Many people, even my peers, don’t all understand the extreme danger we all face when people casually accept overbearing government search without even probable cause for them to suspect you are up to planning a crime.
Corporate and government machines, systems, are becoming more powerful than individuals can fairly fight in court and win when they have the written law on their side. The spy machine is eating us up. This is happening to you even if you’re a law abiding citizen “with nothing to hide”. It’s not always about what you’re doing now, it’s what you’ll want to do when the government eventually unfairly comes down on you and the ones you love.
If you’d told me 15 years ago there would be border stations between states, I’d have pictured a dictatorship having taken over the United States. Can you imagine going to Winnipeg, and having to stop near Moosomin each way to get asked by RCMP or CBSA to illegally search your vehicle while they question your citizenship?
This is happening within the United States. They have GD checkpoints installed on major highways to harass and detain American citizens who have the right to not be arbitrarily detained and searched within their country. Not only are they all being tracked on the Information Superhighway, they are facing inter-state “Immigration” checkpoints.
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Great post.
I lost track of that checkpoint refusals vid and was impressed all over again when I watched it. Takes real guts to keep saying “Am I being detained? Am I free to go?”
I’m afraid too many of us in Canada look on this whole skynet thing as just another loopy American excess that has nothing much to do with us, especially as Microsoft Google and Airshow MacKay are happy to tell us so.
Thank you Alison, that means a lot. I regard your blogging as among the most important in the country, so it’s an honour to have you compliment one of mine.
I got to test out that line “Am I being detained? Am I free to go?” and it’s on YouTube. It worked out, I think because I was filming. I learned it at the Occupy Regina camp.
“Airshow MacKay”.
*snerk*
*blush* *eyeroll* And thank you.
Whoa, good for you. Polite, cooperative, and yet standing your ground.
Good for you.
Amazingly scary (especially that 2nd video) How many will submit to this harassment? Pretty much everyone! Few are confident enough to stand up to the paramilitary policing methods employed. They fear deadly consequences. Minority social groups even more. Our societies are really in trouble. I won’t visit the USA or fly anywhere because of the intimidation. I bet PMHarper would love to see this on the borders of our provinces too.
That fear of deadly consequence is not unreasonable either.
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