Engineering while brown/non-Christian

Umbran said:

Irving, Texas, has been in the news in the past for overly-aggressive racial profiling policies among its police. There is a major question as to whether any white student would have faced the same treatment. So, the sticky point may be less about the kid's intentions, and more about the adults' intentions and motivations.

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...Good background article on the city:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...lam-controversy-in-ahmed-mohameds-texas-city/

Umbran said:

... So, the sticky point may be less about the kid's intentions, and more about the adults' intentions and motivations.

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Definitely agree. But, I put the point as the suspicion (by the teacher and others) and the acceptance by the policy of that suspicion. I really don't understand how the leap was made to an arrest, and that the police weren't more cognizant of the possibility of this being a problem of perception, not of actual intent. That lack of understanding leaves me to agree that there is very probably a bias problem here.

Thx!

TomB

1) A little context on Irving, Tx.: when my family moved there in 1982, it was the least integrated city in the entire Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex (which covers more than 20 cities and most of 4 counties). Part of the reason was the high visibility of the local white supremacists. Shortly after my dad opened his medical practice, there was a Klan rally on the corner. Not the kind that requires a police presence to keep them separated from counter demonstrators, just a bunch of guys on the corner freely spewing hate while dressed in white mumus.

Now, Irving is amazingly diversified: besides the Hispanics you'd expect, there are a huge number of Koreans, Vietnamese, and Indians (just to name a few). I'm talking enough that there are areas in which most businesses have their signs in BIG Korean letters, and tiny (if any) English ones. Indian restaurants are all over the place, and there are several LARGE Indian groceries...and one movie theater.

Even so, Irving's dark white past hasn't been fully overcome. The Mayor is notably anti-Muslim, and the police force- as noted- still has issues.

2) I don't have a problem with the kid getting reported. As a non-engineer who has been in all kinds of DIY workshops, I couldn't easily distinguish between homemade clocks, VCRs, radios, etc.- even having seen them in person.

Everything after that? Stinky as a bag of catfish forgotten in the trunk of a car in a Texas summer.

A simple demo of the device would have made it clear what it was. Parents should have been involved.

I'm predicting this kid's future will be partly secured by proceeds from a big lawsuit or settlement.

3) IMHO, this guy needs to get involved in this media circus:



YEAH, BOYEEEEE!

"Does anybody really know what time it is?" (YouTube; Chicago; Tanglewood, 1970)

Dannyalcatraz said:

Everything after that? Stinky as a bag of catfish forgotten in the trunk of a car in a Texas summer.

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If I may say: Ew!

Because America demanded it: Bristol Palin weighs in!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...acfe4b00310edf6639a?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Here's the opinion of someone who actually built a bomb at age 14.

http://www.vox.com/2015/9/18/9348427/white-ahmed-mohamed

tomBitonti said:

Well, while I agree that there should be consequences to egregious mistakes, or flat out disregard for rules, law enforcements needs to have latitude to make mistakes.

At issue (it seems) is a question of being pro-active: When to seek out possible problems, and when to react to problems which have occurred.

Thx!

TomB

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That lattitude is exactly what has turned police into an extremely violent gang of thieves. They have leeway to murder you because they were "scared". That's way beyond the pale.

The current situation is *complete leeway* to intentionally break the law. They need LESS leeway, and more harsh consequences.