Drunken e-mail to Obama gets teen banned from U.S.

[sabra]

Source: toronto sun

A British teen who sent a drunken and unflattering e-mail to U.S. President Barack Obama got a visit from police last week.

In an e-mail, Luke Angel, a 17-year-old boy from Silsoe, Bedfordshire, called Obama a “p----,” reports the U.K.'s Sky News.

The FBI intercepted the message and called police in the U.K., who paid the teen a visit.

"I don't really care. My parents aren't very happy about it,” Angel told Sky News. “The police who came round took my picture and told me I was banned from America forever."

Angel said he sent the e-mail after a TV program about the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S. got him riled up.

A spokeswoman from the U.S. department of homeland security told Sky News there are about 60 reasons to ban someone from visiting the country, but that she was not allowed to discuss specific cases.

Read more: http://www.torontosun.com/news/weird/2010/09/13/15331591.html

[dkf]

1. Wow I wonder how many of us are about to be kicked out of the country.

Did they do this when Bush was in?

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. The Free Speech zones just got a heck of a lot smaller

[SemiCharmedQuark]

39. Threats to the president were *never* considered free speech.

This is why all such comments were/are deleted from DU.

[A Physicist]

25. British Fox News

My guess is the story is being deliberately misleading.

1)Sky News is just British Fox News

2)Note these items:

"I don't really care. My parents aren't very happy about it,” Angel told Sky News. “The police who came round took my picture and told me I was banned from America forever."

So this is the kid talking and 1) we have no verification of the police statement and 2) if the police did say that that is not verification of the position of U.S. Government.

Then there is this: “A spokeswoman from the U.S. department of homeland security told Sky News there are about 60 reasons to ban someone from visiting the country, but that she was not allowed to discuss specific cases.”

Again, no verification of the U.S. Government's position.

I say, if it walks like Fox, came from Fox, quacks like Fox, and smells like Fox…I call bullshit.

So is this kid really banned from America for life? Well you can’t tell from this tabloid reporting.

[Hekate]

57. Thank you. And welcome to DU.

:hi:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

38. How many threatening emails have you sent to the White House?

:shrug:

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Unless the kid threatened violence he's just a potty mouth. It's not a reason to

keep him out of the country for life.

I seriously wonder if this story is true, or if we have actually heard the most pertinent of details.

[geek tragedy]

19. Apparently he did use threatening language.

So, it appears that the decision to bar him from the US is a good one.

[HuckleB]

58. We've heard the kid's story from his point of view, in a Murdoch publication.

You do the "math."

[sharp_stick]

4. Something tells me there is more to this

if everyone that called the President a prick got a visit from the cops where would they find the time to imprision people with pot?

I called and continue to call shrubbo a lot worse than prick on an almost daily basis and don't really fear police reprisal.

[Warpy]

8. Yes, I think there has to be a lot more to this than just a nasty name

There had to be an actual threat of violence.

Even then, the reaction against a 17 year old kid is just a little extreme. Kids grow up and most of them have the sense to be ashamed of some of the crap their younger selves pulled.

[DeSwiss]

15. So you came up with prick?

- Hmmm, I got another p-word......

[sharp_stick]

16. But comparing Obama

to a cute tiny kitten is even less offensive than prick. ;-)

I was just going off my time in England, prick was a pretty common term. I also thought of "prat" but that doesn't fill in the blanks and it was used in the Harry Potter films so it's not all that nasty either.

I love it when news organizations just drop letters or replace them with @#$@T^%#%^ in order to not "offend" the sensibilities of the masses.

When I was in college the paper wrote down something like "John told Mike to go f*ck himself before the fight began" and I told my roommate that it was sure considerate of them to replace that U. Everyone knows that all children are totally baffled when the vowels are taken out of swear words.

[whathehell]

30. I'd say it's MORE offensive, at least to average male sensibilities..

After all, a "prick" can be unpleasant, but still have POWER, e.g. My boss is a prick!

A "pussy" is obviously a coward and or "powerless".

All the truly "terrible" taunts are based on femaleness.

...Way to build your (daughter's, wife's girlfriend's, mother's)..self-esttem.

[Buns_of_Fire]

44. I'd like to buy a vowel, Vanna...

pewit? percy? peeve? peart? peaty? pissy? pubes? piles? paseo? piker? pasta? posey? posse? pesky? pasty? pishu? poser? Am I getting warm?

[Dappleganger]

5. Sky News=Fox News

Just sayin'.

[devilgrrl]

42. Toronto Sun = New York Post

I totally get what you're saying!

[Bette Noir]

6. Wow, the comments to the Toronto Sun are much more polite than you'd find

in and American paper.

As for the boy's free speech rights, we don't know what else was in the email-- threats? Besides, he's not an American, and so has no inherent "right" to come here. He wasn't arrested. Except for not being able to come to the US, his life is unchanged.

I'm confused about how a TV show about 9/11 would make him mad at Obama in the first place. Obama was a state senator in Illinois back then, IIRC, and virtually unknown outside Illinois. He had nothing to do with it.

[Warpy]

9. Obama's middle name is Hussein, you see

and to a teenaged moron that must mean he is an Arab and we all know all Arabs were part of the 9/11 terror action, right?

This kid is guilty of being a total numbskull. My guess is that he also watches a lot of Pox News.

[Journeyman]

7. If you can't call someone a prick, how will we know who the pricks are amongst us? . . .

Or as Lenny Bruce so aptly phrased it, "Take away the right to say 'fuck' and you take away the right to say 'fuck the government.'"


(I suspect there may be more to this story.)

[Renew Deal]

10. I wonder what the 60 reasons to get tombstoned from the US are

And if any of them have to do with sex threads. :silly:

[dionysus]

55. !

:spray:

[irislake]

11. I sent an angry email to George Bush

during his first term of office. I was sober and rational.

I have assumed that put me on the no fly list. My son is married to a Texan and lives there. I doubt if I will ever be permitted to visit him again or cross the border for any reason.

Oh well, cèst la vie!

Pretty amazing, though.

[Divine Discontent]

62. amen!

[alp227]

12. Does he behave that way when sober?

C'mon, this is lightweight compared to the Obama-bashing on Free Republic and Tea Party rallies.

[frogmarch]

13. threatening language

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/news/teen_banned_from_us_for_barracking_obama

snip:

A Bedfordshire Police spokesman said: "The individual sent an email to the White House full of abusive and threatening language. (Emphasis mine.)

[uppityperson]

34. Thank you for posting that it was threatening language also. Good to see another source

[Spazito]

61. I figured there had to have been threatening language as well...

for his e-mail to even be noticed never mind result in any action. Thanks for posting this, it helps get the FACTS out!

[DeSwiss]

14. K&R

- A member of the professional left, no doubt......

[snooper2]

17. Way to get your name permanently on the Intertubes...

Good job stupid..

Now when anybody, or your kids someday, or future employer ever do a search on your name this will always be at the top of the list.


Bravo!

[Brickbat]

18. This article and most of the comments above assume that what the kid says is true about him being

"banned from America forever."

[blondeatlast]

20. As a parent of a 13 year old, I was thinking exactly that.

My kid hasn't come up with the "FBI" angle yet, but it would apply since he's actually in the US. :eyes:

[Orsino]

51. And the word "drunken" isn't supported, either.

Shitty story.

[HuckleB]

60. +1,000,000,000,000,000,000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[L0oniX]

21. See people ...spying on us pays off. That kid was clearly a danger to us all.

Your tax dollars at work ...busting kids.

[geek tragedy]

22. He sent the email to Obama. It's not exactly spying for

the federal government to uncover an email sent to . . . the federal government.

[L0oniX]

24. What ever.

[geek tragedy]

26. Nice argument. nt

[HuckleB]

59. How do know he was busted?

[Swamp Rat]

23. Definitely not Oxford material

:D

[Karenina]

27. Speaking of Oxford material...

Did you see Tariq Ramadan on Democracy Now! today? :crazy:

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/9/13/tariq_ramadan_debates_moustafa_bayoumi_on

[Swamp Rat]

28. NAAA!! DUUUU!!!!

:hi::hug:

Nope, I didn't see it.

Btw, what's Köln like in the Winter? I need a vacation BAD!.. probably can't afford it though.

[Karenina]

35. Cold in temperature, warm in spirit.

Gibt's keine schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung. ;-)

You WON'T like the exchange rate...

In a nod to the OP, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wCXr_6wgns&feature=related

[Swamp Rat]

36. I guess I'll go back to Brasil

Aber, obregado. :D :hug:

[Karenina]

41. In time for the World Cup?

Als Gastgeber in 2006... Swampie, s'war ein GEILE ZEIT. Here's some mood musik fer ya!


Xavier http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf94Tt2cO0A

Sergio http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U1v01SGtGE

[Swamp Rat]

45. Obrigado, aqui é o meu favorito, Jackson do Pandeiro:

Oba! :D

Jackson do Pandeiro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbEjsmcpEE8&feature=relatedated

Luiz Gonzaga:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugCmMUsI_3A

And speaking of futebol, in hell :evilgrin:, Caju e Castanha:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knbhnqe68BY

[WI_DEM]

29. I doubt we know the whole story. An angry e-mail doesn't get one banned for life from US.

[Liberal_in_LA]

31. "banned from America forever" WOW, because of an email

[Buns_of_Fire]

46. Well, just being "Banned in Boston" is SO 1950s... nt

[HuckleB]

56. That's his claim.

Do you believe a claim made by a 17-year-old in a Murdoch publication?

[Rabrrrrrr]

32. Ah, Bedfordshire. Probably a chav.

[whathehell]

47. What is a "chav" ? n/t

[Rabrrrrrr]

52. Chavs are the intentionally socially maladjusted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chav

In America, they'd be a big part of the WalMart demographic.

They're like gangbangers, but without the organizational or aesthetic intelligence.

[whathehell]

63. Called "teddy boys" in the sixties? n/t

[HuckleB]

65. No.

[whathehell]

66. Oh.

..and being from Portland Oregon, you're an authority on the matter?:eyes:

[HuckleB]

67. Nice red herring.

:rofl:

[whathehell]

69. Heard

of "links"?:rofl:

[HuckleB]

71. You're trying to compare a social, cultural "movement" to something very different.

Yes, there was violence and crime involved, but your comparison is quite ludicrous.

Thanks for playing.

:rofl:

[whathehell]

73. Excuse me..

I was not trying to "compare" anything or "play" anything or anyone.

I simply asked a question on the thread....Upon doing so, I was given a deliberately rude, one word response...I have no idea as to "why" as I have no memory of any other "negative exchanges" between us.

I'd appreciate it if you would explain the hostility.

[whathehell]

70. ..Nice passive aggressive.

:evilgrin:

[HuckleB]

72. Stating the content of your post is not passive aggressive.

Try again.

[whathehell]

74. Try

your ass again.

[HipChick]

49. Bedford..or Luton...certainly got to watch for folks from Dunstable too

[Sheepshank]

33. A Drunk 17 year old?

a whole herd of wise choices going on there I see.

[Xithras]

37. The minimum drinking age in the UK is....five.

It's illegal for anyone under five to drink in their own homes.

Between 5 and 15, children can drink alcohol only in their own homes.

At age 16, teenagers can drink beer and wine in restaraunts, if they're with an adult.

At age 18, they can buy their own and drink wherever they want.

The U.S. is the only western country that makes people wait until they're 21. The list of nations that DO make them wait is short. Pakistan, the UAE, Oman, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and the United States.

In most of Europe, the minimum drinking age is 16 or 17. The U.S. has simply had the misfortune of being brainwashed by MADD and the fundie nutbars.

[Sheepshank]

40. all this and no sarcasm smilie?

[Art_from_Ark]

48. In Japan, the legal drinking age is 20

and it has nothing to do with MADD and fundie nutbars, and everything to do with teenagers doing stupid, dangerous shit while intoxicated.

[devilgrrl]

43. What a heaping pile of crap from a shitty Murdoch publication.

eom

[blondeatlast]

50. Well put.

Wish I'd said that.

[Canuckistanian]

53. Are there any GOOD Murdoch publications?

They ALL leave steaming piles wherever they go.

[HuckleB]

54. Uh, so all we know is this kid's version of the story.

We don't know if he wrote something much more threatening, nor do we know if he's been banned from anything.

Sounds like a non story.

[lame54]

64. Can he still go to Kenya?...

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :hide:

[blueamy66]

68. "Oh dear, it was me."

Oh dear??????? My Grandmother used to say that.

He should be banned from the USA for being a dork.