Harrassed by the Border Patrol today.

[judy3972]

Isn't it wonderful that we can express our opinons at will and travel where and when we want.

[baraff]

Papers! Vere are your papers?
This whole episode sounds like Nazi Germany circa 1939.
I will say this, if this ever happens to us WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, I will be photographing every move the agents make. And they will NOT enter my motorhome without me being present.

[LadyFitz...]

Originally Posted by Francesca

The Border patrol has to ask EVERYONE about citizenship so as to avoid being accused of "racial profiling"...

Which is really quite silly since how many illegals are going to admit it?

[LadyFitz...]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

What's a "Maroons"?

A corrupted version of moron. Bugs Bunny is the first one I ever heard use the term.

[LadyFitz...]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

"Harrassed by the Border Patrol today." Not sure it was harassment, but it is annoying to our American sense of 'freedom.' Ben Franklin said best,"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Until we all point out that we see through the 'theatre' of TSA, Border Patrol secondary check points, etc, we are doomed to endure these delays.

While airports are choke points, there is no similar security at train or bus stations. Tankers full of hazardous cargo, Ports with uninspected containers, risks are everywhere, luckily our enemies seem incapable of seeing beyond airplanes. I fly to Australia a few times a year, once in country, there are few restrictions to flying around that country and I don't feel any less safe. TSA and Border Patrol is theatre at best, not real security. While a road at the border might be covered, there are hundreds of miles of unguarded border.

It's theatre. I'd suggest sitting back and enjoying the show, then vote for the people that think like you and try for real change.

Thank you very much! I got a kick out of Robin Williams in Man of the Year when he quipped about U.S. citizens being hasseled and searched at border check points while illegals were walking across the border with livingroom sets on their backs.

[shooterdad]

#1. If they were this diligent 30 years ago ,our country would be much better off.
#2. If you had nothing to hide, then you had nothing to worry about.
#3. For those of you who don't live in the Southwest, smugglers from border towns such as El Paso will in some cases hide drugs under vehicles of unsuspecting people and have a Chase vehicle follow them to there next stop and retrieve the dope!
#4. I for one am glad to see there presence, they are there for our benefit.....Scott

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Sequim Guy

It's what Bugs Bunny called Elmer Fudd and other idiots.....morons.
As in, "What a maroon.".......

One of my favorite cartoons, back when they had full movement, unlike todays cartoons. We got our first TV sometime around 1960 or earlier. My parents bought that house in 1953 or 4 so it was a little while after that.

[Sequim Guy]

There are many checkpoints in AZ and have gone through them many times,
they just ask if you are a citizen or where are you coming from. Never been a
big deal, and my constitutional rights have never been stepped on, nor have
I felt harassed.

.

[baraff]

Originally Posted by Sequim Guy

There are many checkpoints in AZ and have gone through them many times,
they just ask if you are a citizen or where are you coming from. Never been a
big deal, and my constitutional rights have never been stepped on, nor have
I felt harassed.

.

See how easily we give up our rights? "Where are you coming from?" What?! How is it acceptable to be asked that by our government? What business is it of theirs' "where we are coming from"?
What if I told them it's none of their business "where I'm coming from"? How is that a crime?
And LadyFitz' point about asking if you are a citizen is right on target. Talk about Security Theater.
If our government did it's job about not allowing illegals into this country in the first place instead of giving a wink and a nod and then harassing retirees at checkpoints miles from the border than we wouldn't have this problem.

[jimmyjnr]

Originally Posted by steelheadbluesman

Excuse me? Shame on who? Europeans, IMHO, gave up their rights long ago.
This is America. And many Americans don't like being detained and searched without cause.... I hate to be so hard on you.... but I fought with the US Army to protect those rights. Any questions?

Not sure what rights europeans gave up in respect of terrorism ?
If your referring to stop and search or CCTV in main cities it's a price most are prepared to pay to combat bombs on trains , buses , underground etc etc

[bdpreece]

Ok! Nuff said. I have had time to calm down and see both sides. We avoid traveling by air and also traveling outside the US in order to avoid things like this. I think what bothered me the most was both of us being in a category I would not consider as someone being profiled, traveling well within the confines of what we consider to be our own sovereign country being detained on what was supposedly the actions of an animal. I am all for protecting our borders and keeping the scum out it just hurts when you find out you too can possibly be one of the scum. Other than loosing some time we were treated curtly but with courtesy. It is just that it is scary to find out what your own government can do to you while it is up to you to prove your innocence.

[JohnRR]

After 911 I don't know how many times this questions was asked in the media;

How did the government let this happen?

I guess it's true you can't have your cake and eat it to

[Francesca]

Originally Posted by bdpreece

Ok! Nuff said. I have had time to calm down and see both sides. We avoid traveling by air and also traveling outside the US in order to avoid things like this. I think what bothered me the most was both of us being in a category I would not consider as someone being profiled, traveling well within the confines of what we consider to be our own sovereign country being detained on what was supposedly the actions of an animal. I am all for protecting our borders and keeping the scum out it just hurts when you find out you too can possibly be one of the scum. Other than loosing some time we were treated curtly but with courtesy. It is just that it is scary to find out what your own government can do to you while it is up to you to prove your innocence.

That's it in a nutshell...glad you figured it out!

Can't expect the folks we hire to protect us to always know who the "bad guys" are- could be anybody, right?

For all they know, that's US!

[bdpreece]

As the most famous quote from Pogo says " We have met the enemy and he is us"