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Bullies proactively seek to hurt others for their own amusement. For better or worse the Secret Service (in the case of the president) and the FBI (in the case

Bullies proactively seek to hurt others for their own amusement. For better or worse the Secret Service (in the case of the president) and the FBI (in the case of airplane safety), are reactively responding to potential threats. So if you don't want them to react, don't threaten the president, don't make threats about messing around with aircraft EICAS systems. Remember, the FBI isn't responsible for designing safe aviation comms systems, their job here is to investigate potential threats. I think most of us on HN would suspect that Roberts is not a threat, but from the perspective of the FBI, he's certainly a potential threat that needs to be investigated.

nitrogen 12y ago
Bullies proactively seek to hurt others for their own amusement. This is definition is too narrow, in my opinion. Workplace bullying, for example, isn't just for amusement, or even to hurt others deliberately. I would define a bully as anyone or any group that uses coercion to get their way, rather than persuasion. Alternatively I would say a bully wantonly throws their weight around. As such, using the power of the FBI to seize equipment as the first response to an unproven alert is bullying.
- ghshephard 12y ago
  I've looked up the definition of "bully" - and I have to admit, they all define the word in pretty much the same way you just have, which surprised me, as it wasn't my sense of the word "bully." It seems to me, though, that by that definition, any police action in which the suspect doesn't just acquiesce and come meekly along, is an example of Bullying - which really stretches my sense of the word. It should be noted though, that in the case of the FBI seizing the equipment, it turns out to be the case that Roberts actually was guilting of making the threat/joke about messing with the airplane's EICAS system, so it's not clear to me that we can claim it was an "unproven alert." You can always seize the equipment, perform an investigation, and then return it. But if you fail to seize the equipment, then the suspect can wipe it/destroy it if you later determine you do need to review it. I'm guessing the FBI (any police agency), in this situation will follow the "Better safe than sorry" approach. And, as to how you can avoid having your shit seized by the cops - most of us were taught at the age of 5 not to use the B word in an airport - just extend that logic to not making jokes about messing with the aircraft safety and you should be fine.

nitrogen 12y ago

Bullies proactively seek to hurt others for their own amusement. This is definition is too narrow, in my opinion. Workplace bullying, for example, isn't just for amusement, or even to hurt others deliberately. I would define a bully as anyone or any group that uses coercion to get their way, rather than persuasion. Alternatively I would say a bully wantonly throws their weight around. As such, using the power of the FBI to seize equipment as the first response to an unproven alert is bullying.

ghshephard 12y ago
I've looked up the definition of "bully" - and I have to admit, they all define the word in pretty much the same way you just have, which surprised me, as it wasn't my sense of the word "bully." It seems to me, though, that by that definition, any police action in which the suspect doesn't just acquiesce and come meekly along, is an example of Bullying - which really stretches my sense of the word. It should be noted though, that in the case of the FBI seizing the equipment, it turns out to be the case that Roberts actually was guilting of making the threat/joke about messing with the airplane's EICAS system, so it's not clear to me that we can claim it was an "unproven alert." You can always seize the equipment, perform an investigation, and then return it. But if you fail to seize the equipment, then the suspect can wipe it/destroy it if you later determine you do need to review it. I'm guessing the FBI (any police agency), in this situation will follow the "Better safe than sorry" approach. And, as to how you can avoid having your shit seized by the cops - most of us were taught at the age of 5 not to use the B word in an airport - just extend that logic to not making jokes about messing with the aircraft safety and you should be fine.