14 year-old makes home-made clock, arrested for 'bringing a bomb to school'

[IkeTheGeneric]

A suitcase doesn't look suspicious

he has a suspicious looking electronic device,

??????

[Ad Bot]

[Darryl McKoy]

there's more to it than just baseless conjecture and thought.

no there's not

[SeventhSandwich]

Wasn't on the inside, but it can look like it. People are paranoid.

Great. People are paranoid of black people too. Doesn't make racial profiling any more justifiable.

Yes, but that's where I think the kid should've thought it through if he didn't want to be arrested. While it is a very tribal standard set up by American society, and I wish it wasn't there, there's more to it than just baseless conjecture and thought.

No, it is baseless conjecture and thought. You aren't any more likely to catch a terrorist by throwing random Muslims kids in jail.

Then why did the kid try to make it look like he was trying to be a genius? Why would he show it to all his teachers if he thought that he'd get no attention?

Maybe he thought it was cool and creative? Maybe he wasn't trying to pass it off as some kind of innovative device, but just something interesting he made during his free time. Why does any of this point towards some kind of conspiracy in your mind?

The fact that I'm making it about me is because I know I could probably do the same thing and get a similar reaction (that I wouldn't want). What I'm saying is that if the kid didn't want to get arrested, he should've seen the potential reprecussions in the first place.

But that's bullstuff. White kids bring electronics projects to school all the time, and none of them have ever had their 'clock' taken for a bomb.

[SetGaming]

Great. People are paranoid of black people too. Doesn't make racial profiling any more justifiable.
No, it is baseless conjecture and thought. You aren't any more likely to catch a terrorist by throwing random Muslims kids in jail.
Maybe he thought it was cool and creative? Maybe he wasn't trying to pass it off as some kind of innovative device, but just something interesting he made during his free time. Why does any of this point towards some kind of conspiracy in your mind?
But that's bullstuff. White kids bring electronics projects to school all the time, and none of them have ever had their 'clock' taken for a bomb.

Fair's fair. Sorry for the argument, I was being irrational.

[SeventhSandwich]

Fair's fair. Sorry for the argument, I was being irrational.

That's alright. This pattern of thought isn't really that uncommon (especially in the US).

[McZealot]

well at least we know you're tribal now

You're insane if you think he wasn't aware of the racial tensions. The point is that people can clearly tell he is Muslim and people often associate that with terrorism. It's not right. It's just reality.

Kind of like how a white dude can't call a black guy a "brother" jokingly without people getting upset, but a black guy could.

[SetGaming]

You're an idiot if you think he wasn't aware of the racial tensions. The point is that people can clearly tell he is Muslim and people often associate that with terrorism. It's not right. It's just reality.

Kind of like how a white dude can't call a black guy a "brother" jokingly without people getting upset, but a black guy could.

This was my point, but I see where Seventh is coming from, too. I shouldn't just assume people think that way.

[SeventhSandwich]

You're an idiot if you think he wasn't aware of the racial tensions. The point is that people can clearly tell he is Muslim and people often associate that with terrorism. It's not right. It's just reality

But the very existence of this is what people are complaining about. Kids shouldn't become the victims of tribal stereotypes.

[Nonnel]

And his clock wasn't anything like a bomb. Your point?

can you seriously not see how it would be mistaken for a bomb

[SeventhSandwich]

can you seriously not see how it would be mistaken for a bomb

If a white kid built it, the conversation would have gone like this:

"Hey, what's that?"

"It's a clock that I made"

"Oh, that's really neat. We've got ourselves a future MIT student here!"

[Nonnel]

If a white kid built it, the conversation would have gone like this:

"Hey, what's that?"

"It's a clock that I made"

"Oh, that's really neat. We've got ourselves a future MIT student here!"

loner kid who consistently wears a trenchcoat shows up with a ""clock"" he made, you'd wonder

[SeventhSandwich]

loner kid who consistently wears a trenchcoat shows up with a ""clock"" he made, you'd wonder

Loner kid might get a bit more scrutiny than the average white guy, but nobody is going to call the cops on him.

[Camel]

loner kid who consistently wears a trenchcoat shows up with a ""clock"" he made, you'd wonder

also a dumb assumption to make

[Nonnel]

Loner kid might get a bit more scrutiny than the average white guy, but nobody is going to call the cops on him.

right

[ZombiLoin]

I'm white, and I can easily make a clock myself and stuff it in a black project box - I'm quite certain that I would get arrested, as well, at my school.

I don't think so but whatever. The problem is...

What I'm saying is that for a kid so smart, he should've known not to bring a clock to school during a racially insensitive point in time.

That contrasts with your above statement. First you say it's not a racial issue (or you diminish the importance of race in this case), but then you say that he should be extra careful because of his race?

The point we're trying to make, with him not being a genius, however, is that he has no merit to "show off his accomplishments" to any teacher, as he showed all of his teachers.

Still irrelevant? lol.

I don't care about his race, I barely care about the time he did it himself. What I'm saying is that the kid had many chances to think it through and stop himself, but he kept going and got arrested, likely as how he planned.

This is r/conspiracy material. According to you, he mused over his plan at home with a turban on his head and goat at his side, and muttered "all according to plan" as he got arrested.

Should I go to school tomorrow with something that ticks, is in a black box with portruding segment displays, and when I pull it out, I whisper "Allahu Akbar" and show it to each one of my teachers, then when I get arrested, I should say "oh no, it's just a clock"?

I don't think the kid "whispered allahu akbar" or really did anything to paint him as a terrorist other than being Muslim. Besides, it's a loving pencilcase, not a "briefcase."

I'm white, most honor students are white, isn't that racial descrimination?

Well there a whole lot of white people who aren't honor students, wouldn't you be peeved off if somebody thought you were a honor student just because you were white?

EDIT:

loner kid who consistently wears a trenchcoat shows up with a ""clock"" he made, you'd wonder

I mean you can choose whether or not to look like a black-trenchcoat wearing Klebold but you can't exactly choose to have brown skin, be Muslim, or have the name "Mohammed," can you?