[Prodigal Son]

Well, that's you and your opinion and you're entitled to it. But for me- better to have my throat cut by a terrorist as a free man than to live safe as a slave in my own country. Screw safety and security. Life has zero value without freedom. If America is no longer a free country then freedom will exist nowhere.

Freedom equals danger and insecurity. There is only a small percentage of people who are actually willing to fight for freedom or to exist in a state of freedom. The rest would willingly trade it in for security. The rest want government oversight into their lives- handrails at Niagra Falls, Social Security, subsidized pharmaceuticals- that sort of thing. It's always been that way. The ones that would trade it in now would have been the ones who were unwilling to oppose the British during the Revolution.

No big thing- human nature. Most people just want the safety of the herd- no matter where the herd is headed. I guess that's instinct and I don't begrudge any man for responding to his instincts in that manner. Freedom's not for everyone and I can appreciate this. I kind of like Patrick Henry myself though- he summed it up best.

[Hatteras]

We're talking about a temporary measure here. So you and Patrick Henry will have to suffer for a year or two before you can go back to taking close-ups of trains. The cops are damned if they do and damned if they don't and if they don't you'll start bitching and moaning when someone blows up an Amtrak train killing a hundred or so passengers. "Why didn't they stop him, the LEOs are worthless, they should have known trains were a target...This is an outrage!... We can only depend on ourselves...PASS THE AMMO!"

For your consideration, I am not a more government, less freedom type of guy so you can save your holier-than-thou patriotism, but when terrorists are blowing up our country, I don't mind making a few sacrifices. If that means I can't hangout at a RR crossing snapping pictures and taking notes, then I'll use my zoom lense from a distance. If you are assuming that this will lead to random pat-downs in any public area, than yes, of course I would not stand for that and you don't have to either. Simply ask for a cause, a warrant and your attorney. Experience has taught me (the hard way I might add) that it doesn't matter if you are completely innocent, when the sheriff slaps his billy club in his palm and says to move along, you move along. 9 times out of 10 that LEO is just doing his job and doesn't need a self-rightous punk ruining a good day. But you go ahead and spit in his eye and tell him to stick his club where the sun don't shine. Although, I got to warn you, the results might not be what you bargained for tough guy.

You might think you're a "true patriot" but you sound more like one of Rodney King's South Central L.A. buddies. NO JUSTICE! NO PEACE!....GIVE ME TRAIN PICTURES OR GIVE ME DEATH!

spare me...