Strip Search Page #2

but I'm not sure that's enough.

Maybe the best solution

would be to put ankle bracelets, you know,

monitoring devices, on specific visitors.

I mean, not you.

In order to keep an eye on their movements.

That way we'll know where they go,

who they associate with,

what they're up to.

Anyway...

that's what I think, but...

who am I?

Just a lowly cog in a rusty wheel.

Ignored, unappreciated.

Underpaid.

(Beeping)

Can you identify this man?

No. Who is he?

I don't know.

I was hoping you could tell me.

We think he might be a natural-born citizen,

but we're not sure.

You see, that's the problem with my concept

about the ankle bracelets,

one does not have to be a foreigner

to be disloyal.

Disloyal?

What do you consider disloyal?

Speaking negatively about our government,

criticizing our leaders.

Well, that's dissent.

There is a difference between...

disloyalty and dissent.

I'm sure in your mind that's true.

- You claim to be a student.

- I am a student.

You seem a little old.

Were you left behind as a child?

No. I'm doing graduate work.

I'm officially registered.

You have the papers, proper documents?

They're...

They're back at my apartment.

I could go get them.

You could send someone to go get them.

Uh... What do you study?

What's your major?

Political science.

Oh, ho, ho, ho.

That's funny?

In my experience, politics is no science.

It isn't exact enough.

But I don't mean to editorialize.

Are you a good student?

Are you a good student?

Yes.

A "B" in Marxism.

Well, if you have the information in the file,

why do you keep asking me?

Fair enough.

I see that you've studied the teachings

of Mohammed, Buddha and Jesus...

Adam Smith, Chairman Mao.

But what the file doesn't tell me is...

what you believe in,

what ideology, theology, you follow.

Do you believe that your religion

is the only true religion?

That God is on your side?

That all other faiths are false?

That those who follow errant faiths

are doomed to eternal damnation?

That the rest of us should

either be converted or destroyed?

There are...

extremists...

- fanatics, who...

- But not you?

- No.

- So, then, I repeat my question.

What do you believe in?

If not the absolute power of an absolute god,

what?

The individual?

The ability of the human mind,

the ability of the mind to...

to make a choice?

The ability of the mind to make a choice?

Democracy?

Pure democracy, yes.

But they certainly don't have pure democracy

in your country, do they?

May I have a glass of water?

Of course.

Democracy...

mean different things

to different people,

as does freedom, peace,

tolerance...

justice.

And if you look at history,

any country's history,

in order to achieve these ideals,

there must first be revolution,

uprising...

Lenin.

Ben-Gurion. Mandela.

George Washington.

He crossed the Delaware at midnight.

A sneak attack on Christmas Eve.

By today's standard,

I guess he'd be considered a terrorist.

So you can see

why I understand your actions.

Which actions?

What exactly am I accused of?

- Can you identify this man?

- No!

No.

May I call my family?

I'm supposed to phone my mother about now.

She'll worry.

Your mother knows exactly where you are.

- She does?

- Or will shortly.

We live in a new age, if you will,

where law enforcement agencies all over

the planet are coordinating their efforts,

exchanging information.

- About me? I'm nobody.

- You're wrong.

(Beeping)

- All we've got is 24 hours.

- Yeah, yeah.

I understand.

(Phone)

Hello?

Hello.

(Speaks Chinese)

- Is this your handwriting?

- You broke into my room,

rifled through my belongings,

and stole my papers?

We had a warrant.

Granted by some very patriotic judge,

I'm sure.

Is this your handwriting?

- Yes.

- So you wrote this?

Yes.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed

from time to time

"with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

That's a quote from Thomas Jefferson.

It's for my thesis.

You say it's a thesis,

I say this document advocates treason.

It's only words on a piece of paper.

You know that words

are as dangerous as any bomb.

Words in the wrong hands can be misused.

What's the saying?

"Even the devil can quote the Bible."

All I was trying to say

is that every single one of us

has a mandate to do what's right.

Ah, to do what's right.

And what is right?

Each person must decide that

for him or herself.

Is that treason?

Perhaps.

All I was trying to say is

that every single one of us

has a mandate to do what is right.

Ah.

To do what's right? And what is right?

Well, each person must decide that

for him or herself.

Is that treason?

Perhaps.

From October 7th...

to November 10th,

you exchanged 16 phone calls

with someone we'll call x.

You tapped my phone?

X has made numerous inflammatory

anti-government statements,

including a threat to blow up

several buildings in this area,

the bridges, the reservoir.

People in anger say stupid things,

people who think that their conversations

are private, who are talking to friends.

- So x is your friend?

- I don't know.

We may be talking about two different x.

- On November 10th you attended a meeting.

- I went to a dinner at the center.

You talked about?

- Politics.

- People expressed opinions.

That's usually what happens

when people talk politics, you know.

But I have to tell you, I think it's funny

that you suspect our little group

of some deep, dark conspiracy.

We get together after class

and fool around and drink.

Mostly we drink.

And you guys have been monitoring us?

We don't need a reason

to monitor a group or club.

We don't need to suspect anyone of anything

to follow them.

What else have you done?

Got in our bank records, emails?

Long-distance bills?

Yes.

Well, you must feel really disappointed,

going to all that effort monitoring us.

On the contrary, our work bore fruit,

we have a witness...

...who says that you were criticizing

certain policies, advocating violence.

Show me this witness!

Let him step forward and accuse me

face to face.

The witness is a she.

The witness is a she.

And... we don't handle things that way.

If you won't let me talk to a lawyer,

if you won't let me confront this

so-called witness...

how can I defend myself?

Simple. By speaking the truth.

I have told the truth.

No! You haven't!

You're lying!

I'm not!

You're a liar.

You really believe this girl

is part of a terrorist cell?

We believe that she has associated with

certain individuals who are potential terrorists.

Whether she herself is a terrorist,

who knows?

Look, I'm getting a lot of heat

from the ambassador, from home,

I've got to tell them something.

When can I say she'll be released?

Depending on how cooperative she is,

we'll either start deportation proceedings

by the end of the week or put her to trial.

Assure me that she'll have access

to a lawyer.

No problem. We've found

lawyer/client meetings to be very informative.

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