links for 2010-09-15

I was detained last night by federal authorities at San Francisco International Airport for refusing to answer questions about why I had travelled outside the United States.

The end result is that, after waiting for about half an hour and refusing to answer further questions, I was released – because U.S. citizens who have produced proof of citizenship and a written customs declaration are not obligated to answer questions.

A federal judge in Puerto Rico – a territory sensitive to the rights and privileges of its residents' U.S. citizenship — said it best: "The only absolute and unqualified right of citizenship is to residence within the territorial boundaries of the United States; a citizen cannot be either deported or denied reentry." U.S. v. Valentine, 288 F. Supp. 957, 980 (D.P.R. 1968).

So, while some commenters worried – or advocated – that a citizen who refused to answer CBP questions would be denied re-entry to the United States, the U.S. government does not have the power to prevent a citizen’s re-entry.

My great grandfather was the sole survivor ( last living perhaps police officer, perhaps) of the bomb tossed by Haymarket Square* anarchists. Some sixty years ago, I, as the great grandson of the sole survivor of the Haymarket Riot, Frank Tyrrell, was chosen by the Chicago Police Department to place a wreath on the statue. Thus, I was particularly offended when Bill Ayers attempted to blow up the statue not once but twice during his violent youth. I want to redeem the police. Ayers has lived on, swaddled in the respect of Liberals. I want to remind them of the many police and laboring men who were maimed in that riot that Ayers tried, in his violent past, to exploit and apparently is still proud of.