The Creeping Sovietization of America

[VMI77]

This has been a most interesting thread. One of the few I've bothered reading past page 2.

Police checking out possibly suspicious activity is nothing new and in no way improper. Way back in the very early 1980's I was living in Corpus Christi, TX. One night I drove over to Indian Point, across the Nueces Bay Causeway, and was taking some night shots of the Corpus skyline and the lights along the ship channel. Almost before I got started a police car drove up and one of the officers asked what I was doing. I told them I was taking pictures of the lights. One of them looked that way and basically said, they do look cool and left telling me that there were quit a few crimes in the area and to be careful.

That is reasonable and proper. That cop was doing his job and I have no problem with that. The present training that LEO and security now get may be better than ever before but is also the problem. Now every activity, other than completely main stream is considered suspect. After all, why would an honest person be out taking pictures instead of sitting in front of the boob tube! Look at how many look down there noses at those who bowl, or participate in the shooting sports. No one however thinks anything wrong with vegetating watching a football game.

The "advanced training" has reduced many LEOs to a them vs. us mentality. If you are not a member of the establishment then you must be up to something and given us the attitude that if the government says its OK then it is. Don't forget, the SS were just following the rules and acting properly according to the government.

What I really find interesting is the deer in the head light look I get when I'm question and respond,
"If you loose your rights does it really matter who took them, the terrorist or our own government?" It seems that it just goes over 99% of the peoples heads.

It is really too bad that history generally isn't taught in public schools. Oh, they teach that Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 and Megellan did.... . No cause and effect. No why did this happen and what were the results. They are taught how the governments like the socialist use propaganda but never seem to allow an understanding of just what propaganda is and how our own government uses it everyday.

BTW, I often wonder what would now happen if I responded to the normal question, "Are you a U.S. citizen?", at our "border" check points as I did back in the late 70's. My response was, "No, I'm a Texan." Back then the officer chuckled and said to get out of here. Now???

Indeed. And I think the Texan answer would not be a good idea...it might still get a chuckle, there still are reasonable officials out there, but it might also result in a lot of pain. I know an older man who made a joking comment about his wife's citizenship after walking back across the bridge from Matamoros: he got strip searched and detained for four hours. There are quite a few "authorities" who like to demonstrate their authority. Last summer I think it was, some British tourists who got off a cruise ship in California for an afternoon excursion complained about their treatment and they got a demonstration of official power when every single passenger was put through extra "screening" in a process that lasted over seven hours and resulted in the ship leaving without an excursion.

[Heartland Patriot]

This has been a most interesting thread. One of the few I've bothered reading past page 2.

Police checking out possibly suspicious activity is nothing new and in no way improper. Way back in the very early 1980's I was living in Corpus Christi, TX. One night I drove over to Indian Point, across the Nueces Bay Causeway, and was taking some night shots of the Corpus skyline and the lights along the ship channel. Almost before I got started a police car drove up and one of the officers asked what I was doing. I told them I was taking pictures of the lights. One of them looked that way and basically said, they do look cool and left telling me that there were quit a few crimes in the area and to be careful.

That is reasonable and proper. That cop was doing his job and I have no problem with that. The present training that LEO and security now get may be better than ever before but is also the problem. Now every activity, other than completely main stream is considered suspect. After all, why would an honest person be out taking pictures instead of sitting in front of the boob tube! Look at how many look down there noses at those who bowl, or participate in the shooting sports. No one however thinks anything wrong with vegetating watching a football game.

The "advanced training" has reduced many LEOs to a them vs. us mentality. If you are not a member of the establishment then you must be up to something and given us the attitude that if the government says its OK then it is. Don't forget, the SS were just following the rules and acting properly according to the government.

What I really find interesting is the deer in the head light look I get when I'm question and respond,
"If you loose your rights does it really matter who took them, the terrorist or our own government?" It seems that it just goes over 99% of the peoples heads.

It is really too bad that history generally isn't taught in public schools. Oh, they teach that Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 and Megellan did.... . No cause and effect. No why did this happen and what were the results. They are taught how the governments like the socialist use propaganda but never seem to allow an understanding of just what propaganda is and how our own government uses it everyday.

BTW, I often wonder what would now happen if I responded to the normal question, "Are you a U.S. citizen?", at our "border" check points as I did back in the late 70's. My response was, "No, I'm a Texan." Back then the officer chuckled and said to get out of here. Now???

I think your story highlights what I was getting at in an earlier reply. That there is a world of difference between an LEO doing what LEOs do (checking a situation out) versus following some overarching policy where ANY little thing you do that runs counter to that policy will get put down on some form with your name on it and sent to the FEDs...