Watch Lists: Juan Carlos Merida
Juan Carlos Merida is an unusual victim of the watch lists. He knows why he’s on one. As the New York Times reports, while a volunteer at the Airman Flight School, he gave rides to lots of students. The students he gave rides to included Zacarias Moussaoui, who is currently awaiting trial on suspicion of being a part of the Sept 11th attacks.
But even knowing why he’s on the lists isn’t helping him clear his name.
Update: Michael Froomkin caught a detail I skimmed over, and it’s implications in “The Insidious Effects of Security State Blacklists.”
I’ve discussed the concept of watch lists before.
this is an awful thing.
Berufsverbot
The only way for the people to fight against a police state is by collective action. If everyone is on the watch list, then it ceases to be of any significance. But to deliberately get yourself onto the blacklist? Foolhardy unless everyone else does th…