Testimony at the U.S. Senate hearing on border searches mentioned this case, in which a U.S. citizen was interrogated about a letter he wrote to the editor of the Toledo Blade.

The stuck out for me as crossing a line. The police should not be intimidating people for writing editorial opinions.

First, a border agent takes his weapon out and puts it on the table during interrogation, Reed says. “He takes the clip out of his weapon, looks at the ammunition, puts the clip back in, and puts it back in his holster. I’m thinking, this is intimidation!”

Second, another agent asks him about a letter to the editor Reed wrote to the Toledo Blade back on September 8, 2006. It was entitled, “The World Sees an Arrogant America,” and it was critical of Israel’s invasion of Lebanon and its occupation of Palestinian land, as well as Bush’s invasion of Iraq. “These are but a few reasons that have put America on the ‘most hated’ list,” he wrote.

“I see you like to write for the newspaper,” the agent told Reed, he recalls. And the agent had downloaded a copy of the letter, which was on the table, Reed says.

“Yeah, so?”

“Nothing, I’m just curious. I googled your name and saw these things that were printed in the newspaper.”