Why do so many Americans love
being bossed around?
Scattered through the comments to yesterday's column about a Customs and Border Patrol stop of a passenger train that never crossed the boundaries of the United States are little gems of the sort that I've come to dread and anticipate in equal parts: praise for the government for behaving in an arbitrary and heavy-handed manner. Unfortunately, all too many of our friends, neighbors and relations have come to relish acting like bit players in a bad Cold War film. They're more than happy to bow down to the nearest uniform so long as somebody assures them it will "keep us safe" -- from whom, it doesn't matter, though it's certainly not from overbearing authorities.
From a single day's tally of comments, I count four of ten favoring the train stop. There's one "the law is the law" -- as if that's not the case in every country where the authorities step beyond decent bounds.
I find one whine about "liberals," although that might change in a year or two since liberals and conservatives are engaging in one of their ritualistic swap-of-roles between powers-that-be and opposition. (Whoever is in charge always says the other side are terrible cry-babies).
And there are two -- count 'em -- renderings of "if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear." Really? So the founders were a bunch of paranoids when they wrote the Fourth Amendment? Or did they maybe have a clue that arbitrary power is, itself, something to fear. That principle still applies, In 1989, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the Supreme Court:
"An essential purpose of a warrant requirement is to protect privacy interests by assuring citizens subject to a search or seizure that such intrusions are not the random or arbitrary acts of government agents."
But my favorite bit of comment wisdom says:
"Are our personal freedoms so dear to us that we would sacrifice our own national security and bring about our demise as a country because a limited few do not think it fair that they should be questioned about what they did when they left our country?"
Leave aside that the train didn't coss the border. Forget that, if our demise as a country will be brought about by questioning the actions of government agents claiming to act in the name of national security, then the United States should have flopped on its back and expired about the time that Thomas Jefferson called bullsh-t on the Alien and Sedition Acts. Let me answer that tendentious question: Yes, our personal freedoms are so dear to me that i'm willing to "sacrifice our own national security" -- at least, I'm willing to snort at claims that our security is dependent on sacrificing freedom.
I'm sure I'm invoking some annex to Godwin's Law by doing so, but I'm going to quote Benjamin Franklin anyway:
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
The whole justification for a political system -- especially for the U.S. political system -- is the degree to which it can go about its business without violating individual rights. If a government can't function within the constraints of a free society, then it's time to hit the reset button and start over again.
I'm aware that some of our politicians think that worrying about our protections against tax-funded officials constitutes an "irrational fear of government." The problem with that a-historical view is that the very government in which these politicians serve seems dedicated to regularly demonstrating just how rational such fears really are. That so many Americans agree with the self-serving politicians is a sad sign of just how deep-seated worship of power and deference to authority are in so many people. They really are willing to trade away an always-shaky legacy of personal liberty and responsibility for the hope that the occasional slap and kick is a sign that Big Brother loves them and is ever-watchful.
If you're one of those folks who really believes that some of our freedom has to be surrendered for the exigencies of the latest crisis in a series of crises that all seem to call for more government power, let me close with a final quote for you, this one from Sam Adams:
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom — go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.
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Comments
In any society there will be people who choose liberty and safety over slavery and insecurity. Political philosopher Etienne de la Boetie described these individuals as follows in his essay The Discourse on Voluntary Servitude:
"There are always a few, better endowed than others, who feel
the weight of the yoke and cannot restrain themselves from
attempting to shake it off: these are the men who never become
tamed under subjection and who always, like Ulysses on land
and sea constantly seeking the smoke of his chimney, cannot
prevent themselves from peering about for their natural
privileges and from remembering their ancestors and their
former ways. These are in fact the men who, possessed of clear
minds and far-sighted spirit, are not satisfied, like the brutish
mass, to see only what is at their feet, but rather look about them,
behind and before, and even recall the things of the past in order
to judge those of the future, and compare both with their present
condition. These are the ones who, having good minds of their
own, have further trained them by study and learning. Even if liberty had entirely perished from the earth, such men would invent it. For them slavery has no satisfactions, no matter how
well disguised."
Unfortunately, those of us who fit this description are now a small minority. Those who wish to enslave and to be enslaved are legion.
Great stuff, J.D.. Unfortunately, most people only want comfort. They know no history and see no reason to know any history.
Keep up the good work. I suspect about 3% of Americans will be willing to fight someday, and we need guys like you to assure us we aren't crazy.
Amerikans have devolved into little more than wards of the state.
Most of them are sheep who will do whatever their government masters want.
And not only will they do it, they will baa with alacrity.
@Brutus
What kind of drug or booze are you on? You are writing "artificial" nonsense.
As if the citizens in the US would have a brain and a sense for their situation. They have enough to do to eat their Walmart bought chips.
The majority of Americans aren't thinking entities.
U.S. Congressional Representative Sue Myrick R-NC, said during the passage of the Patriot[sic] Act, "If yer not doin' somethin' wrong, what's yer problem?"
To which I would ask, If I'm not doing something wrong what's YOUR problem?
Of the myriads of "security" agencies that have sprung up in the wake of 9-11, the TSA may be one of the most obnoxious and intrusive. If you have locked luggage and are entering the US they are apt to rip it open... When you get it, if you do, there will be a little note from them within. It will say: "you forced our agents to breakinto your bag because it was locked"... There is is no longer any personal privacy in America.
Of the myriads of "security" agencies that have sprung up in the wake of 9-11, the TSA may be one of the most obnoxious and intrusive. If you have locked luggage and are entering the US they are apt to rip it open... When you get it, if you do, there will be a little note from them within. It will say: "you forced our agents to breakinto your bag because it was locked"... There is is no longer any personal privacy in America.
apologies for the double post...
Your papers please!
:^(
the TROUBLE is the CITIZENS are too NAIVE
ALLOWING groups to spy on US will result
in
STOLEN ELECTIONS for the SPECIAL interest
that PAY for the politicians and spying..
After all THEY KNOW what is good for US..
DO you really want your e-mail and every
conversation RECORDED by "our" Government
Was this type of SPYING horrendous when
practiced in the U.S.S.R but GOOD when
it's for our safety in the U.S.A. ??
Lets SPY on the GOVERNMENT to find out if
they spy on US for safety or THE GAIN of
the POLITICIANS and their CRONIES.....
Google..short selling of STOCK before 911
YEAH...YEAH...YEAH... I know there is NO
POSSIBILITY that OUR wonderful government
could be ...THAT... CoRRUPT.... SO ...
LET's have SUNSHINE ALL AROUND.........
WHAT do THEY have to HIDE?? With NONE of
the MEGA CRIMES on their WATCH in open
COURT.. All secret and HIDDEN by their
UNDERLINGS... What have THEY got to HIDE?
You have to realize that there are gov't propagandists who do nothing but constantly troll internet message boards in an attempt to convinve Americans that their neighbors actually support what's happening to our country, and that's probably who is behind the posts quoted by the author. I can't over-emphasize the importance of Americans actually meeting and regularly talking to their neighbors. Small community groups will defeat the leviathan. Spend a little time developing your real community as opposed to your virtual community on the internet, or you'll be left alone when the plug is pulled.
The Bush regime is now widely acknowledged as an utter disaster, little has been mentioned of its one unqualified success: turning (or perhaps merely revealing?) a large percentage of the American public to be ignorant, fear crazed Bigots.
People who support police states are generally of the communist or the fascist persuasion. Real Americans love freedom - posers who hate America love big government.
" Many Americans do love their police state " Why?
That's easy! Min. 12 yrs public school + TV. But don't worry Obama will change everything, I saw that on TV.
Bravo - and why can govt of the people for the people classify everything Top Secret but we the people are supposed to just accept our freedoms being taken away? Fact is, maybe Blago in Chicago was the first public victim of the politicians spying and bringing down one of their own - considering Rahm Emanuel, son of Zionist terrorist, and Obama set him up they wanted to take the seat. We the people should fear loser govt officials who have never earned a real dime spying on we the sheeple. Clearly, everything they do is for personal gain not for public. otherwise, clinton would not be selling himself to foreigners for 100s of millions and Rahm would not have been given $40 million one year after working in DC as cheif of staff for $120K - it makes no sense. But then again, only govt employees get pensions. Only govt employees are getting raises this year. Only govt employees get holidays and have a job that cannot be taken away on a whim by an employer based on the "right to work" law which is exactly the opposity. Onl;y govt employees get black cars and chauffers. Seems now govt employees are even venture capitalists and developers, spending we the people's money to give to local business they deem worthy (like Crist's new plan) or buolding projects to the tune of billions no one wants. I agree with writer - time to start over. Then again govt isn;t stupid - they keep jhiring more police and TSA's without education b/c they know they will oppress the people when told for their govt salary and pension. I'm disgusted! PERIOD.
As our Tax $$$ support the genocide against the Palestinians, I watched Golden Oldie and older Boomers being searched and so forth as they drove across a bridge in Seattle area. The comments, to a person, were:
They are keeping us safe.
If you have nothing to hide why would you care?
I don't mind this is for our own good.
Orwell was a flipping POLLYANNA.
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety"
Benjamin Franklin.
@JollyRoger
I would love to know what community you live in because the ideology that I read in these comments parallels many that I know. While its may be true that the commenters may be government propagandists, I know many people in real life who would agree with everything the propagandists say (perhaps they are secret propagandists).
@Holcoust Gaza,
I'm going to assume that you're being facetious because I was quite clear that we're a minority.
Americans - get the hell out while you still can!
If you're rational and have skills or an education we'd love to have you here.
January 8, 2009
I was told not once to leave America if I do not like it. Well, I came here long time ago - and I became to feel at home! Familiar treatment, behavior, stern faces! (The shelves are still full, though). During my first life I was summoned by the communist security agents in the country I lived for questioning after my trips to England. NATO - you see... Than I see _here_ the familiar signs: "Report suspicious activities". Than the information that postal personnel or library staff are to report such "activities" or living-while-non-Baptist in that apartment complex... Citizens are encouraged to talk... ie. "report". As citizens, naturally. Nothing wrong, just "tell".
Germany of the Hitler era, Soviet Union - was based on this. Yesterday I was reported as "videotaping people entering building" (while being summoned earlier to check the building envelope as a contractor). Photographing at train platform would certainly alert the Rail Security in the communist country of the past - and the same is happening here, in the USA. The communism is creeping, under the same pretense: to save the people from the "enemies".
Now, I think that 50 years from now it'll be 70 years of Soviet Union disintegration and and a historical implosion (or explosion?) of the USA.
I have the will to live that long, and to see - and it'll be my third life.
I am with you and am not willing to give up any freedoms for "security by the State". Anyone willing to do so has not learned their history of those who gave up freedoms only to want them back once it was too late. Mass grave yards, crammed cattle cars, gas chambers, disappearances await those with the attitude of "I have nothing to hide so I have nothing to fear."
I took a trip into Canada last spring and it was quite a revelation when it came time to get back into my country. Whereas the Canadian border control asked me about three questions, the US officials detained me for about 15 minutes, asking me all kinds of stupid questions like where I lived (I had given them my drivers license and US Passport, which clearly have that listed). It was the attitude more than anything that really got me. It reminded me of some B movie on the Third Reich. I guess they can sense my contempt and make a point of singling me out. But the fact is, that 9/11 gave all these losers the golden opportunity to trump over the rest of us everytime we want to go somewhere. Really quite sad.
You are so very right! Indeed we have the government we deserve.
Things are only going to get worse people. The two-party fraud and its myriad of enforcement agencies know full well that they are acting outside of their Constitutional mandates. They not only know it, they have plans to increase their unconstitutional dictates until they are interfering in all aspects of our lives. That's the REAL reason for the implementation of the Department of Reichland Security and the the police state framework they are developing today. They know that in a country of 300 million people it is only a matter of time before some person or some group picks up a weapon and goes into politics. Obama and the Democans are going to build upon and expand everything that Bush and the Republicrats implemented during their reign.
It would behoove freedom loving Americans to familiarize yourselves with the concept and theories behind leaderless resistance. It would also be prudent to pick up a copy of the book entitled "Total Resistance," written by Swiss army Major Hans von Dach. It an official Swiss manual for resistance to enemy occupation of Switzerland. Many of the concepots found in that book will serve American patriots well in the times ahead.
Things are only going to get worse people. The two-party fraud and its myriad of enforcement agencies know full well that they are acting outside of their Constitutional mandates. They not only know it, they have plans to increase their unconstitutional dictates until they are interfering in all aspects of our lives. That's the REAL reason for the implementation of the Department of Reichland Security and the the police state framework they are developing today. They know that in a country of 300 million people it is only a matter of time before some person or some group picks up a weapon and goes into politics. Obama and the Democans are going to build upon and expand everything that Bush and the Republicrats implemented during their reign.
It would behoove freedom loving Americans to familiarize yourselves with the concept and theories behind leaderless resistance. It would also be prudent to pick up a copy of the book entitled "Total Resistance," written by Swiss army Major Hans von Dach. It an official Swiss manual for resistance to enemy occupation of Switzerland. Many of the concepots found in that book will serve American patriots well in the times ahead.
Sam Adams speaks for me, loudly and clearly. It is really four out of ten of us Americans that rest easy with a police state. Shame on them. Thanks, JD.
And, of course, I agree with commentator Thomas, below. In my comment below, I meant to ask is it really four out of ten. I sure hope that not that many Americans are willing to give up their rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the USA.
I think this past presidential election actually shows it's closer to 6 in 10 favor a socialistic police state ...
Third World countries tend to be very comfortable with police states, not exclusively as England shows, yet the demographic projections by US CENSUS BUREAU show that America, within 15-20 years will be a third world nation, ethnically.
We see signs of such corruption as Illegal Aliens as US BORDER PATROL AGENTS,infiltration of US Federal agencies, as well as local police, by informants for drug and smuggling gangs, etc.
This is a good time to visit Mexico and get an idea of how law enforcement in US will operate within another decade AT MOST. Bribery, it's what's for dinner.
And much, much more.
LIbertarian ideals are DOA.
Sad but true, I remember reading Ringer's book and getting all excited lo those many years ago. He said the dumbest thing on earth was to think of yourself as part of a tribe or a clan or a race.
Well guess what? THAT IS HOW THE WORLD WORKS. Reality had BUTTED in on our libertarian philosophies.
Train checks are not outside the law. What is outside the law are the illegal aliens that use the train, bus and airline industry to travel freely around the US. Almost all the 9/11 terrorists were illegally in the country as visa overstays. We all love the poor illegals until they blow something up or kill you kid while driving drunk. Everyone wants law enforcement to do the job util they are asked a question, then oh my God, I can't believe you are bothering me. If the Border Patrol Agents are being rude, tell them. If not, answer their questions and let them do their job.
A good and thought provoking read. I thank you for posting it. The fundamental problem I think is that people don't really fear the loss of their freedom because they often feel insulated from the excesses of those with power. If you made every rich man truly live as a poor man, every majority live as a true minority, they would learn quickly to fear those with power and to distrust those who claim that they need to take freedom to provide proper security.
I could be wrong about stopping trains, but the BP has had the authority to stop travelers within 100 miles of the border for decades, at least. This one isn't new. The surliness of the agents and the huevos to stop a train is probably new.
And yes, at least 60% of US citizens didn't take, slept through or flunked civics. There is probably a high correlation with not appreciating American civics and thinking the Pledge of Allegiance is the Oath of Office. Hint: It isn't, and what it is is publicly recited once every four years - tomorrow, in fact. Ironically, BP agents - and all federal employees - also sign a similar oath when they are hired, tho' many forget they did.
I could be wrong about stopping trains, but the BP has had the authority to stop travelers within 100 miles of the border for decades, at least. This one isn't new. The surliness of the agents and the huevos to stop a train is probably new.
And yes, at least 60% of US citizens didn't take, slept through or flunked civics. There is probably a high correlation with not appreciating American civics and thinking the Pledge of Allegiance is the Oath of Office. Hint: It isn't, and what it is is publicly recited once every four years - tomorrow, in fact. Ironically, BP agents - and all federal employees - also sign a similar oath when they are hired, tho' many forget they did.
What puzzles me is why the very same people who (rightly) recognize this as a problem and complain, seem often to be the very same people who worship the new president as a savior and look to *government* as the solution to abusive government.
We now have a Democratic legislator and a Democratic president who appears to be adored by all. Of course, the other collection of idiots are no better (If you're still with me, welcome to the 1% club.)
If you dislike being bossed around by government, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
The last time we elected a Great Savior to fix the economy, we found ourselves plowing under crops and destroying livestock by the thousands in an effort to fight hunger! I suspect the next few years have some very unpleasant surprises in store for us.
I try to explain to people why the mandatory seat belt law for an adult angers me so much and they always say in response that its a good idea. If those that claim to be libertarians.
To me its an insult to my intelligence that I cannot decide for myself what I want to do. A little thing I know but it has always irritated me to no end. Especially knowing that millions of children ride to school everyday without a seat belt. Way to look out for the little ones.
It is nice to see there are a few people who actually THINK through things and analyze what is really going on.
BE CAREFUL. This people who have not been stripped of their ability for free thought through the failed educational system will be early targets of our government. In their effort to socialize everything for the greater good, I would assume that the detention camps being built in our country are for those who would oppose the oppression of our government.
I find myself lately torn between the individual freedoms valued by libertarians and the potential for progress that I see in a socialist non-police state. I may be a mistaken idealist, but I don't think socialism has to lead to a police state.
I do, however, think that our current government has decayed beyond recovery short of a ground-up rebuild.
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