Does Government Think Prosecuting People for Carrying Apples Going to Stop Terrorists?

[b]Colorado woman slapped with $500 fine for carrying free Delta Air Lines apple in her bag.[/b]

Does the government really think prosecuting people for carrying apples are going to stop terrorists?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/woman-slapped-500-fine-carrying-free-delta-apple-bag-article-1.3948752

But they let a guy keep his guns after he breached White House security. And now four people are dead.

http://nashvillepublicradio.org/post/nashville-police-waffle-house-suspect-had-guns-confiscated-after-white-house-intrusion#stream/0

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Northwest · M

This is the department of agriculture, and not about terrorism.

I have bought apples in a store in Washington State, taken them to Canada, and then was asked to toss them, on my way back into the US. It's a question I'm asked every single time they decide to ask me questions.

It seems silly to apply it to Delta packaged fruit, but the department of agriculture makes no distinction. I always bring food back from foreign destinations, and I've run into this quite a few times, anything from freshly cured Spanish olives, to raw cashews.

SatanBurger · 36-40, F

@Northwest For all they know the woman could be lying to. Not that she is lying in this case but they don't really draw distinctions like that. Tons of people try to sneak in food. The problem with food and also seeds is that they can give plants various diseases.

Even stuffed and mounted animals have to be fumigated if they don't meet certain requirements. Some are destroyed outright because bugs on the animal carcass can devastate an entire species of animal/plant.

Northwest · M

@SatanBurger The inspectors' job is not to interpret the law, but to enforce it, and they can get in trouble for not doing so. I do blame the Airlines, for not making it clear, as in announcements during flights, as they hand out food, etc.

Think of it this way: you're a mother, traveling with three screaming kids, all under the age of 8, on an 14 hour flight. with a few added hours to check in, customs, etc., and you forgot that you have a banana in your carry on, that you saved to feed the screaming infant. This happened to a friend of mine, and she almost got fined for it.

SatanBurger · 36-40, F

@Northwest I can understand when put that way. I wouldn't like that if it happened to me and it was just accidental.

approachingmyexpirationdate · 61-69, M

if you take away apples
only criminals will have apples

SensibleJulie · F

No they don't do that to stop terrorism. They do that to protect the US economy.

You'd get into just as much trouble if you brought undeclared fruit into New Zealand.

This is done to stop diseases and pests not already in a country ravaging the fruit industry.

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SensibleJulie · F

@beckyromero To me these are completely different issues. Most or at least some of your respondents don't seem to understand that the apple case has nothing to do with terrorism or the national security. It is all about biosecurity. And that of course is how the poor woman in the apple case got into trouble. She was completely unaware that anyone would be worried about her bringing one little apple into the US.

beckyromero · 36-40, F

@SensibleJulie [quote]She was completely unaware that anyone would be worried about her bringing one little apple into the US.[/quote]

Neither, it appears, was Delta.

Kind of shows what kind of job the government is doing to MAKE people aware if that is the case.

SensibleJulie · F

I've flown into America many times and I didn't know about it. When you deplane in New Zealand you see a big sign telling you that you have to declare ANY FOOD you have. Or place it in this bin. (Trash Can to you Americans) Then you have to fill in a form that asks you about food.

But still people get caught with food items that could threaten bosecurity.

Some of it is carefully concealed. I think in other cases it is the result of jetlag.

Jackaloftheazuresand · 26-30, M

What can you hide in an apple, what kind of chemicals are in an apple? Do you know if these things are dangerous in certain scenarios?

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beckyromero · 36-40, F

@Jackaloftheazuresand [quote]Does this make you a Nazi?[/quote]

The road down that path starts when you begin prosecuting people for the most harmless of infractions and brand them as criminals.

She offered to throw it away. That's all that would have been needed done.

Instead the customs officials starts asking her if her trip from Paris was expensive and then tells her it's going to cost her another $500. She could also lose her Global Entry Status. Who knows? She might even end up on the No Fly List in the future.

sunsporter1649 · 70-79, M

@beckyromero You must remember that the government is only capable of punishing law abiding citizens, the illegals can get away with murder.

beckyromero · 36-40, F

@sunsporter1649 The government wasn't even capable of discovering two 9/11 terrorists living in the same house as an FBI informer.

SatanBurger · 36-40, F

Not comparable, the guy wasn't at an airport where that happened, though it is stupid to let a person keep their guns after such incident. That's an oversight on the police part, I agree to that.

However airlines have strict requirements about food. She could have food on the plane but going to another country, food can bring diseases to our plants here and airlines are strict on that. They have the same rules in Canada, Australia and everywhere else too.

ButterFly2023 · 18-21, M

The war on Terror is the new War on Drugs. Gotta be seen to do be doing something. When in fact you are just making the situation worse.

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