[identity profile] underlankers.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] talkpolitics
In what may be the rare news story 100% full of hot air (or at least helium, at any rate), this story shows that Swedish police are capable of some truly ham-handedly silly things that sound like they belong in backwoods Alabammy with all the gumps unhappy about stuff like this. The more serious point here is that security, past a certain point, tends to slide into self-parody and there should always be a line between genuine problems, tragedy, and as in this case farce. In this case, the farce is that a couple celebrating their 21st Birthday got in trouble with the police and requiired to take down their birthday balloons because the police read 21 wrong and thought it stood for IS, as in Islamic State.

To be really frank, I would expect the problem of literally being incapable of knowing numbers from letters from Alabama, not Sweden. This is not politically motivated targeting of minarets, as Switzerland did, or treating a Burlington Coat Factory as a sacred relic, as New York City did, but it does show the absurdity of bigotry and political correctness of the type that made that phrase ripe for mockery.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31629267

(no subject)

Date: 25/2/15 21:26 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mahnmut.livejournal.com
Could you please present the event that you've linked in a few words of your own, as per you-know-which requirement? I mean, the commentary is fine and funny, but if I'm to click a link before I could get what this is about, then I guess we have a problem.

(no subject)

Date: 26/2/15 08:07 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] airiefairie.livejournal.com
Terrorist balloons, OMG!

(no subject)

Date: 26/2/15 10:48 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mikeyxw.livejournal.com
Well, they get blown up and then ascend to the heavens. Very symbolic.

(no subject)

Date: 26/2/15 10:54 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peamasii.livejournal.com
It must be really a redneck smalltown in the sticks judging from the look and topics in the tabloid that published this item.

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