Newsflash: Facebook Poll Not a Threat to Obama

TheLastMohican

TheLastMohican

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iSHdC8oUo_rn0oPC-cZ9oVqaFIGgD9B2B5000

The Secret Service has determined that a juvenile was behind the online survey that asked whether people thought President Barack Obama should be assassinated, an agency spokesman said Thursday.No criminal charges will be filed against the juvenile or the juvenile's parents, spokesman Edwin Donovan said. Donovan would not identify the names of the child or parents or say where they are from.
The poll, posted Saturday on Facebook, was taken off the popular social networking site quickly after company officials were alerted to its existence. But, like any threat against the president, Secret Service agents took no chances.
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I think this reaction was a tad excessive. Would a bona fide assassin probe for public opinions before proceeding? Why were criminal charges even considered?
The Secret Service should spend its time covertly investigating real threats, not cracking down on free speech and thoughtcrime. They might as well start hunting for those who voted "yes."
 
See, if they were smart they'd start their own website asking that question, and trace the IPs of everyone who say yes.

If they're viable, check them out.
 
I agree this reaction was way overblown and excessive. When I saw this on the news I said out loud "are you kidding me? Sheesh!". While I can understand why the gov't did this, it was still unwarented.
 
Or they are smart and it was the government who started the poll in the first place, blaming it on some poor kid and their family. Why do you think they won't disclose the name?

Because there is no kid and family.....
 
slant said:
Or they are smart and it was the government who started the poll in the first place, blaming it on some poor kid and their family. Why do you think they won't disclose the name?

Because there is no kid and family.....
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Wait, what would that accomplish?
 
It might be excessive in our eyes, but remember - Obama had many death threats before he came into office. Probably more than the average presidential candidate. And this whole mess with the town hall meetings probably just made things worse.

I think much of the government is on high alert (especially for threats against presidents), simply because of what has happened in the past: Attempted assassination of Reagan, Oklahoma City bombing, NY Twin Towers, school shootings, etc. Threats of any kind, regardless of how innocent, will be scrutinized. Did they overreact? Probably. Should they have ignored it? Not a chance.

What we didn't need was media coverage over it. But I bet you things like this happen every day. We just don't hear about it.
 
I can't believe someone would make such a poll even as a joke. I mean such a thing, could spark ideas..

Its blown out of proportion in my opinion but then again they don't want another pressident assasinated. Although, I think a warning should have been enough.
 
I would make a poll like that just for a joke.

Freedom_of_speech.

Eat it.
 
i was considering starting a poll with a paypal account attached to kill grant morrison.
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Azure_Knight said:
The Secret Service has to investigate threats to see if they are credible. It's their job.
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I don't think the poll constituted a threat. Now, if there was a poll found on a sharpshooters' forum asking which type of rifle would be best for an assassination, that would be worthy of investigation. But on Facebook? Forget it.
 
arbygil said:
Hmm...ya know, that just might w--

:m181:


No, no! Can't...compromise...values...URK!
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Probably would work. Want to work on it with me? We can leave your name out of it so that you're not anathema to DC Directors.

Azure_Knight said:
The Secret Service has to investigate threats to see if they are credible. It's their job.
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Yeah, but they shouldn't be published unless it's a real threat.
 
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