MIT student at Logan

[rutherford]

From Mass. State Police Major Pare:

"She said that it was a piece of art and she wanted to stand out on career day," Pare said at a news conference. "She claims that it was just art, and that she was proud of the art and she wanted to display it."

If you don't like my characterization as a performance piece, what would you call it given Ms. Simpson own words?

Mark L, I didn't like your characterization, because it's misleading. I originally thought, like many posters, that this was some sort of prank. Which is what it would have been if the event had been the art, like you say in your post. Instead, it's the SHIRT that's the art!

Apparently, thardey had a similar piece of confusion.

I'm still confused as to why she said she was wearing that in the first place?

If it was "performance art", then she was playing the part of something/ someone. It appears she was "performing" as a bomber.

She went to the airport to pick up a friend. Most of her friends take one look at her shirt, and know exactly what it is and how it's put together.

She's just a person who wore something they never in a million years thought anybody would be stupid enough to think was a bomb. She was probably very confused and frightened by a lot of police officers surrounding her with guns.

And now we'll teach her a few lessons.

 

[Mark L]

Let's not forget the modeling clay / Play-Doh she was carrying either. Those characterizations come from the NYT and AP, respectively. Taken collectively with the small circuit and battery, airport personnel and state police were "stupid enough" to think it could be a bomb.

We simply disagree.

 

[thardey]

Mark L, I didn't like your characterization, because it's misleading. I originally thought, like many posters, that this was some sort of prank. Which is what it would have been if the event had been the art, like you say in your post. Instead, it's the SHIRT that's the art!

Apparently, thardey had a similar piece of confusion.



She went to the airport to pick up a friend. Most of her friends take one look at her shirt, and know exactly what it is and how it's put together.

She's just a person who wore something they never in a million years thought anybody would be stupid enough to think was a bomb. She was probably very confused and frightened by a lot of police officers surrounding her with guns.

And now we'll teach her a few lessons.

My point is that either it was the action that was the art, or the shirt.


If it's the shirt that's the art, what was she saying with it? Art communicates ideas, emotions, viewpoints.

She said she wanted to "stand out on career day" - stand out by displaying her skills of wiring together something that probably took less than 5 minutes? Or stand out by demonstration? And again, why include the paint/putty/play doh? If it's not part of the "art" what is it? If it is part of the art, it's something other than a flashy bling for a sweater.

Wiring + putty-like substance (or liquid in a plastic container, if it's paint) is not something that you see often - it qualifies as "unusual".

Also, wiring + putty generally = bomb, or imitation bomb. It's pretty rare that those ingredients randomly end up together in a public place.

If it was just wiring, then maybe I can see the confusion.

I'm just not buying that the shirt is art. Call me a Neanderthal, but I don't see artistic merit to it. I think it's a stunt, with "art" being the CYA.

 

[Andrew Green]

I'm still confused as to why she said she was wearing that in the first place?

I imagine the same reason a person would wear something like this:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/generic/8a5b/

or the same reason a person would put glitter on a shirt, or spikes on a leather jacket, or anything else "normal" people don't wear. Doesn't make them evil.

 

[JBrainard]

Not sure what she was thinking when she did this...

That's the first thing I wondered. If she is an "artist," what statement is she trying to make with her art? That if you deliberately look like a terrorist in an airport security will mess with you?
Not too profound.

 

[MJS]

That's the first thing I wondered. If she is an "artist," what statement is she trying to make with her art? That if you deliberately look like a terrorist in an airport security will mess with you?
Not too profound.

Exactly! Granted, some things will be harder to spot than others. I don't recall exact details, but the shoe bomber...I'm sure nobody gave him a second look..at least until he was playing around with the shoe, trying to light the fuse, etc. This case, with the girl..well, thats just asking for trouble. Frankly, I'm not sure why she would call that art anyways. Then again, looking at some paintings that are considered 'art' I still think to myself, "Ummm, sure, ok." Whether or not it was real, a fake or whatever, IMHO, the fact remains, it still caused a disturbance. I'm sure things came to a stand still for a period of time while this was being dealt with. So, for someone to say, (and I'm not saying it was you, just commenting on other points in this thread. ) that it was no big deal, or once it was deemed a fake, let her go...I'm sorry, but its no different than someone calling in a bomb scare. Is it fake? Sure is. Still doesnt make it right to halt the day to day actions of a business, facility, etc.

 

[Andrew Green]

That if you deliberately look like a terrorist in an airport security will mess with you?

Did she? Cause I've not seen anything that suggests that. The shirt was not designed to look like a bomb, nor was she doing anything that would make her seem like a terrorist, just wearing the shirt.

Accidentally, not deliberately.

So again, my view is that this is a very bad step for personal freedom, allowing arrests and charges based on someone perceiving something in a way that it was not meant to be.

 

[shesulsa]

Did she? Cause I've not seen anything that suggests that. The shirt was not designed to look like a bomb, nor was she doing anything that would make her seem like a terrorist, just wearing the shirt.

Accidentally, not deliberately.

So again, my view is that this is a very bad step for personal freedom, allowing arrests and charges based on someone perceiving something in a way that it was not meant to be.

Okay, but on that note, when I accidentally forget to remove my knives from my person before reaching airport security, does that mean I get to keep them on my person uninterrupted? No, I will have to remove them and either forfeit them, lock them up or mail them to myself ... but I can't go any farther.

And ... exactly *how much* of an "accident" is that? Or is it blatantly neglectful? I'll take ownership and admit to being neglectful ... and took my lumps.

But come on, a tool I use every day that I keep on my person every day is easy to forget. I *don't* walk around with a board, a wire, a battery and some plastic in my hand every day ... and I doubt she does either.

To me, it's the equivalent of accidentally arriving at the airport without pants.

 

[shesulsa]

And again ... the shoe didn't look like a bomb either.

 

[Andrew Green]

Okay, but on that note, when I accidentally forget to remove my knives from my person before reaching airport security, does that mean I get to keep them on my person uninterrupted? No, I will have to remove them and either forfeit them, lock them up or mail them to myself ... but I can't go any farther.

Exactly! If you show up to the airport with a swiss army knife by accident do you expect to get hauled off at gunpoint, charged on terrorism related charges and make national headlines? And a knife is more dangeous then a shirt that lights up.

But come on, a tool I use every day that I keep on my person every day is easy to forget. I *don't* walk around with a board, a wire, a battery and some plastic in my hand every day ... and I doubt she does either.

Sounds like she does, and has had the shirt for a while. Engineers are just weird that way.

 

[Dave Leverich]

And apparently lacking common sense...

Some of the smartest people, are REALLY ignorant about social consequences of actions they don't even stop to consider. Actually though, I'll say she was actually stupid, as any living breathing adult human would know better than to wear a wired device with batteries to an airport. Heck I get nervous bringing my battery pack for my Palm pilot, it has a switch and a green light that shows it's 'on'.

 

[shesulsa]

Exactly! If you show up to the airport with a swiss army knife by accident do you expect to get hauled off at gunpoint, charged on terrorism related charges and make national headlines?

If I called it "performance art?" Yes.

And a knife is more dangeous then a shirt that lights up.

Not when we're talking about bombs. A knife doesn't explode ... undefined plastic might.

Sounds like she does, and has had the shirt for a while. Engineers are just weird that way.

Then I guess she'll learn a hard engineer's lesson. No matter how smart you are, it's no excuse to act dumb.

 

[Andrew Green]

If I called it "performance art?" Yes.

art is a rather broad term, and it seems like you are assuming the "performance art" was somehow meant to be bomb related, her claim was that she made it for a career fair as a way of standing out.

 

[Carol]

She certainly did a good job of standing out, that's fer sure...

 

[shesulsa]

I guess she doesn't wanna be a ninja. Good thing.

 

[Mark L]

So again, my view is that this is a very bad step for personal freedom, allowing arrests and charges based on someone perceiving something in a way that it was not meant to be.

Andrew, I have a question for you, but first I must ask that you not assume that my posing the question in any way suggests that you should be disqualified from expressing opinions on this matter. My view is that your opinion is just as welcome as any other. Your bio doesn't give your geographical location, but your links suggest you train in Winnipeg. Do you live in the US or Canada? I'm asking because I'm curious as to how you think this type of self expression (performance piece seems to be too much of a lightning rod) would be received by authorities in non-US airports? What do you think the reaction would be in Ottawa, Seoul, Tel Aviv, Beirut, Baghdad, etc.?

 

[Andrew Green]

I'm in Canada, and I would hope that the person would be questioned on it, possibly warned not to wear it, hell even told to remove it, but not at gun point, and not had charges pressed over it for simply wearing it.

 

[Mark L]

OK, thanks for answering. That is your hope, what do you think would really happen?

 

[Andrew Green]

My best guess is just that.

 

[Cruentus]

I think some of you guys are ill-informed at best. Those of you who have any training with Improvised Explosive Devices will agree with this point. If you haven't, then you'll just have to take my word on this.

What she had on her shirt looked EXACTLY LIKE a common device used to denote an improvised explosive device, of which C-4 or some other explosive material would be strapped to the chest or waist on the inside of the clothing. The simple circuit board, wiring, and 9-volt battary is all that is needed for a detonator. If this had been "real," a suicide bomber would simply touch one of the wires to the positive or negative charge on the battary depending on the set-up, and blammo.

This could have been a vary real incidence with a vary different outcome.

Some of you can live in your own insolated world if you would like. Maybe it was just a stunt, but I'm not buying **** until a thorough investigation. I am of the opinion that this ***** needs to be seriously looked into.

If yall knew how often people have been "testing" airport security to see what can be gotten away with, and who they might be working for, it'd make your head spin...

C.