Homeland Security on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State
Reporting to you from Jefferson County, Washington
People who have done nothing wrong- and are not crossing the border- should not expect to stop and explain themselves to federal agents.
Like something straight out of a Totalitarian regime.
Guilty until proven innocent- explain yourself in exchange for authorization to continue your travels within your own county.
Locally, we have had Department of Homeland Security checkpoints/roadblocks and bus boardings. DUI checkpoints are not legal in Washington State.
Things are better now, but not because the FBI conducted suspicionless internal checkpoints and roadblocks where all motorists are treated as guilty until proven innocent.
People who are not crossing the border, and have done nothing wrong, must be granted permission by federal DHS agents in order to move on down the highway.
These bus boardings are taking place at Discovery Bay, Washington- just a wide place in the road on the Olympic Peninsula.
The international seaport city of Seattle is just 50 miles away, where cruise ships come and go all summer long.
Let’s take that 50 mile trip right now-
We’ll spend the day walking around downtown Seattle, Pike Place Market, etc. and enjoy a day amongst people who may have come from all over the world.
Before we get to Seattle, we’ll cross the Hood Canal Bridge- recently upgraded and improved, except for loss of the public fishing pontoon.
Why no more fishing at the bridge? We’re not really sure, it may have to do with post-911 security. If loss of fishing access is linked to post 911 security, should we see US Coast Guard gun boats doing laps around the bridge to keep things safe?
On our way to Seattle, we’ll ride a Washington State ferry. Watch as Department of Homeland Security gunboats escort the ferry and ask yourself “Why are they here?” They appear ready to take on pirate boats, though terrorists prefer the surprise attack, not naval duels.
As we enjoy our day in Seattle, we notice- for some reason- federal agents aren't getting on busses and questioning people.
If this is really about immigration or terrorists- why do the checkpoints and bus boardings seem to be restricted to Discovery Bay, over in sleepy Jefferson County?
Remember- we are told the #1 US Border Patrol objective is to stop terrorists. The US Border Patrol explains this objective at a local public forum- this YouTube video covers Border Patrol objectives at 3:50.
It turns out that federal agents at US ports of entry only attempt to stop 30% of terrorists crossing through them.
30%
Local checkpoint history and information:
For those interested in the history of US Border Patrol roadblocks in Washington State, Checkpoint USA has a good set of links to blog entries at the bottom of this page.
Stop the Checkpoints is a local group that has organized several protests Re: suspicionless internal checkpoints and bus boardings on The Olympic Peninsula of Washington State.
"Terrorists" can communicate just like teenagers. What would stop them from traveling just one or two at a time and alerting each other if any one of them approaches a "surprise" checkpoint?
Federal Government Credibility & Selective Enforcement-
If a bar owner or mini mart operator served drinks or sold beer to someone underage- they could be fined, or loose their liquor license pronto.
Liquor license enforcement is swift- we wouldn't want an 18 year old adult to get their hands on a cold six-pack here in “The Land of The Free.”
Bogus social security numbers are passed around and accepted on an "honor system" basis- for the purpose of obtaining employment, filing out credit/loan applications, etc.- for some reason- the government shows no sense of urgency whatsoever about taking action to prevent fraud Re: your social security number.
Federal Government Credibility & Selective Enforcement-
If a bar owner or mini mart operator served drinks or sold beer to someone underage- they could be fined, or loose their liquor license pronto.
Liquor license enforcement is swift- we wouldn't want an 18 year old adult to get their hands on a cold six-pack here in “The Land of The Free.”
Bogus social security numbers are passed around and accepted on an "honor system" basis- for the purpose of obtaining employment, filing out credit/loan applications, etc.- for some reason- the government shows no sense of urgency whatsoever about taking action to prevent fraud Re: your social security number.
We got our ass kicked on 911. The government is not done making us pay for that.
The federal government has full authority to control immigration and the borders without bending the constitution.
This is not about bashing the Border Patrol or being anti-law enforcement. Washington is one of 11 states that do not allow DUI Roadblocks.
Most people respect law enforcement professionals- internal, suspicionless checkpoints are the least respected of law enforcement tactics.
The desire to govern ourselves should count for something.
Roadblocks- as much as 100 miles from the border-
Here at home, US citizens are not required to carry proof of citizenship. The standard driver’s license does not prove citizenship- so how does a verbal citizenship check (Honor System) stop a terrorist?
Listen to Sean Hannity say "reasonable suspicion" is somehow involved in local US Border Patrol transit bus boardings.
Federal grant encourages some local law enforcement agencies to work with US Border Patrol on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State.
My Letter to the Editor Re: Medical Marijuana & Federal Suspicionless Checkpoints in Jefferson County Washington- nowhere near an international border. Background. Follow up.
The US Border Patrol- on Feb 25th, 2009- at a public forum in Port Townsend- was asked: Since the US Attorney made a statement last summer saying they do not want to prosecute cases involving small amounts of marijuana- what will happen to the next legal medical marijuana user found with a legal amount of medical marijuana at a checkpoint?
The US Border Patrol stated that small quantities of marijuana will be referred to "state and local" authorities- truly confusing in the case of medical marijuana- legal in Washington State.
Link to video from Border Patrol public forum here
A Public Forum was held Nov. 3 in Chimacum (Occupied Jefferson County)
The half-time sports announcers haven’t made up their mind on wearing American flag lapel pins, but as long as the football teams have the flag stickers on the helmets I think we’ll be OK.
The Border Patrol says suspicionless, internal checkpoints serve to to apprehend felons, terrorists, and undocumented immigrants, seize drugs and weapons, and deter illegal activity. On this day, illegally harvested salal valued at $2,500 was confiscated.
Whatever happened to investigative law enforcement work? Why not create border security that prevents the entry of terrorists and undocumented immigrants?
Are we to believe that all possible administrative steps are being taken to prevent undocumented immigrants from becoming established in the U.S.?
Maybe someday the federal government will outlaw the use of the social security number for ID purposes, until then, consumer safeguards should be in place - this is not the case in 2009.
The article describes what seems like a general-purpose stop. If we know that a percentage of people on the road are fugitives or lawbreakers, why not use checkpoints as a routine measure to capture criminals until there are no more?
The Border Patrol has an important job to do- however- free people should not expect to stop and explain themselves as they go about their business far from the nearest international border.
Conducting suspicionless, internal checkpoints- where people are treated as guilty until proven innocent- while we see weak links in our own borders and seaports- enough to allow human cargo in the form of 22 people from Asia to arrive unannounced at the Port of Seattle- releasing themselves into the night from a cargo container that had been offloaded onto the dock- is not the American way.
We are working hard to spread freedom across the globe - maybe we should take some of the restrictions off of freedom here at home. Those restrictions weren’t put in place by terrorists or foreign governments.
Welcome Home Troops
USMC Okinawa 1980
Here at home, US citizens are not required to carry proof of citizenship. The standard driver’s license does not prove citizenship.
Is this an incentive program for the new enhanced driver’s license? Will the new license prevent crime?
All of those containers been checked?
The Department of Homeland Security Police State is good for business- Federal Government business.
“Every agent at an interior checkpoint is one less patrolling the border” - Terry Bressi
People in the Armed Forces have rules and regulations to follow- it all serves a purpose.
It turns out most people are not in the military and don't want to feel like they are on a military base as they go about their daily business nowhere near an international border.
It turns out most people are not in the military and don't want to feel like they are on a military base as they go about their daily business nowhere near an international border.
Some say that those who complain about checkpoints would be the first to scream if the Federal Government fails to keep us safe. The fail part has already happened. Leave us alone to go about our daily business- we’ll call when we need you.
“Live Free or Die” means we have the right to raise a rifle towards whatever terrorist Boogeyman might come here to take away our American way of life...
Whatever happened to the idea of living free of fear and intimidation? The terrorists must be happy to be yanking our chain. Self reliant Americans have always had a sense of responsibility for their own security. They also know that they will not live in a completely safe environment- they walk tall anyway.
When the terrorists come here to take away our American Way of Life- There will be no “Rules of Engagement”.
We must fight them over there-
so that we can have a Police State over here?
Good news- charges were dropped
Bad News- Because of a shortage of US Attorney manpower- not because the Federal Government defers to the Citizens of Washington State to govern themselves.
BP says they will seek “alternative routes” to prosecute future cases.
The federal government squanders credibility by sending the message that we are in a fight for our survival Re: Sept 11th 2001- we are at risk enough to go to war X2, but not so much at risk that political leaders and statesmen would make the case to the American people that it is time to consider a draft- then citing a legal medical marijuana user in an effort to fight the "War on Terror".
Our post-911 world now includes an arbitrary, federalized- 100 mile- security zone set up to treat people as guilty until proven innocent.
Internal, suspicionless checkpoints point to a complete failure of standard border procedures.
Over here, on the Olympic Peninsula, we are accustomed to the old idea that we have a friendly border with Canada. It exists somewhere way north of here. Almost no one would consider walking from here to there.
People who object to the checkpoints have been called Tree Huggers, Hippies, and Whiners, they have been accused of being anti-Border Patrol and anti-law enforcement.
This is not about bashing the Border Patrol or being anti-law enforcement. Washington is one of 11 states that do not allow DUI Roadblocks.
Our various local law enforcement agencies do not conduct roadblocks- this is what we expect here- we are not "whining" when we state our case.
Here at home, US citizens are not required to carry proof of citizenship. The standard driver’s license does not prove citizenship- so how does a verbal citizenship check (Honor System) stop a terrorist?
Some say that those who object to the checkpoints are not supporting their country- they feel free to contribute comments from the safety of their home- while “people in uniform give them the right to protest” & “they defend our Freedom”- they would not be willing to risk anything or make a commitment to improve the situation, etc.
We do not live under a Totalitarian Regime where Individual Liberty must somehow be enabled by uniformed agents of the government.
People objecting to the checkpoints include veterans, people who go to public meetings and rallies- people who organize such events, people who do volunteer work, people who write letters to elected representatives, vote, are members of church congregations, write letters to the editor, work for a living, raise families, etc.
We do not somehow become second-class citizens because we object to the checkpoints.
Some have been challenged to state how their freedoms have been restricted by the checkpoints. The unselfish thing is to object when anyone’s freedoms are restricted- rather than wait for one’s own personal comfort zone to be violated.
A False Sense of Security-
What if we were required to carry papers? Would we be more safe?
How many stories have we heard about people in jobs that require a fingerprint background check- people who would qualify for an “enhanced” driver’s license or passport- that get busted for criminal behavior?
It happens at public schools, military bases, daycare centers, police stations, and correctional facilities.
We hear of doctors, foster parents, religious leaders and people who hold trusted positions at the highest levels of business and government who abuse their trust.
A false sense of security isn’t worth turning the tables to make government our master rather than our servant.
Government databases contain false status reports relating to “no fly” lists, etc. Sloppy protocols in government workplaces along with chronic lack of discipline allow laptop computers to go missing creating massive exposure to personal information.
Do we feel better thinking terrorists are foolish and unsophisticated?
The bad guys are smart. The good guys are smart. Why are we fed dumbed-down Homeland Security messages?
Wouldn’t the professional terrorist just play along at an internal checkpoint? He could just say he was a US citizen, then he would be free to go?
War on terror-
It will be easy to spot an attempted strike. Expect the bad guys to be sloppy- the packages they send will look like they were put together by drunken 3rd graders, or Wile E Coyote.
If you are driving a safe car in a safe manner- you should not be pulled over.
If the terrorists hate our freedom, maybe they are pleased to see it restricted.
We should consider U.S. Border Patrol Deputy Chief Joseph Giuliano to be innocent until proven guilty- just as the Federal Government should offer the same protections to Washington State motorists.
Some question my description of the checkpoint being “far from the nearest international border” - If we got out of our car at the checkpoint- near the Hood Canal bridge- and walked back to the border- how far would we travel? What route would we take? How many counties would we pass through? Would we need a map to plan our route?
Update: Sept 8th, 2008
The Washington State constitution protects gun ownership. Washington is a concealed carry permit state.
In recent years, the US federal government has prohibited concealed carry on National Parks lands. Washington State concealed carry permits have become void when one crossed into a National Park within the State of Washington.
Recently we have heard of a federal rule change in this area.
As of this morning, (3/5/09) the North Cascades National Park web page says guns are still illegal there.
Confusing? So much for a responsible person trying to eliminate guesswork and play by the rules. Updating a web page is as easy as sending an e-mail- not so for the federal government.
Has anyone been able to find info about concealed carry rules on any National Park website? I have not.
Maybe someday the federal government will get the idea that concealed carry permits are not a good idea.
Federal agents at road blocks could take a peek around for a legal concealed weapon as they look for legal medical marijuana.
Maybe going along with this will be OK since we believe in “pledging allegiance” to the flag and the urban legend that says “the troops are fighting to protect our rights and freedoms”.
Federal agents “are just doing their job”, “if you have done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear”, stopping at a checkpoint is only a “minor inconvenience”, etc.
Hood Canal Bridge Downgrade
Some people remember fishing and crabbing from the Hood Canal Bridge fishing pontoon. The new and improved bridge will not allow public fishing access. Joe six-pack and the kids paid into the system by purchasing fishing licenses for years and now the welcome mat has been taken up because...why? Could it be security?
Thousands of cars cross the bridge daily. When the bridge opens, the cars aren’t even required to wait on land. Cars are parked on the bridge for the 30 minutes or so that the bridge stays open- people get out and wonder around, etc. Is this good security? Boaters can still navigate close to the bridge via the channel on both ends, and through the center span when it opens. Family fishing fun however, is now off limits.
Pay attention drones.
A new generation is accustomed to being yanked around- their leash is not held by terrorists or foreign governments. They are told they can not use their school lockers. They can not drink until they are 21.
Since I am paying to camp here for the weekend- would it be OK to use- not abuse- alcohol?
NO- see Rule # 2
Americans are winners- We expect a high standard.
A Symbol of Freedom & Federal Government Credibility Alex Hepler photo