/29/04

15:00MS ExchangeAddEdite-mail10/28/04
23:53Reasons Why I'm AwesomeAddEdite-mail9/11/04
10:29Mr. MagicAddEdite-mail3/1/04
19:15Mission StatementAddEdite-mail

[DanB]

Dan you better hunt out your cuban gear too.

Here is what I found on the same site:



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[/center]

I want to read your journal, but I do not know you in real life. Is this a problem?
On February 20th 2004 I was the target of an attempted murder. The assailant was an on-line stalker. Due to this traumatizing experience, I cannot add anyone that I do not personally know and trust.

[Everose]

I have searched for this gentlemen's original post, but as would be expected, it is no where to be found.

I am left to assume that it must have been a pretty strong personal threat against the President to illicit this response.

I can't imagine the kind of threat it would take, though, as I have seen a lot of things said of this nature about both candidates on the net.

[100%]

He states that he removed it for safety reasons

[hobbes]

Can't find the reply I read yesterday, but the one of the people who had read the original post stated that it contained detailed descriptions of how the poster would kill George Bush.

The Secret Service was apparently "tipped off" by another member in that forum. It was not as though the secret service was monitering that individual or site.


Here is a response from that thread:

I'm sorry for what happened to Annie, but once the word got to the Secret Service, they had no choice but to react in the manner that they did. No surprise they were very nice about it, as the vast majority of such things they investigate are like this -- not a serious threat -- with no action required. But they are required to investigate.

This will happen no matter who happens to be in the White House, and is not specific to the Bush administration.

The bottom line is "Don't make threats against a sitting President or other senior government official in a public forum, no matter how humorous you are trying to be." The people paid to guard against such threats leave thier sense of humor at home when they leave for the office, and will take it seriously. It's thier job

The poster has become some sort of local hero, and truth be told, I think he/she made it up.

I say he/she because the name is Annie, but has a male writing style and mentions a need to look at porn. I think it is some kid looking for a little limelight.

But as the quote about mentions, if you call the secret service and report someone, aren't they obliged to investigate?