Emotion and Misunderstanding

Random thoughts on American culture and politics.

Our questions appear in bold type.

People are divided, and sometimes it looks like this can be based on emotion and misunderstanding.

Greyhound bus changes policy

The bus company now says “…that it does not consent to unwarranted searches on its buses…”

Emotion and misunderstanding gets in the way of understanding that these suspicionless bus boardings were taking place away from border crossings and ports of entry. If the bus takes you from the US to Canada, you will still stop at the border coming and going to be cleared to enter the other country.

“Spokane is 97 miles — as the crow flies — from an international border. That puts it within the 100-mile interior enforcement zone where Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrol’s parent agency, claims heightened powers over residents and travelers alike.”

From comments:

“Arrest drivers. Seize their drivers. Fine the company.
@GreyhoundBus needs to obey law enforcement.”

Same country that will make a big deal of celebrating freedom and independence on July 4th.

In 2008, the US Border Patrol came to Jefferson County, WA and set up suspicionless checkpoints and bus boardings- away from border crossings and ports of entry.

At a local Border Patrol forum a lady asked:

“What is the penalty for not identifying oneself to federal agents at an internal, suspicionless checkpoint?”

US Border Patrol said they would call in the Sheriff when a person refused to identify themselves.

Sheriff says they will not respond to a non-emergency situation involving a person peaceably refusing to interact with federal agents.

Question about providing ID is at 0:35

Should Joe Sixpack and the family be stopped and questioned when they drive through Spokane?

Has a more aggressive CBP approach led to any shortage of cartel-sourced heroin, cocaine, fentanyl or meth anywhere in the US?

No CBP inspection of rail shipments entering the US?

“…methamphetamine was being hidden in new cars built in Mexico that were then transported by rail to Canada.”

“Police say they found 180 kilograms of meth during the investigation.”

REAL ID

Get ready to enjoy your $6.4 trillion worth of War on Terror freedom over at the airport with your REAL ID card:

REAL ID deadline is approaching.

If REAL ID is critical to the safety of America, have travelers out at the airport been less safe since 911? The new REAL ID requirement for domestic air travel does not kick in until October 1, 2020.

Love to see newspeople schedule an interview with the US Dept. of Homeland Security & ask:

Are passports/enhanced/Real IDs effective in keeping cartel-sourced heroin and meth out of the US?

Standard driver’s licenses have not been accepted at the border since 2009.

Border Wall

February 20, 2020 KTVZ

DEA launches major meth crackdown as record amounts flood Northwest

“Virtually all methamphetamine in the United States comes through major ports of entry along the Southwest Border and is transported by tractor trailers and personal vehicles along the nation’s highways to major transfer centers around the country.”

What will change after spending big cash on a wall?

Will a US border wall keep cartels from moving product into New Zealand?

Feb 23, 2020 Newshub

Mexican drug cartels Sinaloa and CJNG could try to corrupt NZ Customs and police – report

“The New Zealand Drug Intelligence Bureau has warned two of the world’s biggest drug cartels could be trying to infiltrate our police and Customs services to corrupt their staff.”

“Now there is confirmation that the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) Mexican crime groups are supplying drugs to New Zealand, and police say they even have members working in Aotearoa as go-betweens with local gangs.”

Operating A Camera In A Public Place

Emotion and misunderstanding often gets in the way when people approach the camera and say “You do not have permission to film me.” People standing on a public sidewalk will also be told that they may not film whatever they can see.

Told to stop filming at 3:13

6:50 recording without my consent is against the law:

The family friendly, hometown pride-oriented local small town papers and TV news folks are more welcome to do interviews related to public policy. Unfortunately, they seem to have moved away from asking questions.

More here: Operating A Camera In A Public Place

A country that probably brags about freedom more than anywhere else on the globe.

A society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.

Paid spokesperson update-

Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper:

“This Presidents Day, let us never forget the extraordinary men and women serving our Country. As we remember our founders that formed our great Nation, we also remember our Service Members fiercely defending the freedoms we value every day.”

Secretary Esper,

While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.

Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?

December 21st 2019 KOMO News

Legal age to buy cigarettes, vapes raised to 21 nationwide

“Signed into law by President Donald Trump Friday as part of the new $1.4 trillion spending bill, a new measure prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.”

Secretary Esper,

If The Troops defend American rights and freedoms, what becomes of those freedoms when the US leaves Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., without a victory?