[tindleroot]

Originally Posted by Monochron

If our culture sees electronics with 7 segment displays as nothing but bombs, then we really need to keep working on changing that culture.

Cory's answer defines the actual issue.

When I was a sophomore in my high school Aerospace class, we built model rockets and my group's rocket looked pretty awesome so I decided to keep the rocket. During lunch that day, one of our deans walked up and examined it to make sure it didn't have an engine/bomb/explosive in it. He was not particularly worried or suspicious, he just needed to "make sure". I wonder if it would have changed for me if I had been from the same cultural/religious background as this poor kid.

This year I am participating in a seminar course discussing the implications and definitions of terrorism, and from what we've discussed in class it is really stupid to think that this kid is a terrorist. If the school is jumping to these conclusions, then they are misinformed about what terrorism is. The issue of terrorism goes much further than the shallow thinking that these school officials are exerting.