An attractive tall, blond, blue-eyed Icelandic woman, Erla Ósk Arnardóttir Lilliendahl, arrived in New York on December 3 to do some Christmas shopping. She had overstayed a tourist visa some ten years earlier, but this was enough of an excuse for the DHS staff to abduct her for a little game of torture the prisoner.
She was chained, interrogated, photographed, fingerprinted, denied sleep and phone calls and publicly humiliated in front of other travellers at the hands of those she called, Small kings with megalomania.
In this December 20 story in Iceland Review, the oldest English magazine in the country, we learn that Stewart Baker, Assistant Secretary for Policy for the US Ministry of Homeland Security (sic), confirmed the assault by apologizing for it. Earlier reports in the same magazine on December 13 and 14 described her ordeal and suggested her case was similar to others, one involving a young Icelandic mother and her 8-year-old daughter who were reportedly held in a dirty, bedless room for 15 hours prior to being deported.
The real story is how such sensational news was kept out of the mainstream media. A single story appeared in the International Herald Tribune, so why not in its parent publication, the New York Times? And it is worth noting that the Qatar Gulf Times was apparently unique among newspapers for running the AFP wire story on the incident.
Peter Dearman is a teacher living in Taiwan. He is concerned about depleted uranium, repression in Burma, stolen elections, organ harvesting, aspartame, sugar, species depletion, animal abuse, ocean pollution, helium depletion and the generally high level of bad things happening in the world today.
Jesus Christ! You think it's OK to treat her like a sub-human dog because she's a so-called jet-setter? Would you like to be treated like that? Better to shoot the messenger than listen to the message that America has sunk to abysmal depths, hey?
by
Mac McKinney (47 articles, 75 quicklinks, 176 diaries, 1128 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 4:06:07 PM
Mac, it's a troll. Paid to disrupt OEN. Proves OEN impact
Hey, nobody goes on and on, working hard at writing about how little they care about the insignificance of something, unless the intention is to make an issue out of themself and how little they care ...
... and lead everyone else's thoughts away from the important significance of the thing they say not to look at.
The directors du jour of the Dept. of GestapoLand Security, and Travel Torture Task Force, should justly both be humiliated and have their heads handed to them. The State Department owes an immediate apology.
Butcher Bush is a nazi. Count the victims and casualties of his life, starting with himself, numero zero.
A pause for thought, people, before rising to the bait of this paid provocateur's pestering -- Dumbo was selected to office in a year that ends in zero, in fact, double zero; and Tecumseh's Curse foretells that the Butsher does not complete his term in office serving us.
by
meremark (1 articles, 3 quicklinks, 26 diaries, 506 comments)
on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 2:56:45 PM
So in reality, for the Americans who can not enjoy what this woman enjoys, she needs to realize that poor people in America like it when rich people have to get a taste of reality like we do every single day here in America.
Sir: If someone had paid for her and her girlfriends to travel here and she wasn't a nasty rich person (you do her books?) from a socialist country no less, would you then feel empathy for her being outted by doing such a dastardly evil thing as staying over on visa over 10 years ago?
Heaven forbid you should become successful in your lifes endeavors, enjoy the fruit a bit, then be outted and ridiculed, chained, arrested, refused your phone call etc......because you were.
How small.
peace
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mikel paul (11 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 442 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 4:24:25 PM
You need to get a life and when you do ask for a heart this time. Your envy of this woman shows who you are. Since when do we check out a person's bank account to see if they deserve justice or not?
Phil
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pratliff94 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 969 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 7:07:06 PM
You lump them all together don't you. Illegal immigrants. Rich bitches from socialist countries. Quite a philosophy you've grown in your garden of bitterness.
I am against "illegal immigration" and yes, the lovely lady did 'break the law' so I guess it's OK we treated her like we did. And then to send out the message you so eloquently sent the world that we here in the U.S. love to see the rich get handed their asses because it makes us feel good. Great.
Where'd you learn that s***.
I here Bush is looking for another a**hole. Know his number KG? (202-456-1414). He's gonna love you.
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mikel paul (11 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 442 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 4:43:31 PM
I sent a note to your mailbox in apology for the name calling in my comment. I was out of line and it was uncalled for. I'm embarrased and after having calmed down, wish you to know I'm so very sorry for the bottom feeding. There is no excuse for that. Period.
I hope you read my personal note to you.
Please accept my apology.
peace
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mikel paul (11 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 442 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 9:02:46 PM
You seem to mislead yourself. This place is not for venting anger. A person came to this country legally and openly and was mistreated badly and stupidly. It is obvious that 1995 reference was just a pretext. That is all it is. It has nothing to do with you, you hard life or whatever. If you really feel all that anger you present you just waste your time and ours too, sorry. You seem to have a problem. It is Christmas. Have some fun. But please, remember that you do want people to be treated the same as you will be treated. Please, be aware that it is not that girl you should be worried about but yourself and those you love. THEY might be treated the same way.
And BTW, please look at the site again. We here are no 'liberals'. We are progressive people with common sense. Liberalism is OK too, anyone can have it but many of us are very conservative and we still get along as soon as we do not rant about our own problems and project those on the world events.
Happy Holidays
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Mark Sashine (53 articles, 19 quicklinks, 249 diaries, 3574 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 5:27:29 PM
Clearly you have cause to feel the way you do. I suggest you write an article about it from the point of view of government over-involvement in family domestic problems and child custody issues. That way the audience on this website can respond directly to what you have to say instead of perceiving your comments as a projection of your feelings onto a person they also feel sympathy for.
Myself, I sympathize with the Icelandic woman and with you, but by expressing your opinion about the Icelandic woman the way you have, you are giving the wrong impression of yourself and lessening the impact of your message. Keep in mind that being well-off financially does not make a person unworthy of our concern, and the sympathy that people feel toward the Icelandic woman is because people are concerned about government abuse of power.
That is apparently the same concern that you have with respect to your own situation, although you place the blame for your situation on a specific political group. I think most people would place the political blame for what happened to the Icelandic women on a different group, and that adds even more support to the notion that your comments in this thread will be perceived as misplaced.
Whatever you choose to do, you have my condolence for what happened to you.
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Paul Rye (7 articles, 2 quicklinks, 17 diaries, 334 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 7:35:48 PM
Mark, I read about this young lady elsewhere. I was ashamed for Americans first, then, I was angry at the small people in positions of authority. Your initial reaction of "COMPASSION" is the moral and humane response to this event. KG, I was initially morally outraged that people in a "position" of authority would randomly pick out someone to Stomp Down. This is what it was...she was hog-tied, then frog-marched through the freaking airport to make an example out of her. The lady was literally "renditioned" in our OWN USA! THIS IS NOT WHO AMERICANS ARE! Please see the inhumanity going on here. Please recognize who was wronged.
It is not wrong to have money...It is wrong to use it to subjugate and take advantage, and "climb up the backs" of those who don't have it -- don't you agree? This lady is...a woman. She did not come here to harm anyone. If anyone deserves your aggression and anger, it is those who would take advantage of a helpless individual. This is just one example of egregious behaviour on the part of a "system" set up to manipulate others. IT will swallow you, as well as an innocent Icelandic woman if we let it. Consider some humane alternatives that are positive, please.
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boomerang (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 306 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 6:56:39 PM
I appreciate the answer. We all have our reasons to be angry. I am a former refugee, beaten by police, vagrant on the streets of Rome, refugee postman with several suicides on my watch, etc. I could have hated the whole world. But that woman did nothing to me. She was abused by the people who are abusers by position ( you were quite right on this). So I not only sympathise, I want everyone to get worried about themselves because there is nothing more dangerous than a small person in power. Look at GW.
We must see the trees in the forest. That's what our real democray teaches us.
Thanks again
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Mark Sashine (53 articles, 19 quicklinks, 249 diaries, 3574 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 7:11:04 PM
This Sory Is Representative Of Police-State America
Good Grief!
How much money you do or do not have is immaterial. Are we judging people because they have too much money, and therefore condone illegal and humiliating treatment of wealthy people visiting our nation? Have we sunk so low that it's OK to allow the "Thought Police", I mean DHS, to illegally detain, deprive sleep, and generally treat people without any thought of dignity or adherence to our own rule of law?
Neo-conservatism is dying - and its death cannot come too soon, nor will anyone shed a tear when those who have defiled our constitution and rule of law are finally judged themselves - hopefully sent to The Hague to reap what they have sown.
William Cormier
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William Cormier (131 articles, 7 quicklinks, 18 diaries, 319 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 6:01:01 PM
Back when CB radios were popular, it was twelve year old grade school drop outs like KG who ran everyone off the channels with their filthy minds and mouths. The best thing to do with the twelve year olds like KG is to do what he hates the most-- just ignore him. This is an adult blog and twelve year olds need to be ignored.
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pratliff94 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 969 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 7:13:57 PM
She could have come in with dollar bills pinned to her coat. The issue is the way she was treated and what it says about the degeneration of this country.
It is the principle that matters. BTW I am poor too but it hasn't turned me into a bitter fascist.
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memary (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 70 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 7:19:11 PM
It doesn't matter think of it in reverse.. what if one of the more indiferent individuals sisters or their mum won a trip to the fiords of Norway and were treated that badly... These selectively sensitive individual would be demanding a nuke strike or invasion at the least!
If the US isn't ashamed of this sort of treatment what's next locking up people because the power of the day doesn't like them? Justice must serve all people or it serves no one. This includes icelandic rich bitches (if she is in fact a bitch) or a mexican wet back. Maybe next time one of those authors makes an un administration remark they may find themselves in Gitmo and then should we care?
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Andris (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 531 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 9:17:18 PM
You won this one.. You have much more patience than I do at this time of day after gruelling week. You use reason and I used passion and reason will win over passion any day.
Thanks,
Phil.
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pratliff94 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 969 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 7:34:44 PM
Am I the only one who is especially concerned with the fact that this story was conveniently left out of nearly all the newspapers around the world? It was major news in Iceland, and it WAS run in IHT and on AFP, yet still, no papers to speak of picked up the story DESPITE it involving a wealthy, attractive, blonde woman.
This I find to be suspicious. But apparently most people won't look at this part, only choosing to fight over the righteousness of the particulars. That, a bit like K.C., I don't care so much about either. I'm sure the woman would feel better if she were just vindicated by some truth, but now, we live in a reality where everyone believes market forces choose what is and isn't news, when this is obviously not the case.
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Peter Dearman (9 articles, 26 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 130 comments)
on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 9:43:04 PM
Abe Lincoln said, "Most men can handle advirsity but if you want to find the true measure of a man give him power." I live in Britain and we have all heard many stories and most of us won't go to the US. I know of an 84 year old woman made to stand for two hours against a wall for no reason given, "Welcome to America".
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davy (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 240 comments)
on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 4:59:52 AM
WOW ! seems poor KG really has a bee in his bonnet on this issue, however it would appear, in his anger he simply misses the point, that is the System he hates so much has done to this woman from iceland the very same thing it's done to himself.
He's not too concerned about that as he clearly states, what he IS concerned about, is the sympathy being shown World wide for this woman and her dismal treatment in the U.S. whereas no one is showing any sympathy for him and the treatment he has received.
It's quiet a catch 22 situation really, and if not so tragic, would have me in stitches on the floor, because I seem to remember responding to articles via these mediums when the Patriot laws were first introduced and I warned many Americans they themselves would become the victims, this was poo pooed and I was told, 'if you don't break the law, you aint got nuthin to fear'.
Going by the above, clearly, there's a hell of a lot of Americans today treading very lightly indeed, no wonder they have gained the reputation World wide as the most incarcerated peoples on earth.
What was that about getting the Govt you deserve ?
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Eddy Schmid (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 207 comments)
on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 7:24:52 AM
... if this is happening to a rich beautiful tall blonde, what happens to those who look like me and those who are even more ethnic looking who dont have all the 'i's dotted and 't's crossed when entering and exiting the country.
And KG, my stories of past unfair and unjust domestic issues make yours seem like a walk in the park, but contact me via email if you want to hear it, I wont clog up this thread.
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Steven Leser (227 articles, 49 quicklinks, 34 diaries, 1633 comments)
on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 10:03:05 AM
