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Tag(s): Airlines; Civil Liberties; Civil Rights; Dept Of Homeland Security; Dept Of Homeland Security; Dept Of Homeland Security; Fascism-Cant Happen Here; Fear As Policy; Fed Regulatory Agency FAA; Florida; (more...) Transportation; Travel; USA United States Of America (less...)
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October 23, 2006 at 08:43:25

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Shakedown in Tallytown

by Cactus Pat Page 1 of 1 page(s)

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You may have heard that the TNA (Transportation Nazi Administration) has "liberalized" air travel restrictions [1] about carrying liquids on planes. Recently I had the privilege to observe these measures first-hand. As I was dropping off the wife for a flight at Tallahassee's airport, we approached the security checkpoint where the Transportation Nazi shaking down passengers for contraband was holding up a small jar of hand cream and said loudly to the diminutive white-haired granny in front us - "Do you want to check this with your baggage or do you want me to confiscate it?" So this is what it's come to in in the dystopia aka as George Bu$h's Amerika?

You've probably not read or seen any dissent about travel restrictions since 911. Not surprising since our local and national corporate TV mediawhores have only ever shown cooperative symps bleating about how they're fine with whatever authorities need to do to "make us safer".

For the record, I do dissent. This used to be a relatively "free" society with citizens allowed to go about their daily lives without government intrusions into basic RIGHTS and LIBERTIES. Such as unfettered travel, as example.

A year ago this week I had my own very personal introduction to the new restrictions since Congress and Dear Misleader Bush imposed the Fatherland Security Act, thus spawning the TNA (Transportation Nazi Administration). Whilst traveling home from marching with a half million fellow dissenters in DC [2] last Sept. 25th, I was concerned about passing my camera's flash card through the x-ray machine as Dulles Airport.

So I pulled the card from the camera and engaged the Transportation Nazis working the checkpoint by questioning what to do with the memory card. This activity won me a free ticket to the search and shakedown area clearly demarked by tape on the floor in front of all other travelers. Where I was wanded and admonished for my cavalier attitude concerning air travel. Didn't I know that two months ago a bomb was found in someone's carry-on in Oklahoma City?

At that point discretion won out over valor as I suspected I was one inappropriate remark away from being dragged into a back room to be rubber-hosed and water-boarded.

The point being, these intrusions into the freedom to travel without government intimidation are more about instilling fear and control than to make us safer. How does shaking down a grandfather for a camera card, or a grandmother of her hand cream make us any safer? Short answer, it doesn't!

I refuse to live in fear. No matter what the fascist state imposes. And I won't shut-up either. After observing the shakedown in Tallytown recently my mind flooded with thought as I attempted to put what I just witnessed in context. Those thoughts quickly centered on my introduction to the writings of Noam Chomsky [3] five years ago.

At first reading, Chomsky's frequent referrals to systems of control seemed somewhat abstract as I hadn't ever seriously considered the prospect of corporate or government "systems of control" [4] here in the good ol' US of A. In my own personal experience and in observing the grandmother's shakedown in Tallytown lie real world examples.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Links:
[1] click here
[2] http://info.detnews.com/weblog/index.cfm?blogid=5304
[3] http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&q=system%20of%20control%20Noam%20Chomsky
[4] http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=Noam+Chomsky+systems+of+control&btnG=Search

http://crippledchimp.com

Longtime political activist, writer, blogger, webmaster. Behind the scenes newshound and volunteer at Democrats.com since the 2000 Coup D'tat. Now publishing and editing CrippledChimp.com.

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3 comments

A writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Mark SashineA writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name

To Cactus

Dear Cactus,

Personal experience is a very powerful thing. Like for instance we all here say,' Illegal immigration must be stopped.' We do not want to acknowledge that there is no such thing, that every immigrant is a person and personal experience counts big time. So, we would recommend for our people to feel it too. Suggest to the governments of the other countries to treat Americans the way Americans treat them. Suggest them to register us, take fingerprints, search, etc. Some countries do that already. And every time they do that, suggest to put a flyer into the lugggage 'We treat you as you treat us.' Works wonders on the psyche.

Otherwise I sympathise. When all of that idiocy started I hoped it would not last. But it lasts.. Idiocy is a powerful force in the universe.

by Mark Sashine (54 articles, 19 quicklinks, 252 diaries, 3605 comments) on Monday, October 23, 2006 at 9:24:41 AM

Longtime political activist, writer, blogger, webmaster. Behind the scenes newshound and volunteer at Democrats.com since the 2000 Coup D'tat. Now publishing and editing CrippledChimp.com.
cactuspatLongtime political activist, writer, blogger, webmaster. Behind the scenes newshound and volunteer at Democrats.com since the 2000 Coup D'tat. Now publishing and editing CrippledChimp.com.

So is fascism

"...When all of that idiocy started I hoped it would not last. But it lasts.. Idiocy is a powerful force in the universe...."

So is fascism. Together with idiocy, they're unstoppable...

by cactuspat (5 articles, 8 quicklinks, 17 diaries, 19 comments) on Monday, October 23, 2006 at 11:53:22 PM

I'm an 81 year old widow, of close to eight years. Still have an active (and social activist) mind. With six offspring,I've spent a good part of my life so far, raising a family, and enjoying the fruits of their own families. Sixteen Grand kids and six Great, with two more due. My favorite quotation is 'Nothing By Chance.' It's from a book by Richard Bach. The signature at the bottom of my e-mail is "Walk in peace, balance and harmony."
Pat HerrickI'm an 81 year old widow, of close to eight years. Still have an active (and social activist) mind. With six offspring,I've spent a good part of my life so far, raising a family, and enjoying the fruits of their own families. Sixteen Grand kids and six Great, with two more due. My favorite quotation is 'Nothing By Chance.' It's from a book by Richard Bach. The signature at the bottom of my e-mail is "Walk in peace, balance and harmony."

Security checks.

About three years ago my brother and I were returning to S.Calif.after a brief trip to Reno to visit a hospitalized sister. We were placed in the special search area (in front of everyone) and searched. The reasoning? We had checked in a couple of hours early. The reason we did that is that we were dropped off by a brother who was trying to get a head start on a storm, as he headed back to Denver. I wonder why they had waited 'til the boarding call to make an example of us? They knew we were sitting in the boarding area wait room all along.

by Pat Herrick (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 167 comments) on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 at 3:16:05 PM