COLLEGE STUDENT FISH SMUGGLING DYNAMITE ABOARD AN AIRLINER CLAIMS IT WAS A MISTAKE
Randy L. Harrington
August 27, 2006
HOUSTON, TX—Howard McFarland Fish, a college student from Connecticut, bought one-half stick of dynamite on a visit to South America, packed it in his suitcase, boarded an international flight from Argentina to Houston, and when arrested claimed that it was a mistake.
Fish's dynamite was found by bomb-sniffing dogs during a security check of luggage at Houston. Fish was on a layover from an international flight from Argentina to New Jersey. Fish, who said he was a college student, claims that he works in mining and often handles explosives.
Fish's father, Howard Fish of Old Lyme, Connecticut says that his 21-year old son Howard was a typical college kid out to see the world. Father Fish claims that his son bought the dynamite on a South American trip to a mine, and carelessly packed it in his suitcase (that was a mistake-he should have packed it in his shaving kit as a carry-on).
I can see how this can be a simple mistake (with my tongue in cheek). After all if you are a 21 year old college student, touring South American mines on your time off, and you purchase dynamite then it would seem reasonable that you would carelessly pack it in your suitcase.
I mean college students really aren't expected to read all of those bothersome travel advisories posted at every airport in the world in 38 different languages – you know the ones that I mean “NO-EXPLOSIVES.” I can see how young Fish, with his college studies and all could forget, and overlook the events of September 11, 2001- I mean the World Trade Center is an awful long way from Connecticut. And the train bombings in Madrid, and India, and the terrorist arrests in Canada, New Jersey, and London – I guess he was studying for college finals during these events? Or perhaps, he was touring a machine gun factory in Pakistan?
Fish was taken into custody by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and charged with carrying an explosive aboard an airplane. How unreasonable is that? I mean it's not like it was packed in his carry-on luggage or anything- it was in his checked baggage. And, he is after all a 21-year old college student, out touring South American mines? How can he be expected to process all that information posted at every airport in the world?
The FBI indicated that they didn't think that Fish was a terrorist- just stuck on stupid (to paraphrase the FBI). These events are troubling to daddy Fish, as well as young Fish. The arrest, and subsequent prosecution will not only interfere with his college studies, but will also interfere with his spring-break plans of traveling to Iran and purchasing a rocket launcher, and case of rocket propelled grenades. Can you get a rocket launcher, or case of rocket propelled grenades in a Samsonite suitcase? Or are these perhaps items that you can carry-on, and just ask the Flight Attendant to store in the overhead compartment for you?
So many questions for a young, innocent college kid. So many places to travel, and weapons of destruction to buy. Maybe it's a good thing that young Fish will have plenty of time to ponder these questions. Perhaps his sentencing judge will ask the question that America is just dying to know: “What part of 'NO-EXPLOSIVES' in 38 different languages did you NOT understand?” One thing is for certain, young Fish will most likely have a lot of time to analyze the situation and find out just what went wrong. I think that we should amend the Patriot Act to include a 2 year college course for all students that will teach in depth the meaning of “NO-EXPLOSIVES.” I mean these are the future leaders of our world.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Fish's dynamite was found by bomb-sniffing dogs during a security check of luggage at Houston. Fish was on a layover from an international flight from Argentina to New Jersey. Fish, who said he was a college student, claims that he works in mining and often handles explosives.
Fish's father, Howard Fish of Old Lyme, Connecticut says that his 21-year old son Howard was a typical college kid out to see the world. Father Fish claims that his son bought the dynamite on a South American trip to a mine, and carelessly packed it in his suitcase (that was a mistake-he should have packed it in his shaving kit as a carry-on).
I can see how this can be a simple mistake (with my tongue in cheek). After all if you are a 21 year old college student, touring South American mines on your time off, and you purchase dynamite then it would seem reasonable that you would carelessly pack it in your suitcase.
I mean college students really aren't expected to read all of those bothersome travel advisories posted at every airport in the world in 38 different languages – you know the ones that I mean “NO-EXPLOSIVES.” I can see how young Fish, with his college studies and all could forget, and overlook the events of September 11, 2001- I mean the World Trade Center is an awful long way from Connecticut. And the train bombings in Madrid, and India, and the terrorist arrests in Canada, New Jersey, and London – I guess he was studying for college finals during these events? Or perhaps, he was touring a machine gun factory in Pakistan?
Fish was taken into custody by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and charged with carrying an explosive aboard an airplane. How unreasonable is that? I mean it's not like it was packed in his carry-on luggage or anything- it was in his checked baggage. And, he is after all a 21-year old college student, out touring South American mines? How can he be expected to process all that information posted at every airport in the world?
The FBI indicated that they didn't think that Fish was a terrorist- just stuck on stupid (to paraphrase the FBI). These events are troubling to daddy Fish, as well as young Fish. The arrest, and subsequent prosecution will not only interfere with his college studies, but will also interfere with his spring-break plans of traveling to Iran and purchasing a rocket launcher, and case of rocket propelled grenades. Can you get a rocket launcher, or case of rocket propelled grenades in a Samsonite suitcase? Or are these perhaps items that you can carry-on, and just ask the Flight Attendant to store in the overhead compartment for you?
So many questions for a young, innocent college kid. So many places to travel, and weapons of destruction to buy. Maybe it's a good thing that young Fish will have plenty of time to ponder these questions. Perhaps his sentencing judge will ask the question that America is just dying to know: “What part of 'NO-EXPLOSIVES' in 38 different languages did you NOT understand?” One thing is for certain, young Fish will most likely have a lot of time to analyze the situation and find out just what went wrong. I think that we should amend the Patriot Act to include a 2 year college course for all students that will teach in depth the meaning of “NO-EXPLOSIVES.” I mean these are the future leaders of our world.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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