You might have a point if the device was for a school project. But it was his own "invention" which is own engineering teacher warned him against showing around.
He not only showed it around, but plugged it in during English class where it made beeping noises. Do you expect the English teacher should need to "verify" a box of wires and circuits? Who would she verify it with if the kid plays aloof when asked of its purpose?
Just because "authorities apprehend 14yo Muslim kid for home-made clock" doesn't mean you need to start making accusations of bigotry, ignorance and cowardice.
Presumably an English teacher has the communication skills to ask any one of the number of staff who were involved in the entire affair. You know, like the engineering teacher. Did he somehow go on vacation in between? And how about the police - they have nobody on staff who can tell the difference between a homemade clock and some sort of "unauthorized device"?
The accusations are justified. Your apologetics are misguided.
Bigotry, maybe. There's a chance (which I'd estimate at smaller than 1%) that there was no racial motivation here.
But I don't see how you can say there's no grounds to make accusations of ignorance and cowardice. Being unaware of what a bomb looks like is clearly ignorance, and being so terrified that you get an innocent kid arrested for it is clearly cowardice.
Handcuffs went too far. But that's a protocol issue for US lawmakers etc. We've all seen protocol out of control in the States for a host of different incidents.
No need to react so much in the other direction either, making this kid an ambassador of "freedom to pack electronics in a case and bring it to school" or whatever.
He made an error of judgement going against his teacher's advice, and a ton of bricks came down on his head way too hard. Hopefully everyone can learn something from this.
But you can't deny that "radicalization of young Muslims" isn't a thing these days. No point of covering your ears and insisting everyone wants to get along.
> But you can't deny that "radicalization of young Muslims" isn't a thing these days.
Radicalization of young Muslims is among the reasons why acts based on bias against young Muslims by authority figures in society is especially problematic, as those acts contribute rather directly to such radicalization, and directly serve the propaganda interests of those actively seeking such radicalization.
This would be problematic if radicalization of young Muslims wasn't a particular concern, but it doesn't become less problematic because such radicalization is a real thing, it becomes more.
So you don't think it's possible that authority figures can initiate acts based on statistics? On research, on scientific data? Or must their motivations always be grounded in bias, unfair discrimination, misguided old-fashioned racial profiling?
The point I was making about young Muslims - I wish it weren't true. But it is true.
Arresting 14yo kids isn't a solution, but neither is patronizingly inviting him and his suitcase clock to the white house.
I'd love watch the video of him checking into whitehouse security with his suitcase clock...
OK, what are the relevant statistics, research, and scientific data? What is the scientifically-determined probability at the time that this kid actually built a bomb, or was at least trying to scare people with a lookalike?
"I'd love watch the video of him checking into whitehouse security with his suitcase clock..."
It will probably be quite boring, because unlike paranoid local Texas policemen, the Secret Service knows what a bomb actually looks like.
The kid's error was merely in underestimating the danger posed by the authorities. Certainly we can all learn something from this, and the lesson is that a lot of authorities are catastrophically stupid and unbelievably petty.
Why should we not make this kid an ambassador of "freedom to pack electronics in a case and bring it to school"? That sounds like a pretty good freedom, and one worth fighting for. Kids should feel free to bring their (non-dangerous, no need to bring in guns or actual bombs or whatever) interests to school to share them. You might even broaden the horizons of some fellow students (and who knows, maybe even a teacher or two).
I tried to provide a balance point to this discussion, mainly due to the fact that packing the clock into the suitcase wasn't smart (even for a 14yo).
Google 'suitcase bomb' and you'll get endless results. Google 'Arduino enclosure bomb" and you won't get much.
I'm not convinced the kid didn't know it was looking like something from a movie, and I think he was aiming for that look, but he won't admit it. Why do I think this? Because I was 14 once too, and studied electronics just like him. Something that looked like a Suitcase bomb is something I'd want to show my friends.
His clock was mains powered too. Awful design even for a 14yo.
It's not a suitcase. It's a small pencil case. A bit biggerthan an Altoids tin. The photo is misleading. There's a battery connector that gives some scale.
The power plug is an even better indicator, since it's pretty much flat. Given the prongs are 12.7mm apart, that makes the whole case about 17cm wide. You could literally fit it in your pocket.
He not only showed it around, but plugged it in during English class where it made beeping noises. Do you expect the English teacher should need to "verify" a box of wires and circuits? Who would she verify it with if the kid plays aloof when asked of its purpose?
Just because "authorities apprehend 14yo Muslim kid for home-made clock" doesn't mean you need to start making accusations of bigotry, ignorance and cowardice.