Perplexed,
You dont have to defend your patriotism - the fact that you applied to the position in the first place speaks volumes.  If people like retcopper fail to put two and two together, that is not anyone's fault but his own.  

retcopper wrote on Feb 28^th, 2006 at 4:54pm:

You believe that 90% of Americans believe that a citizen should either mindlessly agree with every action the federal government takes or they should leave the country?  What a wonderful interpretation of the meaning of “democracy.”

“America – Love it or leave it!”  That was an asinine sentiment in the sixties and its merits as an intelligent argument have only decayed since then.

Surely you can do better than that if you disagree with the original poster.  If your point of view is different than his, can’t you come up with at least a semi-intelligent argument to counter his?

He was explaining why he feels the use of the polygraph is unfair.  Your response was to advise him to leave the country if he felt the FBI didn’t treat him fairly.  

Once again, let me thank you for contributing your worthless piece of flame-bait to the ongoing discussion on polygraphy.  

Perhaps you’d be happier if you didn’t subject yourself to reading the posts here, since they seem to whip you into a unreasoning jingoistic frenzy.

Quickfix, retcopper, 
and any of the polygraphers who read this.

The thing that you all are missing or are refusing to answer is, Why is this abuse neccessary? Why are innocent people branded liars because of a machine that you wield like a weapon.  You skirt the issue, and dodge the main reason this website exists. Screwing people over benefits no one. And your pseudo-crap machine again is the weapon of choice to weed out folks that don't seem to fit. When this debate could all be mute, if the agencies would spend the time and money and do real BI's. But again polygraphs and examiners are cheap and timely, and provide the bureaucrats a plausible denial and defense again being inept, should another Ames happen again. Now lets not forget how many spys, have been caught with a polygraph ?  hmmmm ?    And lest we not forget that you polygraphers are the first line of defense against those who are guilty until polygraphed innocent.  Perplexed has every reason to be pissed off, because he was abused.

Regards ....

quickfix:

With all due respect, I did not miss the point… I DID understand the meanings of ALL the words as well as the EXACT intent of the relevant question… That was NOT the issue!… What I did was present my candid observations as I perceived them in my good faith effort to seek an understanding of what happened…

The question WAS longer… and, contrary to what you stated, it DID make a HUGE difference for me and I got “unnecessarily” aroused… I do NOT know why!… Perhaps, I just "worry too much"... but I WAS unmistakably telling the TRUTH when I said “No!”… 

Also I was not accustomed to hearing in my every day conversation “have you ever been in contact with foreign intelligence service”…  It was, ans still is, INTIMIDATING to me... and just reading it sends chills down my spine!... am I oversensitive? fine... call me oversensitive... but I WAS telling the truth!... and THAT was what the FBI wanted to know!.... The polygrah did their search for the Truth NO justice!... 

The UNMISTAKABLE fact is that I have never been in contact with a foreign intelligence service nor do I have the intention, or desire to contact ANY foreign intelligence service.   I have NO place in my life for undue stress or negative energy!...

Also, frankly, I wouldn’t know where to begin to contact such intelligence services... and even if there was a way for me to find out (and NO!... there is NOT as I am NOT looking), what do I say?  “Hey, Mr. Igor of the KGB… I am a nobody… I have nothing to offer you… I know nothing about US intelligence or national security (nor do I want to know)… All I know about politics is what I hear on Fox News and Sean Hannity… how much would you want to pay me to be your “Pink Panther” spy”… 

I am just not a political person… I barely watch TV and when I do, I mainly watch comedies and music to maintain a stress free life… Socially, I see friends, do business and chase women!... I never bother talking politics…  and when I do, I end up defending our President’s “moral clarity”, “inspiring personal faith in Jesus” and, knowing all too well that when he took office, he had absolutely NO intention of going to war or to get involved in nation building… Yet, he IS protecting us EVERY single DAY… Not ONE terrorist attack took place on US soil since 9/11/2001 for ONE reason… Our President had the balls to take IMMEDIATE charge under exceptional circumstances and unprecedented reality.  He lead the world in a war he NEVER anticipated or even wanted... He made TOUGH “thankless and unpopular” choices with one focus in mind "Defending the U.S." the best way he knew!... Would you have loved to just "pray" and wait with Monsieur Jacques Chirac and just "hope" that the terrorists will perhaps just be "nice" to us and no longer attack us?  As Sean Hannity so masterfully put it, "the price of INACTION far exceeded the price of action!"... 

Listen… the 2 facts of which I am 100% SURE are 1. I was TELLING the TRUTH!...  2. I do not know why I reacted when he asked the relevant question.

INVOLUNTARILY, and SUBCONSIOUSLY, the moment he “started” posing the relevant question, I got “unnecessarily” aroused… as the question progressed, my anxiety cascaded… when he finished the question and I answered “No”, I was relatively calm for some odd reason… but then with the 20-30 seconds of silence, “suspense” got the best of me… then I was fearful of screwing things up involuntarily”, then.. what else?...  my right leg “twitched”.  All that took place KNOWING that I was telling the TRUTH!... So the polygraph’s “premise” that if I was telling the truth and I had nothing to hide “I will just answer the question and remain calm” is flat out WRONG!... 

That means that the Polygraph is NOT an ABSOLUTE… It is FLAWED… and it IS junk science… I can support using the polygraph as a “trick method” in investigations and I applaud those who use it effectively as an investigative tool to get a confession or catch a crime… but to blindly rely on the Polygraph results as being ABSOLUTE is harmful to our National security and beneficial ONLY to the terrorists whose ENORMOUS backlog of tapes and documents is STILL awaiting translation…  Such tapes and documents may very well hold the key to stopping the next terrorist attack on OUR soil!... That is my MAJOR concern… The Polygraph is SENSELESSLY compromising our National Security… and ignoring that fact is dangerous, bureaucratic and inept!... 

I have no doubt that there MUST have been thousands of other good, solid, decent and patriotic Americans who have unnecessarily “failed” the Polygraph examination while telling the truth…

Obviously, there is a LARGE section of the population that are, like me, “worriers”… and “emotional”… and “over analyzers”… and "over-sensitive"...  That does NOT make them liars… nor does it make them spies!!!!!....

KNOWING "ALL TOO WELL" that my country desperately NEEDED my language skills, my PR savvy, and my critical mind, it took me over 4 years to even get off my fat lazy butt and do the RIGHT thing… We are the MOST compassionate nation on the face of the earth (we went to war in Afghanistan and brought food with us)… yet we are failing the PR war so miserably…  Many all around the world still "falsely" accuse us of being the “Big Satan”!...

Such "disconnect" we have is ascribed directly to the severe shortage of "critical minds" who understand the delicate intercultural differences between us as Americans (or Westerners) and the rest of the world.  "What" we are saying is clear "We do want a peaceful world and all our boys and girls want is JUST come back home"... We are just failing at "the way" we are saying it"... and that makes us look like "the cowboys... the invaders... the imperialists... and the bad guy"... What amazes me is, to date, CNN (as well as ALL our Arab and European allies) still shamelessly refer to our troops in Iraq as "the occupation forces" instead of "liberators".  If I were in charge of our PR, I would start IN the U.S. by "explaining " every day to the Media the enormous IMPACT of every word they say on our National Security... and every day to the Democrats that "Politics MUST stop at the Atlantic". I applaud anyone in Congress who "disagrees and even blasts" the President behind closed doors... but I do NOT want to hear it... because if I can hear it, America's enemies also can hear it and, guess what, they use it EVERY day in their evil “deceptive” propaganda against us...  

It takes a LOT of guts for an Arab American to do what is right for our country!... In addition to the obvious inherent risks associated with "working for the FBI", risks ONLY Arabs understand for teh most part, we naturally much prefer to stay away from politics and enjoy the good life and good food!... Well... THAT I ALREADY have and fully enjoy!... The lousy $39 an hour and "2nd class contract employee" status with NO benefits nor pension was NO motivation for me WHATSOEVER!!!!!!...  Actually, it is iniquitous and a blatant act of ingratitude to ALL those Americans who are currently employed as Contract Linguists!... They, just like full time employees, have families to feed and deserve a secure income and job stability for the good work they do!

When I finally got the nerve (and frankly the energy)  to take the initiative and do what is RIGHT instead of being lazy and relying on OTHERS to do all the work to protect our nation... What happened? I got a slap in the face... by what?  By a dummy Polygraph!...

As to your comment that “the Bureau should stick to catching bank robbers, and leave the intell work to the intell folks”, I respect your right to express your opinion, but I totally disagree.  The FBI along with all the other good agencies ALL should share the credit for protecting our nation and keeping terrorism AWAY from our soil. So let us not be “dividers”…. Let’s give credit where credit is due… CORRECT what is obviously wrong... and let us “unite” in the face of a common barbaric evil… “Terrorism”!....

As I stated before, my agency tests all linguist applicants within my agency.  We have an extremely successful polygraph process, with few unresolved polys, and we don't kick them to the curb after one unresolved exam like other agencies (FBI?).  We will automatically bring them back for another opportunity to resolve the issue(s), and the resolution rate is quite high, as they are assigned to our more senior experienced examiners.  I for one understand and appreciate the importance and contribution of these native speakers to our mission.  As a quality control supervisor, I review every exam to ensure that the examinee has been afforded the fairest exam possible.  Regarding BIs, they are already done but are extremely time-consuming, and these linguists need to be deployed in short order.  When you come up with a better solution than merely "shit-canning" polygraph, let me know

"We will have our comprehensive employment polygraph ban."

EJ:  perhaps, but not today!

EOS,

Where do you come up with your snappy replys?  I do enjoy the humor in them.  Your being a student of law I would be interested in what branch of law you will practice ?

EJ:  Thanks for the compliment;  I also have "wise-ass" in the genes;  Broxn-born and raised, and 20+ years in Uncle Sam's Army;  but I also have a healthy respect for opposing views (including both yours and George's);  Good Luck.

PS:  I really do sympathize with "perplexed";  he got a lousy deal, should have at least gotten another chance to pass his poly.