I hate to say this, but has it occurred to you that you got nabbed not so much for doing the wrong thing at the wrong place at the wrong time but because you dress "funny" and because (were you wearing that coverall cloak?) you're a big, imposing-looking guy with a full beard, long hair, brownish skin, dark eyes, and a hooked Mediterranean nose (who's incidentally wearing a cloak and is therefore prolly some kinda furriner)? Sounds to me like you just got profiled right into the cop shop. (Weird, huh?)
Also, counter to the current prevailing attitude in the Mass Media et al, The Enemy, whoever They are, aren't out to destroy The American Way of Life. In most cases it's simply an apocalyptic tit for generations of tat...see also this article (http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=14600) which is a pretty accurate deconstruction of the mood on the other side. Those of us in the position to know these things (because the sentiment is there and because we're not completely force-fed a diet of spun -- in both senses of the word [ideologically mediated or just plain crazy] -- US media) find that these interpretations make a lot of sense. (Or as I've been saying for years: "We torched the White House once. Don't make us do it again.") I mean, betcha all those alleged terrorists out there watch Hollywood movies and (secretly or not) covet Nike or Skecher's shoes...
There is a distinct difference, after all, between most non-US-citizens' view of US culture and US foreign policy...or Americans and the American Government, if you like. (Most of us like the former and distrust to despise the latter...). Robert Fiske, Marq de Villiers and Mark Hertsgaard have mentioned this dichotomy (in his articles, and the books Water and The Eagle's Shadow respectively. (Personally I think it's quite indicative of the current political climate that the rest of the world treats this dichotomy/dilemma as obvious but the US is oblivious. I could say, "As usual," but that would be sniping.)
But then again, I'm not a US citizen, so I do have the advantage of having a View from Outside.
Looks like you got nabbed for a couple of reasons besides taking pix, Glenn...
Also, counter to the current prevailing attitude in the Mass Media et al, The Enemy, whoever They are, aren't out to destroy The American Way of Life. In most cases it's simply an apocalyptic tit for generations of tat...see also this article (http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=14600) which is a pretty accurate deconstruction of the mood on the other side. Those of us in the position to know these things (because the sentiment is there and because we're not completely force-fed a diet of spun -- in both senses of the word [ideologically mediated or just plain crazy] -- US media) find that these interpretations make a lot of sense. (Or as I've been saying for years: "We torched the White House once. Don't make us do it again.") I mean, betcha all those alleged terrorists out there watch Hollywood movies and (secretly or not) covet Nike or Skecher's shoes...
There is a distinct difference, after all, between most non-US-citizens' view of US culture and US foreign policy...or Americans and the American Government, if you like. (Most of us like the former and distrust to despise the latter...). Robert Fiske, Marq de Villiers and Mark Hertsgaard have mentioned this dichotomy (in his articles, and the books Water and The Eagle's Shadow respectively. (Personally I think it's quite indicative of the current political climate that the rest of the world treats this dichotomy/dilemma as obvious but the US is oblivious. I could say, "As usual," but that would be sniping.)
But then again, I'm not a US citizen, so I do have the advantage of having a View from Outside.
S