April 17, 2011 Don't Complain....it's not allowed.
It’s tax time here in the good old U.S. of A.
Hands up…how many of you complained about having to pay your taxes? After all, who doesn’t complain about taxes and the IRS?
Complaining is not only a privilege, it’s a right. And as Americans we can complain as much as we want about anything having to do with the government—and there’s nothing they can do.
Or can they?
It seems one government agency sees any complaint about it as a threat. Can you guess which one? C’mon, guess—it’s easier than you think.
All right, I’ll give you a hint. It’s letters are T.S.A
That’s right folks, the TSA now believes that anyone making negative comments about its procedure could be a terrorist threat.
Complaining, or for that matter praising TSA, could be seen as a diversionary tactic and therefore a threat against the country.
So, apparrently, our First Amendment right to free speech is yet another part of the Constitution the TSA ignores.
Have you also noticed when TSA’s actions are questioned, it’s not a third party who investigates to see if they broke the law? It’s TSA themselves. They get to decide.
James Madison is rolling over in his grave.
(Frank II)
Reader Comments (6)
It will be thought crime next.
What will it take to knock some sense into the drones of the public that fall for the TSA's
...and don't seem to speak up about their basic freedom's being violated? What was put in their Kool-Aid?
(Okay, I'll now have to disappear and go into hiding as I may be accused of a "thoughtcrime" by the TSA et al!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYecfV3ubP8
George Orwell gets quoted when we speak of heavy-handed government influences on our lives. Here's a George Orwell story. Several years ago when we were on the Isle of Islay we dropped into the Port Askaig Hotel pub on a sunday morning for a warming tot of the local product and a sandwich. One other group in the little bar was comprised ot a man about my age, his apparent wife, and an older woman. They were haveing their tots too and we assumed they were local people celebrating having gone to church.
We all got up about the same time and as we were leaving the man asked where we were from and when I said, "Idaho", he said, "that old lady there is George Orwell's sister in law". We made small talk and he said next week they would be in Arizona. Well, this was all impressive, and as you know George Orwell lived on a remote croft on the isle of Jura while writing Animal Farm. The only way to get to Jura is by ferry from Port Askaig. The Orwell relativeswere unknown to the hotel staff and on a later trip when we related the story to them they said the Orwellians must have been on Jura for some kind of celebration regarding George himself.
That's just one of those light weight, convertible bags moments.
Let's see, under the law, if traveling domestically, you do not have to tell the government where you are going or why. But if you refuse to answer these questions to a TSO, you could be refused permission to fly because you are not cooperating. Even if they find absolutely nothing on you considered dangerous, if you do not cooperate 100%, you can be denied boarding. And, possibly arrested. (Ironically, if you are a U.S. citizen entering the U.S. with a proper passport, you can refuse to answer any questions asked by Immigration officers and they can't refuse you admission. That's the law and they are sworn to enforce it. TSO's are not law enforcement officers and therefore don't have to swear anything.)
I guess TSA has ruled the Constitution is not valid if you want to fly, or take a train, or travel anywhere TSA decides to set up shop.
And don't expect anything to be done about this anytime soon. Congress can't make any money for themselves by taking TSA to task, so why bother. Worst comes to worse, they can arrange for "private" transport from their buddies in the lobbying industry. Private planes don't come under much TSA scrutiny.
It's unfortunate that with all our talk about defending our freedom, that we're really taking our freedom away. And it's not Osama Bin Laden's fault. Our government chose to take that road all by themselves.
So I suppose the TSA could decide to hack the system, find out who I am by the IP address that posted this comment, and then show up on my doorstep with hand cuffs?
From the way things are going, it's not too far fetched. There are countries in Europe that went from our level of freedom to none at all in very short periods of time during the Cold War.
Now it gets interesting....at the airport, there is always a local police officer available if a problem occurs. But when TSA ventures off airport grounds, local police have been hesitant to assist because they are not sure the actions of TSA are constitutional.
So, what does TSA do? It pulls Air Marshals, who are federal law enforcement agents, off of flight duty, and takes them along on their mobile set-ups. This can be anywhere--train stations, bridges, tunnels, etc.
Remember, they needed that federal firepower when they decided to set-up, unannounced, at a Georgia train station and demand all passengers coming OFF a train, and who wanted to enter the train station, be frisked. After all, that 9-year-old boy they eventually frisked might put up a fight and have to be wrestled to the ground.
And people wonder why we complain about how our tax dollars are put to work.