Get used to it (and shut-up about it too)!

New American (Vol 18, No.16) Insider Report | 12 Aug 02 | editor

[raygun]

Earlier this year, James R. Otteson, a philosophy professor at the University of Alabama, was threatened with arrest at the airport in Traverse City, MI. His 'offense' was to expresss the opinion that he and his family - three young children - were subjected to an abuse of their rights by being subjected by being selected by a random search.

After doffing his sport coat and belt, and turning over his wallet, Otteson "made his usual protest about protections from unreasonable searches and seizures," he wrote in the July issue of Ideas on Liberty. "We were just following orders, I was told. That was the defense of the Nazi war criminals, I said. Following orders does not relieve you of of your responsibility for your own actions. 'Are you accusing me of being a Nazi?' one of the airport security guards demanded. 'You call me a Nazi again and you're never going to get on that!' "

"Whose orders are you following?" Otteson asked (obviously this guy is about 20 years old, since it appears he's trying to change the world), the reply came, "the FAA's!" After Otteson pressed the issue, "I was surrounded by approximately half a dozen security guards and National Guardsmen. I was informed that if I did not 'Shut up,' I would be made to 'go Greyhound the rest of [my] life.' I asked whether I was suspected of a crime. I was informed that asking so many questions 'about the Constitution and all' was making me suspicious. "This is America now, buddy," blustered the agent. "You'd better shut up and get used to it!" When Otteson asked if, in addition to unlawfull searches and seizures it was now standard "security" procedures to suppress free speech, "I was then told - through clenched teeth - that they were going to 'lock me up' ... 'I have that power, one security guard growled at me ominously."

During the Reconstruction era, President Andrew Johnson declared: "Whenevef you hear a man prating about the Constitution, spot him as a traitor." In our current environment, those engaging in loose talk about the Constitution are likely to be branded s terrorists even as they are told: "This is America now...shut up and get used to it!"

[happygrl]

The reason why I avoid flying: like Mr. Ottson, I too might fly off the handle.

[Timesink]

A lot of airports now have high-speed wireless Internet services in their buildings, as a perk for info-junkie business fliers carrying their laptops around. We ought to recruit some frequent-flyer Freepers to carry a little hidden video camera on them, and hook up with another local Freeper who agrees to accompany them to the airport every time they leave on a flight. Eventually, you'll get nailed, and you can just transmit the whole incident to your fellow Freeper's laptop. Sure, you'll get caught with a video camera on you, but that's not illegal. And they'll never realize they were caught threatening you on tape, until the tape shows up on Fox News and the TSA and FAA and National Guard get tons of phone calls from reporters around the country wanting those "authority figures' " names and an explanation of why they're threatening US citizens.

(Yes, I really do think that network news and cable news channels would kill to get their hands on such a videotape. Those people travel all the time too, and they want an end to this crap as much as we do.)

[AntiGuv]

Mr Otteson is perfectly free to use alternate forms of transportation. A billy club in the teeth would help him figure out what rights he has and does not have.

What a shocking and disgusting statement that I would never have thought to see at Free Republic. That same billy club to the teeth can take away all your rights just the same as Mr Otteson's. You should take care that the billy club you have turned on someone today doesn't get turned back on you and yours by someone else in the future. Bet the Nazi stormtroopers learned that lesson too - on the Night of Long Knives - when they were gathered up and massacred. How revolting. I'm amazed anyone could seriously entertain such a thought, much less spew it here.

[happygrl]

Oh, and aren't you the subservient jack-booted thug !

[bok]

Perhaps we are now entering into a phase of gradual implementation of Neo-Reconstruction.

re·con·struc·tion Pronunciation Key (rkn-strkshn) n. The act or result of reconstructing. Reconstruction The period (1865-1877) during which the states that had seceded to the Confederacy were controlled by the federal government before being readmitted to the Union.

[Iscool]

Mr Gordon may or may not harbor these sentiments but he is certainly conveying the message of the jack-booted thugs at the airport and a lot of Americans today...

In case we have all missed it, the government is continually connecting itself with the Constitution and anyone opposed to the government is anti-American and anti-Constitution...WE are the enemy...

[Iscool]

And that's not to say I am anti-government because I'm not...I'm just not too happy with some elements of it...But hey, we got what we wanted, didn't we???

[Jeff Gordon]

Mr Gordon may or may not harbor these sentiments but he is certainly conveying the message of the jack-booted thugs at the airport and a lot of Americans today...

Thank you for the benefit of the doubt.

The medium of short text postings make it difficult to communicate effectively. I was indeed using irony to highlight the conditions we are facing here in America today.

[AntiGuv]

Heh! Okie. Sorry I reacted so strongly. I figured a little while after my comments that you might've been sarcastic, but I decided to wait for your followup. I was just so taken aback, I dashed off that response without any qualification. If I'd read more of your past comments, I'd probably have a decent idea whether that would be something you'd say seriously. Sorry bout that!!

It's frustrating for me that it's come to the point that I'm not even sure when things like that are said in jest. I get tired of worrying so much with what's happening to American values on top of these crazed terrorists. Sometimes it almost makes me wanna enlist again. At least then I could take it out on someone deserving. :o)

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

neo-
pref.

1. New; recent: Neolithic.
2. 1. New and different: neoimpressionism.
   2. New and abnormal: neoplasm.
3. New World: Neotropical.

[Lloyd227]

"Mr Otteson is perfectly free to use alternate forms of transportation. A billy club in the teeth would help him figure out what rights he has and does not have."

Interesting outlook you're expressing there. Did you intend to tag that as sarcasm? or are you serious?

[WyldKard]

Hmmm...I hate to say it, because I certainly think we are well on our way to a police state....but in this case, I fail to see how this is a sign of that. Flying is not a right. It is a service you can obtain from a carrier, and part of the contact of that deal is that you submit to any required security checks. If you don't want to do that, you don't fly. If you think what hapened to that guy was harsh, you should see what they do for El Al in Israel, were EVERYONE gets the third degree for 45 minutes to 3 hours, per person. My very Jewish best friend even got interrogated for a good half hour, they asked him who he visited in Israel, when and where he had his Bar Mitzvah, etc etc. Naturally, they are able to put in all this time for security because they don't do a lot of business, like United or American Airlines.

On the other hand, El Al hires competant security people, I am led to believe, and have not had a hijacking in decades. Most of the security people who work in airports in the US are morons, illegal foreigners, or both...

[CDHart]

"Mr Otteson is perfectly free to use alternate forms of transportation. A billy club in the teeth would help him figure out what rights he has and does not have."

Maybe you should have added the sarcasm tag to that, and not gotten into so much trouble. :^)

My daughter and I flew in February to see my mother. They randomized my daughter (37 yrs. old, blonde, good figure) twice. The second time, at Pittsburg, I told the security guard (female) that I would just wait for her to get through. I was told I had to get on the plane, that she would be along shortly. Like I was really going to get on that plane without her?

I told the security guard that I wasn't going to do that. She got mean-looking and said to "get on that plane." So I went up the ramp around the corner, where she couldn't see me, and waited.

The really disturbing part was that as people went by me on the ramp, not one grinned, or gave me a "thumbs-up" or anything. They kept their eyes on the floor and avoided eye-contact with me and with each other.

IMO, we are close to a police state, and the billy clubs may well be next.

Carolyn

[Moby Grape]

You are right...these cry babies with the FALSE "police state" frothing at the mouth silliness are really over the top....I am SO glad they do a random search....makes me feel better about flying. And if I am chosen to be searched, GREAT...I won't have any bombs on me, or knives, or plans to poison the water supply...so why would I care if I am searched? If I am REALLY targeted for harrasment, there are plenty of lawyers (ambulance chasers) who will take my case.

[steve50]

I was about to make the same mistake. Says alot about the general attitude in this place of late, many make statements like Jeff's and mean it.

It's a sad day in America when taking a stand on Constitutional principles can get you branded as a terrorist supporter

[fporretto]

From what I've seen of President Bush, I cannot imagine that he's in favor of this. If I'm correct, he's swallowing hard over all of it. Either he thinks it's unavoidable under current security circumstances, or it's been forced down his throat by political considerations.

Of course, that doesn't make the danger to our country and our freedom any less.

A conqueror must control three things to establish his grip on a nation: communications, transportation, and the military. (To make it an enduring grip, he must then seize education.) At this point, with the exception of air travel, our transportation network is still largely free. Our communications systems are successfully resisting federal subordination. Since our military is a citizen military, populated by volunteers, it's unlikely to allow itself to be used as an instrument of social control.

So: How do we re-liberate the air travel network? Is it even possible at this point? And if we should succeed in doing so, how would we cope with the security concerns which prompted all this overbearing nonsense in the first place?

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason: http://palaceofreason.com

[kevkrom]

Otteson "made his usual protest about protections from unreasonable searches and seizures,"

The key word is "unreasonable" -- given the nature of the security threat, the only unreasonable part may be that everyone isn't being put through a thorough search.

This isn't a bunch of jack-booted thugs going door to door searching people for no reason, this is a security check levied on people who choose to use a certain mode of transportation. There are alternatives to flying if you don't like the cost involved.

[porte des morts]

The key word is "unreasonable" --

I find it "unreasonable" that these checkpoints seem to only check, little old men/women, or young children, or good looking females, or magazines,or wallets, or GI joe dolls....and on, and on.....

Strictly from a Security standpoint, this whole airport search thingy is a complete joke.(And that is leaveing out courtesy, common sense, and the Bill of Rights).