The photograph of police leading 14-year-old Ahmed Mohamed out of his school in handcuffs after his homemade clock caused a bomb scare certainly looks like an ugly overreaction. Then again, photos of the “clock” in question were ugly as well. This isn’t something to hang on your wall.
Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great.
— President Obama (@POTUS44) September 16, 2015
As many have observed, Mohamed might have been invited by the president himself to bring his invention to the White House, but there’s no way the Secret Service wouldn’t have a very close look at his “cool” clock before it got anywhere near the president.
@toddstarnes let the secret service ignore it, let it pass thru white house security. we wouldn't want to offend anyone by inspecting it
— chump (@echump) September 17, 2015
The president’s security is taken very seriously. What, you didn’t hear about yesterday’s bomb scare in Washington, D.C. that put the White House on lockdown?
White House on Lockdown, 1600 blk of Pa Ave and Lafayette Park closed because of unattended bag in park. Explosive technicians en route.
— Doug McKelway (@dougmckelway) September 16, 2015
That 'unattended package' that caused the White House lock down? Turns out it was a coffee cup http://t.co/mf1CleL4eW
— Francesca Chambers (@fran_chambers) September 16, 2015
Fox News host Todd Starnes has reflected on the controversy and come away with an important lesson.
The lesson learned from the Texas "It's not a bomb, it's a clock" episode: If you see something – don't say something.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) September 17, 2015
https://twitter.com/Lautergeist/status/644465689315557376
@toddstarnes @GordonDeal if you think it's a bomb and it's not you have to say sorry. If it's a bomb and you don't speak you have funerals.
— ??Good ol' Matty P?? (@MattyP57) September 17, 2015
https://twitter.com/SMerry0803/status/644558391344414720
https://twitter.com/BlueAngel807/status/644536151412379648
.@toddstarnes @whpresscorps No. Say something. But be willing to be wrong.
— Ashley Elizabeth Johnson (@aeg0707) September 17, 2015
And be ready to be called Islamophobic. Is it worth it?
If you see something suspicious and say something — does that make you Islamophobic?
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) September 17, 2015
@toddstarnes @lindarutter I was USN Electronics Tech, degree in Electrical Engineering and Telcom Engineer by job and I would say something.
— Mr Chrome (@BradMarshv1) September 17, 2015
@BradMarshv1 @toddstarnes @lindarutter Yeah, that loose 120V transformer is a fire waiting to happen. Sci. teacher should have confiscated
— Austere Religious Schwalbe: The Me-262 (@MikeTInnes) September 17, 2015
@toddstarnes makes you and those around you survivors
— MostDeplorable (@Steve4USA) September 17, 2015
@toddstarnes No that makes you a concerned citizen.That's your obligation and right to make sure you and others are safe from trouble.
— Jake (@JakeIsOnTwitt3r) September 17, 2015
“Had it been a white kid, no one would have blinked,” insisted Sally Kohn, before being reminded of the non-Muslim child suspended from school for biting his Pop-Tart into the shape of a gun.
Had the clock been made from pop tarts — I suspect the Texas “It’s not a bomb, It’s a Clock” kid would’ve been severely punished.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) September 17, 2015
@toddstarnes What if it would have been a clock made to look like a Bible?
— David Zanca (@DavidZanca) September 17, 2015
https://twitter.com/Keasmom/status/644605222346727427
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Related:
Florida’s ‘Pop-Tart bill’ would ease schools’ zero-tolerance gun policies
Neither cool nor funny: Piers Morgan scolds President Obama over BuzzFeed finger gun
‘Dumb’: 11-year-old suspended for having ‘mini-shank’ made from Nerf bullet at school
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