Facebook poll on Obama

[Kol]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33060855...ience-security

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating an online survey that asked whether people thought President Barack Obama should be assassinated, officials said Monday. The poll, posted Saturday on Facebook, was taken off the popular social networking site quickly after company officials were alerted to its existence. But, like any threat against the president, Secret Service agents are taking no chances. "We are aware of it and we will take the appropriate investigative steps," said Darrin Blackford, a Secret Service spokesman. "We take of these things seriously." The poll asked respondents "Should Obama be killed?" The choices: No, Maybe, Yes, and Yes if he cuts my health care. The question was not created by Facebook, but by an independent person using an add-on application that has been suspended from the site. "The third-party application that enabled an individual user to create the offensive poll was brought to our attention this morning," said Barry Schnitt, Facebook's spokesman for policy. Because the application was disabled, the responses to the nonscientific polls are not available. "We're working with the U.S. Secret Service, but they'll need to provide any details of their investigation," Schnitt said.

[Frosty]

Taxpayer dollars hard at work as usual.

[tk338]

Someones going to get themselves in a bit of trouble here :S

[Kol]

Originally Posted by Frosty

Taxpayer dollars hard at work as usual.

Sad but true.

[newbie552]

i think it's a bit of a wakeup call to everyone who thought that they can post anything and have no consequences come out of it. I'm not trying to preach or anything but it seems that especialy now you have to really think about what you post before you do it because like in this case, it can have severe consequences.

[Pelios]

Absolutely! They need to investigate and prosecute. I would suggest the death penalty.
Doesn't the secret service have better thing to focus on??

[Pandamonium]

I don't see how anyone would ever consider that kind of poll appropriate, particularly on a popular social network site. I'm sure it wasn't meant to be taken seriously but it's not entirely a well received joke either.

They deserve to have the poop scared of out of them with an investigation and all of this. Plus, arguably, someone answering that poll could be crazy enough to genuinely consider the prospect.

[Kol]

Originally Posted by mexico

Absolutely! They need to investigate and prosecute. I would suggest the death penalty.
Doesn't the secret service have better thing to focus on??

Threats against the president even if they are just for fun?

[Pelios]

Originally Posted by EDGE

Threats against the president even if they are just for fun?

He just asked a question on facebook, the page itself should show it's seriousness.

[Kol]

Originally Posted by mexico

He just asked a question on facebook, the page itself should show it's seriousness.

Then you quote Death penalty.. i can see jail time but not killed!

[Anna Skye]

While this is absolute ridiculousness, and I would definitely suggest jail time, I agree with Zack - something as serious as the death penalty is unnecessary unless, of course, they actually meant it, in which case, life without parole is appropriate.

peace and love

[Pelios]

Originally Posted by EDGE

Then you quote Death penalty.. i can see jail time but not killed!

I was just kidding, I don't even think jail time is necessary, maybe a scold.

[losing touch.]

i think going to jail for that it is a bit harsh.. i very much doubt the person who did it was doing it for any other reason than a joke [a rather weird joke.. but still a joke.] if it was a poll as to whether just about anyone else should be assasinated i doubt anything would be said about it.. mehh.

[Tomb]

There is nothing wrong with the poll. Does America still respect peoples freedom of speech???

Why is this on the news? Did Obama's press secretary told the press to scare people?

If they force Facebook to remove the poll.... then wow obama is a tranynt. There have been so many stupid things about bush. Obama is doesnt take jokes lightly especially jokes that tarnishes his reputation..

[yerstarr]

this is not the only poll, i have seen plenty others. and i didn't vote. i think of obama as a regular person i don't idolize him. i wouldn't want him dead though. its like saying you have a new nurse and she is bad lets kill her. haha. i don't know stupid quote i made up in thirty seconds.

[TigerTank77]

Originally Posted by yerstarr

this is not the only poll, i have seen plenty others. and i didn't vote. i think of obama as a regular person i don't idolize him. i wouldn't want him dead though. its like saying you have a new nurse and she is bad lets kill her. haha. i don't know stupid quote i made up in thirty seconds.

The difference is threatening a nurse isn't a Federal Offense.

[Gidig]

Was this poll actually threatening the president? I mean, it was asking who thought Obama should be assassinated. For all we know the person could be entirely against it and it could have been for a school project.

Freedom of speech means he should be allowed to ask questions like these - I see no threat towards the president to get in the way of that.

[Jack]

What? The land of the free? Whoever told you that is your enemy?

Pfft, it actively worries me that some posters on here thought jail time was an appropriate response to someone asking a simple question. People seem to be so damn reactionary to any news these days without thinking what they're saying through.

[Gidig]

Originally Posted by Jack

What? The land of the free? Whoever told you that is your enemy?

Pfft, it actively worries me that some posters on here thought jail time was an appropriate response to someone asking a simple question. People seem to be so damn reactionary to any news these days without thinking what they're saying through.

Oh silly Jack, jail would have been too easy of a punishment. I mean, why not death row? Isn't it in the ten commandments or something that "Thou shall not ask questions"?

[Kol]

Jack lol you don't joke about killing the president with SS protecting him.