Posted on by Californiacontrarian

Which Is Worse ?

There is at least one question that needs to be answered about Terry Newsome, a Chicago area dad who found himself placed on a flight watchlist by federal law enforcement.

From the Epoch Times:

On Dec. 16, 2022, he and his family attempted to board a plane en route to Turning Point USA’s “America Fest” convention in Phoenix, Arizona.

Newsome, who travels a great deal for work, was shocked to learn that he had been placed on a watchlist and had to get substantially more screening before being allowed to board, causing him to miss his original flight.

Initially, Newsome was told that he had been placed on the list by the FBI. On his return journey from Phoenix, he was informed that the classification originated from the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Despite having been a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) pre-check-approved flier for over a decade, upon his family’s arrival at O’Hare International Airport, Newsome learned about the new designation.

It was only later that Newsome learned he had been given the dreaded “quad-S” designation on his ticket, an acronym standing for Secondary Security Screening Selection (SSSS).

Compared to the normal security guidelines for boarding, those with boarding passes marked SSSS must get far more screening.

Following this experience, Newsome sent a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request to the FBI, seeking more information about his newly discovered status as an alleged terror risk.

The FBI refused to discuss details with Newsome.

In the letter he received replying to his request, the FBI wrote in part: “The U.S. Government can neither confirm nor deny whether a particular person is on any terrorist watch list.”

Why would either the FBI or the DOJ put a typical family man from Downer’s Grove, Illinois on such a terror watch list? It appears that there are two possibilities, and my question is “which is worse?”

In July 2021, Newsome attended his first school board meeting at Downers Grove’s Community High School (District 99). Newsome immediately began a crusade on several hot-button topics, ranging from mask mandates to critical race theory, becoming the unofficial spokesman for several concerned mothers who were more hesitant to speak out.

Newsome’s most controversial activism came with his opposition to the book “Gender Queer” by Mia Kobabe, a book containing sexually explicit images that teaches children about oral sex and controversial notions of gender identity.

After Newsome began speaking out against the book and the left-wing ideology that had inundated his children’s schools, he began facing attacks from all corners, ranging from threats by Antifa to opposition by Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.).

So perhaps he was put on this no-fly list because he spoke out at school board meetings. If this is the reason for his being placed in a Quad S category, it is truly amazing and despicable as our U.S. Attorney General, Merrick Garland guaranteed that there would be no retaliation against anyone who spoke up at school board meetings.

But there is another possibility. 

Newsome was present at the Jan. 6, 2021, “Stop the Steal” rally.

Newsome said his only reason for attending the rally was to hear President Donald Trump speak and to ensure people were safe.

“I went to January 6, with my friend, a retired police officer,” Newsome said. According to Newsome, the FBI previously investigated his friend who attended the event, a retired Cook County police officer, and had cleared him of any wrongdoing.

Newsome said he had left by the time order broke down at the rally, which he vindicated by providing time-stamped photos. Newsome’s photos and time stamps from that day show that he did not trespass on Capitol grounds and was gone before the Capitol breach began.

So here we have it. Two possibilities as to why he was placed on a flight watch list … either he was viewed as a school board meeting rabble-rouser, or he was viewed as a Trump supporter by the FBI/DOJ.

In a supposed free country with a First Amendment, which is worse?

2/17/23

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