Fart joke leads to college student being arrested and charged

Originally posted by ShadowAngel85
It's his own damn fault for using that term. Ok, he's from the country, possibly a bit slow and retarded but still should know what the word bomb means

And in todays world everyone should know that something like that can easily taken out of context, especially if people don't know that a word like "bomb" can have for some people different meanings than what it is supposed to mean.

That's hysterical, an ignoramus making fun of someone from the country.

The Mississippi State Constitution, Article III Section 13:

The freedom of speech and of the press shall be held sacred; and in all prosecutions for libel the truth may be given in evidence, and the jury shall determine the law and the facts under the direction of the court; and if it shall appear to the jury that the matter charged as libelous is true, and was published with good motives and for justifiable ends, the party shall be acquitted.

Your right to be unreasonably scared of "the world today" does not extend you any right to trample all over his right to write the word "bomb" - oh look at that, I just wrote "bomb", somebody stop me - or make vocal fart jokes using the word "bomb" - oh look at that, I just wrote "bomb" again.

Now, pull my finger.

The guy stands to make a lot of money from lawsuits now. I hope he sues them for anything he can think of.

People don't have any right to be arrested just because somebody was scared.

This is all screwed up.

If I were the judge I'd throw this case out of court and put the people in jail for violating his rights to free speech.

I'm sick of hearing crap like this and the police getting away with it.

Originally posted by Liberal1984

smyleegrl What would the reaction be if someone found that note, did nothing, and a bomb did explode? Everyone would be calling for the note finder's head. The only sane and responsible thing to do in a situation like this is to ensure student safety. It has to be reported.

No that’s the totally insane, paranoid thing to do!!! If a bomb had exploded, you’d be forgiven for not thinking the terrorist would have written it on toilet role i.e. you wouldn’t go to prison.
Furthermore: News of would help send the terrorists credibility of their cause down the loo!
I just hope this guy doesn’t get locked up without charge & trial. But hay if doesm, that’s US “freedom” for you –a reality brought about cowardice & fear.

If a bomb had exploded and people died, would it really matter that I wouldn't face criminal charges for not reporting it? We are talking about people's lives.

Taking a potential threat seriously isn't paranoid, it's responsible. Quite frankly, I don't see how reporting a perceived threat is cowardice.

reply to post by ShadowAngel85


I think the point is that he can't even use the word "bomb" in a clearly joking and silly manner without people going into hysterics and him being arrested. You're right, he probably should've known better, but it's the fact that he should've known better that is the entire point in the first place.

reply to post by smyleegrl


I'm reporting you for using the b-word in a threatening way to the authorities. How dare you threaten to blow up ATS.

Don't even use that word again or you're a terrorist.

Yes, there is a real point to this post.

reply to post by smyleegrl

Taking a potential threat seriously isn't paranoid, it's responsible. Quite frankly, I don't see how reporting a perceived threat is cowardice.

Taking a potential threat seriously is one thing, arresting this clown is another thing entirely. 11 emergency agency responded to the scene, apparently not one of them investigating the scene, all just jerking their knees and with out any regard for individual rights, decided that - even though no bombs were found - the silly note was evidence of a crime.

You talk out of both sides of your mouth on this issue, claiming in one breath that this guy doesn't deserve any jail time, then in your next breath declaring he probably learned his lesson, and the only way he could have "learned this lesson" was through jail time. The boy was arrested. From where I come from that means jail time.

False arrest is illegal and unlawful, and it is probably better to leave the "lessons" to the teachers and the actual crime fighting to the police. In this case we have 11 emergency agencies teaching lessons and teachers and school administrators acting as police. Sigh.

My Wife is "the Bomb" (that girl to the left in my avatar) Does this mean her parents will go to jail now??


Does that mean she can never ever fly, cause she really is "the bomb"

I swear everyone that meets her in person really thinks she is the Bomb..............



[critical thinking and context truly do matter in Life folks]

We'll be stuffed here in Oz too, we refer to things that are nearly on their death bed such as falling apart cars as bombs too.... No more saying "I left the bomb parked out on the street out front".... Madness, pure madness..... How many US citizens and armed forces personel have died in the war on terror vs the US road death toll since 2001? Some people "blow" things way out of proportion...... Wonders how long till that saying is banned too...???

Originally posted by ShadowAngel85
It's his own damn fault for using that term. Ok, he's from the country, possibly a bit slow and retarded but still should know what the word bomb means

And in todays world everyone should know that something like that can easily taken out of context, especially if people don't know that a word like "bomb" can have for some people different meanings than what it is supposed to mean.

Really, you are supporting stupidity here. Number one, most scares are a plea for attention and simply just a scare. Number two, this wasn't the intent or the context in this case. Number three, I have trouble believing a would be bomber would not have a hundred code words for the same word.

Perhaps we should ban the use of all the code words or colloquialisms?

Originally posted by EvilSadamClone
reply to post by smyleegrl

 

I'm reporting you for using the b-word in a threatening way to the authorities. How dare you threaten to blow up ATS.

Don't even use that word again or you're a terrorist.

Yes, there is a real point to this post.

I just splattered my tea all over my laptop. Thanks for the laugh!

Taking a potential threat seriously is one thing, arresting this clown is another thing entirely. 11 emergency agency responded to the scene, apparently not one of them investigating the scene, all just jerking their knees and with out any regard for individual rights, decided that - even though no bombs were found - the silly note was evidence of a crime.

How the police choose to respond to a reported threat is entirely their responsibility. I highly doubt the person who called the police requested all the agencies who arrived. How the police choose to investigate the issue is again out of the reporter's control. And frankly, I thought the article very tight-lipped about the investigation, so I'm not clear on how his individual rights were trampled.

You talk out of both sides of your mouth on this issue, claiming in one breath that this guy doesn't deserve any jail time, then in your next breath declaring he probably learned his lesson, and the only way he could have "learned this lesson" was through jail time. The boy was arrested. From where I come from that means jail time.

I don't think he deserves a jail sentence, a fine, community service, or what have you. He made a mistake. If it had been me and I was arrested, I definitely would have learned to think before writing something that could be construed as a threat. So yes, I would guess that being arrested has taught this young man that potential threats are taken seriously.

False arrest is illegal and unlawful, and it is probably better to leave the "lessons" to the teachers and the actual crime fighting to the police. In this case we have 11 emergency agencies teaching lessons and teachers and school administrators acting as police. Sigh .

No, what we have here is the natural consequence that happens when a threat is made. This is how it works in the real world. All a person can do in this situation is report the issue to the authorities. I would imagine the police have a protocol for handling bomb threats, hence the response by all the different agencies.

LOL. No laughing matter for him I'm sure. I MIGHT expect this reaction at an airport after a bombing. But not at school, during a freaking class. Grow up adults, seriously.

reply to post by smyleegrl

How the police choose to respond to a reported threat is entirely their responsibility. I highly doubt the person who called the police requested all the agencies who arrived. How the police choose to investigate the issue is again out of the reporter's control. And frankly, I thought the article very tight-lipped about the investigation, so I'm not clear on how his individual rights were trampled.

The article isn't nearly as "tight lipped" about the "investigation" as you are claiming it is:

Investigators wouldn't say exactly what Hadley wrote, but WDAM reports that it was no more explicit than "I passed a bomb in the library." Hadley was arrested and held on $20,000 bail. If convicted of threatening to blow up the school, he faces 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, according to WAPT. His aunt says he earned straight A's at Jones County Junior College and was scheduled to graduate in May.

(Emphasis Added)

There was a time that if such a note was even taken seriously, and given that we know by the article the handwriting was identified, that school administrators would have simply confronted the student and asked him what he meant by the note, instead of calling law enforcement. Today we have a different scenario and it has nothing to do with anything other than there evidently school employees that advocate this draconian method. That student, in this case, was not the problem. The problem is clear, and your defense and advocacy of this method of handling an in-school "problem" demonstrates why it is happening.

I don't think he deserves a jail sentence, a fine, community service, or what have you. He made a mistake. If it had been me and I was arrested, I definitely would have learned to think before writing something that could be construed as a threat. So yes, I would guess that being arrested has taught this young man that potential threats are taken seriously.

He made no mistake whatsoever, and I have all ready posted in this thread what the Mississippi State Constitution has to say on the matter, and the law is on the students side, not the LEO's who arrested him and not the histrionic and cowardly educators who failed to do their jobs in this matter, and hell, they wouldn't have had to do any job if they were not so histrionic.

No, what we have here is the natural consequence that happens when a threat is made. This is how it works in the real world. All a person can do in this situation is report the issue to the authorities. I would imagine the police have a protocol for handling bomb threats, hence the response by all the different agencies.

No threat was made, nor even implied, it was stupidly inferred by what passes for educators these days.

reply to post by smyleegrl



what "threat"? read what he wrote

"I passed a bomb in the library"

that is not a threat, unless of course he ate a bomb, in which case he should get a medal for effort.

I passed a kidney stone once, was not pleasant at all, but it was not a threat to anyone, I suppose it could be in a sling shot or thrown or something..


See folks don't really READ anymore, they just seem to look at words but fail to understand what they mean...


I blame "dark matter" it's causing the universe to expand at an ever increasing rate.. the faster you go toward light speed, the denser you become..........

This is probably a direct result of the "snitch on anyone, if you are dumb enough not to know any better". A homeland security attempt at turning citizen against citizen.

Originally posted by mossme89
This is absolute madness! So, according to this logic, if I say I'm going to go to the bathroom and drop some bombs, I can be arrested for that. What a load of crap (pun intended)!

Nothing clears a room like a fart -- except, perhaps, a bomb scare. Harold Wayne Hadley, Jr., 19, was arrested at a Mississippi junior college after he allegedly wrote a note on a piece of toilet paper on Tuesday, containing the word 'bomb,' according to Weirdnews.net. The note prompted 11 emergency agencies to respond to the school, but there was no bomb.

Hadley and his family contend that he was only explaining the joy of flatulating in the library. "He was in the restroom doodling on some toilet paper ... we are from the country, and he calls passing gas, bombs," said Hadley's aunt, who wouldn't give her name to WDAM. "[He] put 'I passed a bomb in the library,' talking about passing gas, and somebody came in and found it, gave it to a teacher that recognized his hand writing and it blew all out of proportion."

Investigators wouldn't say exactly what Hadley wrote, but WDAM reports that it was no more explicit than "I passed a bomb in the library." Hadley was arrested and held on $20,000 bail. If convicted of threatening to blow up the school, he faces 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, according to WAPT. His aunt says he earned straight A's at Jones County Junior College and was scheduled to graduate in May.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

edit on 27-5-2012 by mossme89 because: (no reason given)

Doesn't this violate his right to free speech?

Say the word bomb and you end up in jail? This is getting to the point where it is ridiculous beyond words.

Guess it's a good thing i don't use the word "bomb" associating it with passing gas. I just say it sounds like you got frogs in your breeches.

Now terrorists will start to use the codeword fart for bomb.
Who knows?

That reminds me of a joke... two Jewish persons are on an elevator when a Palestinian gets on. As the elevator ascends the Palestinian farts! At the next floor the Palestinian gets off, as the doors close, one Jewish person looks at the other and say's "thank God it was a dud"!

reply to post by Jean Paul Zodeaux


Wow. Your entire post managed to be condescending, insulting, and arrogant at the same time.

I've read enough of your posts about education to know you have no respect or even understanding of what it's like to be an educator in today's litigious society. That's okay. You are entitled to your opinion.

A teacher reporting a potential bomb threat is not in the throes of histrionics. Nor is the teacher responsible for how the police handled the situation.

And I guess this is where I leave this thread, since I'm not willing to discuss an issue with someone who quite obviously has an issue with education and with teachers.

Originally posted by theshepherd2
What do you expect from Nazi Germany?

ETA: My mistake, this is American.

edit on 27-5-2012 by theshepherd2 because: (no reason given)

The correct spelling is AMERIKA.

The fools that think arresting this guy is ok, will have no one left to defend them, when the police state comes for them.