The Honolulu Advertiser had just recently reported about a Maui teen, Star Simpson, a 19 year old sophmore, that was wearing a computer circuit board with flashing lights on top of her sweatshirt at the Logan International Airport in Boston.  This prompted authorities to arrest her for fear that it was a bomb.  And rightfully so, since there was a similar scare eight months ago in Boston and six years ago during the fateful 9/11.

Star is actually a student at the prestigious MIT, who was a expert in electronics and had also received a congressional citation for her work in robotics (Source: Honolulu Advertiser).  What prompted her to do such a thing?  Her response was that she was wearing her “piece of art” that was to be shown at the MIT career fair, and that she was proud of her art so she wanted to display her art.  But c’mon now, you have to be conscious of the people around you.  Fine, art is art, but she should have worn her “proud artwork” AT the career fair, not at the airport.  Granted that she was going to pick up her boyfriend at the airport, again she could have waited till later out of respect, and possibly danger, to wear such an artwork.

The news also reported that when the guards asked her what the circuit board on her sweater was, she didn’t reply and just walked away.  For most people, that would mean that she had something going on and would be suspicious.  When she walked away, troppers with guns stopped her. Is this too extreme?  I don’t think so.  What IF it was real?  What IF she was a terrorist and it WAS a bomb?  The troppers would have saved the day.  We can’t take things for granted these days, especially with what had happend on 9/11.

She shouldn’t have done what she did.  It doesn’t matter that she is going to MIT, is very intellectual, and has had no prior problems with the law.  What she did was WRONG.  Don’t make your statement at an airport, where security threats are likely to happen.  Wait until your career fair, and do it there.  Think next time before being creative.

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