John Brennan, Naked American Hero
John Brennan stripped naked at a TSA screening area Tuesday night in protest.
He got arrested for his trouble.
MLK and Henry David Thoreau would be proud.
Brennan is charged with “disorderly conduct and indecent exposure.” I’ve looked at the statutes (2011 ORS §163.465, Public Indecency, and 2011 ORS §§166.023, 025, Disorderly Conduct), and I don’t see how the government makes its case on these facts. Interfering With Public Transportation, 2011 ORS §166.116, would be less of stretch.
I would offer to take the case for free if I didn’t have to go through security to get to Oregon. Someone tell me where to contribute to Brennan’s legal defense fund.
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As usual, the government is gambling he’ll accept a plea rather than go to trial. Like cops are fond of saying whenever they make a bogus arrest “You may beat the rap but you won’t beat the ride”.
Here, here! Mr. Bennett:
I will not only pitch in funds for Mr. Brennan’s legal defense but also for your flight to Oregon and the US Sup. Ct., if required, to kick the governments butt on this issue!
Regards,
QR Miller
Los Angeles
I can no longer contribute to Brennan’s defense fund as I have an emergency eye bleach procedure to remove that image from my retina and optic nerve.
I’m John’s dad. Thanks for your support. It is clearly time for the community at large to rise united to raise the bar to a level of respect for personal rights and privacy while retaining the same level of security. It is time to say to our representatives, “, this is enough. The people demand change.“
The current level of security is in my mind pretty poor because it is based on standardized static processes which can be thwarted in a short period of time. What we need is a system based on excellent shared intelligence and random application of security practices so nobody knows what they will be nor when they will be applied. That will have a higher probability of catching terrorists than the current one. JB
Thanks, John’s Dad. You should be proud.
You might be interested in my analysis of the relative risks of flying and driving in 2001. If you measure the quality of security by the safety of the means of transportation, it’s gross overkill. I’d be okay with security at pre-9/11 levels, with two exceptions: reinforced cabin doors, and less-complacent passengers.
MB
The current level of security is non-existent. It’s all theater designed to make people feel as if the TSA is actually doing something. My father was Marine Recon. In his hands, a can of soda or a ball point pen was weapon.
Heck, I’ve flown with my Leatherman multi tool (part of my daily work wear) without realizing it but the screeners take my nail clippers because I’m apparently going to attack someone and trim their hangnail.…
I have to say that I’m kind of a fan of Mr. Brennan. A nice pointed non-violent civil disobedience protest!
I’m sure that in some not so distant future the TSA will try to make us travel naked. When that becomes the case I am going to flatly refuse to take business trips with my 50 year old pasty white boss!
Hi,
John Brennan, the TSA protester, here. I do have a legal defense fund for those who would like to contribute. The legal work on the criminal charges is being done pro-bono, but there will be expenses. The TSA legal work has a start as pro-bobo, but if it continues on past the investigation there will be costs. Plus, there are other legal expenses.
If you’d like to contribute, write me at john AT naked american hero DOT com and I’ll give you the details.
Plus, people want t-shirts, so there will be t-shirts. The plan is to do some fundraising from that. If you want to follow along on Facebook, search for Naked American Hero. It’s fan page that friends set up.
–J