gradual erosion of freedom

[philip964]

This post is about gradual erosion of freedom.

Everyone is aware of the saying about a frog who is dropped in boiling water will jump out, but one who is put in water that is gradually being warmed will cook.

That seems to be the way with freedom. Everyday there is a little less. Usually the loss of freedom is welcomed by cheering from the media and the populace, as it will promote safety or general well being.

Freedom can be lost so quickly, the recent changes in Russia and Venezuela illustrate how countries once free can deteriorate into hardly free even with elections. As I have stated before Hitler was elected.

Today's post from Drudge, shows how travel in an airplane can get you arrested and put in jail.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/11/16/ca ... ving-bomb/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Apparently an artist with weird tastes (from California) is arrested for trying to board a plane with a strange watch. "it had wires and switches and fuses" , oh my. He also had shoes with extra thick soles. oh my. He was charged with possessing b..b making materials and was taken away to jail. He did not have any explosives, only an unusual watch. So I guess anyone with a cell phone or a watch or a wire can be arrested and taken to jail now, as they are used to make b..b.

There is nothing in the Bill of Rights that allows travel. Maybe at the time it was such a basic right that no one even thought about it.

In Russia during communism, you were not allowed to travel outside of your home city without permission.

[seamusTX]

Before 1970 in the U.S. a person could walk up to an airline ticket counter, buy a ticket with cash, and get on the plane with no muss or fuss.

Carrying weapons on the plane was official not approved of, but there was no obstacle to it. This resulted in drearily frequent hijackings, mostly to Cuba.

Routine use of metal detectors and other passenger screening started in 1973 in the U.S.

The airlines themselves started requiring photo IDs. They didn't want people to trade tickets that otherwise would be non-refundable.

The rest, as they say, is history.

You have a right to travel, but you don't have a right to bring anything you want on a commercial aircraft -- which is private property of an airline.

- Jim

[The Annoyed Man]

There is nothing in the Bill of Rights that allows travel. Maybe at the time it was such a basic right that no one even thought about it.

"Travel" was a common law right. "Driving," etc., is a privilege.

[gigag04]

I'm going to go ahead and say there may be more to that extremely limited story than we are getting...

[PUCKER]

I remember the "good ole days" of just showing up with a ticket...person you bought ticket for couldn't make it? No problem...bring someone else instead, after all, you bought a SEAT...nope, not any more...a huge chunk of it boils down to money...as in separating the consumer from their money. I post this as I just hit platinum (while traveling LOL).

[OldCannon]

I took all the money I would have spent on plane tickets and bought a Harley.

Much better use of my money

[seamusTX]

Avoiding flying is fine. I do whenever possible. However, when you have to be in Houston on Monday and San Jose on Tuesday, ground transportation is not an option.

Personally I'd rather dispense with the security theater and help "subdue" problematic people on the plane. However, the powers-that-be made their decisions back in 2001-2.

- Jim

[philip964]

I took all the money I would have spent on plane tickets and bought a Harley.

Much better use of my money

With Federal provided health care, will the freedom to ride a motorcycle be allowed for much longer?

And yes I suspect there is more to the "watch" story, however, if you can be arrested for having a watch and the charge is "possession of b..b making materials, anyone can be arrested any time anywhere.

[seamusTX]

Here is a more detailed article in the San Jose Mercury News.

Note that the arrest was made by the Alameda County Sheriff's Department under the California penal code. People who displease TSA usually are arrested by local police and prosecuted in local courts (if they are prosecuted).

If you read all the details in this article, there were a lot of factors that led to a "totality of the circumstances" judgment. Probably no one of them by itself would have caused significant problems.

It's like walking around wearing a ski mask, with a bag full of tools, duct tape, rope, latex gloves, and $9,000 in small bills. No one of those things is illegal, but the totality will probably get the person taken for a ride.

I don't like it any more than anyone else, but the memo went out over a decade ago that you had better be an obedient subject or risk the wrath of the TSA. People are arrested all the time for making stupid jokes in a security line.

- Jim

[The Annoyed Man]

Avoiding flying is fine. I do whenever possible. However, when you have to be in Houston on Monday and San Jose on Tuesday, ground transportation is not an option.

Personally I'd rather dispense with the security theater and help "subdue" problematic people on the plane. However, the powers-that-be made their decisions back in 2001-2.

- Jim

Short of having to fly to Europe to collect a family member's body, there isn't any place I have to be so quickly that I can't get there in two days of driving.......one of the beauties of being self-employed. And even if it involved collecting a family member's body in Europe, I could send one of my brothers who doesn't mind the song and dance at all.

[seamusTX]

If you don't want to go beyond the borders of the 48 contiguous states, fine. That's your choice. Or you can buy or charter a private plane.

Aside from business travel, I would not want to give up the other continents for the rest of my life because of stupid security policies.

- Jim

[WildBill]

If you don't want to go beyond the borders of the 48 contiguous states, fine. That's your choice. Or you can buy or charter a private plane.

Aside from business travel, I would not want to give up the other continents for the rest of my life because of stupid security policies.

- Jim

I flew to the UK [on business] a few months ago. Other than in the duty free shop, I didn't notice any higher security than on domestic flights. When I got back the customs agents were more concerned about the quantity of my european cigarettes and booze.

[seamusTX]

I flew to the UK [on business] a few months ago. ... I didn't notice any higher security than on domestic flights.

It hardly could be worse than whole-body X rays, could it?

One difference with the U.K. is that they can arrest you without probable cause if they feel like it. That rarely happens to ordinary travelers from western countries.

I wanted to add as a P.S. to my earlier response that freedom is not one-dimensional. Until 1971, men age 18 to 20 couldn't vote, but they could be drafted into a meat-grinder of a war (i.e. Vietnam). Women couldn't enlist in the regular military if they wanted to.

The list of that kind of legal change goes on and on, not to even touch on the social changes.

- Jim

[Abraham]

Am I being naive in thinking that yes, their approach is less than perfect, often far less, but those in power are trying to keep us safe...? Or are you thinking you can do better?

How about this: Would be it better to prevent air terrorism if there was no effort what so ever to keep air flight citizens safe...? Just get on board and hope for the best?

Like that better...?

[Abraham]

Whoops, my diatribe wasn't aimed at anyone specific.

I'm simply tired of the criticism of those trying to keep us safe in the air...and yes, they're efforts can be abominable...but better that than the alternative...