Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Airport screeners invited to guess "Who's the terrorist?"

On ACLU of Texas' Liberty Blog this morning I posted an item titled "Airport screeners invited to guess 'Who's the terrrorist?'" Take a look.
Posted by Gritsforbreakfast at 9:16 AM

11 comments:

j said...

grits, I know that you are a busy man and are interested mostly in Texans but my boyfriend has been reading your blog entries that I have printed off the internet and wanted me to write you about a man who he was friends with named Greg W. Nickels. Greg served the U.S. in Granata(?) and his parents worked at the Pentagon. He is serving a 54 yr sentence for manufacturing as a habitual offender even though he was only charged one other time-several months before for having a small amt of meth on his person-here's the thing-after serving a short period of his 54 yr sentence he was released-appartently to SNITCH. He had been snitched on himself and the cops apparently told him this to encourage him to do the same-he agreed. However, he had no intentions to do that. Instead, he wanted to find the guy he knew snitched on him and ask him why he had done it. Eventually, he was picked up again. For at least one year he didn't speak one single word to anyone after this. Can you imagine. Greg was liked by everyone I know who knew him. I even know a woman who had a child with him, although I don't think he has seen his baby girl ever. I'm not sure. Anyways, I thought that someone had to go to prison, get out and then commit the same crime again to be considered a habitual criminal if not twice. Please get back to me if you can. I love your blog and will continue to encourage everyone I can to check it out. You can look Greg up on the "Arkansas Dept. of Corrections Inmate Population Info. Search" Thank you, Danika!

1/04/2006 02:17:00 PM
Diogo said...

Professor David Ray Griffin lecture summarizing 9/11 events, and new world order.

See here the: VIDEO HERE

1/04/2006 03:38:00 PM
Gritsforbreakfast said...

Sorry, Danika, I really don't know the answer to your question. Arkansas law may count two charges as "habitual," and unfortunately snitches get screwed over and lied to by their handlers all the time. It's sure foolish, expensive and counterproductive to give Greg that kind of sentence, though. No public safety motive justifies a 54 year term for home meth manufacturers. Sorry I'm not more help.

1/05/2006 07:09:00 AM
j said...

Grits,
Thanks for responding. Arkansas is very tough on people who are convicted of meth manf. and has little sympathy for addicts either.I am from Wichita Falls Texas-well, I don't live there anymore-and I thought they were tough in Texas until my boyfriend told me about his friend in Ark. Anyways, if you hear anything later on that may pretain to this particular case let me know. Thanks and keep posting. I continue to check your blog at least once a day!Dani

1/05/2006 12:48:00 PM
Gritsforbreakfast said...

Texas will see Arkansas' 54 year sentence and raise to 99 -- check out this egregious case, and this one, both from Wichita Falls. Never let it be said that any bunch Arkansas hillbillies could come up with dumber, more expensive, countrproductive policies than cowboy justice in Texas. Our guys are aiming to corner the market!

@Kris: I agree with you completely. That's why I think this program will catch a few kids with joints in their pockets, but no actual terrorists at the end of the day. Best to all,

1/06/2006 07:50:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Greg W. Nickels may have served with the U.S. Army in Grenada. However let's get our facts straight reference this person.

Greg Nickels has been involved with drugs since high school. He was kicked out of college in Conway Arkansas, on a football Scholarship, because of drugs.

He was kicked out of the Army after striking an officer and stealing a weapon. His father a Chief Warrant Officer, in the Pentagon, used his friends to smooth over some of the charges. His mother never, I mean NEVER worked for the Pentagon.

After the Army the drug use continued. He got work off shore making good money but failed to go back to work after a break, for fear of failing a drug test.

He has spent many days in jail for numerous offenses. He has lost no less than 2 families due to divorce because of the drugs. He has at least 3 other children that he has never seen, or has not seen in years. During a period in the mid nineties the drug use led to a psychotic break where he believed and swore he was Jesus Christ.

He lived for a period of time with women (with whom he had a child) in a trailer in rural Arkansas without power or running water. His income derived solely from the illegal production of methamphetamine.

He has a long list of offenses from the illegal manufacture of drugs, to distribution, to just plain use.

His closet friends from his life have abandoned him, even now refusing to respond to his efforts to contact them from prison. Even his brother and cut off all contact and no longer wishes to associate with Greg in anyway shape or form.

Greg Nickels is a habitual liar, always presenting himself as the victim. He ran his scams for years always seeming to luck himself out of the situations he got himself into. Those that knew wondered when his luck would finally run out.

Well it finally did, and Greg W. Nickels got exactly what he deserved, or at least it's a start for all the crap he has done in his life.

Do not be fooled by his "sad story" and his I'm the victim" portrayal of himself. What little good he has done in his life he has exaggerated it or down right lied to make himself appear bigger than he really is.

He is where he is because of things he did, and justice has finally caught up with Greg W. Nickels.

1/26/2006 07:27:00 PM
Gritsforbreakfast said...

The story you tell about Greg Nickels seems sad and piteous -- especially given the bouts with mental illness, divorce, borderline homelessness and perpetual addiction -- hardly worthy of a 54 year sentence as much as in need of drug and mental health treatment. His full sentence would cost taxpayers nearly $1 million in current dollars. Given your harsh opinions, is he really worth that?

I'm actually thinking that's too much personal detail and I might should take these comments down out of respect for personal privacy, but I haven't decided yet. If I do, this comment will be deleted, too.

1/26/2006 07:50:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Greg was given multiple chances for treatment and re-hab. He failed at every turn.

Except for a short period of his life brought about by drug use, he has always been in full possession of his mental facilities.

He has at every turn done everything he could to defy any form of authority, and then blame everyone but himself when things caught up with him.

His extended incarceration is due to his actions. Countless run ins with the law followed by his continuous failure to show up for court appearance only compounded his problems.

His record is long and varied, and the length of his incarceration is compounded by this fact. Not due only to a lifetime of drug use.

Trust in fact that this sentence, for this particular individual, that was given more opportunities than the average joe, was the final straw from a judicial system that could no longer tolerate his behavior and finally said enough is enough.

This comes with more than 19 years experience dealing with this individual.

1/26/2006 08:45:00 PM
Gritsforbreakfast said...

Since you're still breathing, it seems unlikely anything he could have done to you in 19 years justifies a 54 year sentence, but perhaps so. You're entitled to your anger, but as state Rep. Ray Allen says, society should reserve long prison terms for those we're afraid of, not those we're only mad at. Best,

1/27/2006 06:22:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Grits for breakfast, you are hopeless.

10/11/2006 05:19:00 PM
Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
3/04/2008 10:06:00 PM

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