Rutherford Sound Off

Who gave the Census people authority to take a GPS reading of every front door of every household in America? I refused to let them on my property but later cought one of the census workers by my front door. How many people know this was being done?

Victory: In 9-0 Ruling in US v. Jones, U.S. Supreme Court Declares Warrantless GPS Use by Police Unconstitutional

2012-01-24T13:46:00.000-08:00

Thank God you won!!!!!!

This is scarry,scarry - even George Orwell never imagined all this stuff!

U.S. v. Jones: The Battle for the Fourth Amendment Continues

2012-01-24T13:44:00.000-08:00

John, while I agree with just about everything you say, I've been working on both face and iris recognition for a long time, and there is nothing on the market that can scan 50 people a minute and get the results. I know that one company has made this claim over and over, but the technology just isn't there. That's not to say it won't be soon, but for now, we're safe.

Some of it can be a good thing in certain circumstances like tracking a
hiker for their own safety in case of getting lost or caught in an
avalanche. Others is just going to far. Big Brother is watching every
second.

Virginia Supreme Court Refuses to Grant Petition for Rehearing in Case Involving Honor Student Expelled for Shooting Plastic ‘Spitwads’

2012-01-23T10:35:00.000-08:00

The public schools in America use no common sense at all! The action they took in this case is absolutely absurd, and points out another reason the public schools are failing. To think that some of the things kids use to do in school 50-60 years ago are now classified as "criminal" is ridiculous. No wonder more and more parents are choosing to send their children to private schools. I hope Andrew's parents will be able to enroll him in a private school -- or will either decide to homeschool him. His education should not be effective by the decision of the school board!

Bill of Rights Day: Are Our Freedoms in Jeopardy?

2012-01-18T13:44:00.000-08:00

Mr. Whitehead,

I didn't come across your (Dec. 16th 2011...I think) op-ed piece in The Courier Tribune until a few weeks ago. Since I feel so alone in the fight for our freedoms, I decided to write to you and tell you there is someone out here that is like-minded in case you too feel alone!!! I know you are most likely a very busy man, so I will not take up too much of your time. However, I would like to mention that the scales fell from my eyes in 2007 when I found out that NC was being used as a guinea pig to test the issue of driver's licenses that contained a RFID chip and computerized facial recognition imaging. Since that time, I have researched the "rabbit hole" and found things that are most frightening to anyone who loves freedom. There is soooo many other things that I could mention, but to cut through the chase, I have found only ONE man who supports the type of government I want. His name is Ron Paul, and I hope despite the negative mainstream news spewing garbage that you will look deeply into his voting history and political platform and get on board in the fight against the tyranny that seems to be coming in like a flood!

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter!

America’s Longest Ongoing War: The ‘Race’ War on Drugs

2012-01-10T11:52:00.000-08:00

I'm libertarian enough to favor legalizing marijuana. But the
"dispensaries" are a farce‹ways for doctors to advertise and get fees for
marijuana cards for "anxiety" and other light reasons, a blight to their
locations, mostly a phony way to get the drug to those who want it. It was
right of the federal government to enforce the law already on the books to
clamp down on these "businesses." The dispensaries are not the solution and
make a mockery of good health care. We who voted for the measure that
allowed them did not intend the result.

John,

I just finished your article and I also have another thought about drugs and what I believe to be their intended distribution. Have you considered how in the last twenty years, which goes along with the financial war being waged, the rampant increase in drugs that have sedated an entire population of young men who in more sober times would have been in a more revolutionary mindset towards all of the brazen political/banking corruption and the losses of liberty that cover present day America.

Mr. Rutherford,

Lo and behold there is a statement, a comment you quote for the Center on Juvenille and Criminal Justice..."California's Criminal system can be divided into two categories with respect to marijuana: one system for African-Americans, another for all other races". Why this statistic alone explains decades, centuries of a racial pecking ordering that even Winston Churchill describes in his biography with the African Negro and his descendants on the bottom of of it in his own
continent!..." The same man who would save Western civilization four decades later, writes Robert D. Kaplan in "Warrior Politics", writes about "brave and honest.....negroes as black as coal" who displayed the virtues of barbarism." He describes the Arabs as the "stronger race" that "imposed its customs and language (Islam?) on the negroes...the Egyptians were strong, patient, healthy...the negro was in all these repects his inferior"...and on he goes in infinite detail about this
dispensation of character as he saw it in all the races in order below the white male, of course. And if you saw Lena Horne's last interview you would have heard her rail at suggestions from Hollywood socialites that she try to pass as an Hispanic in order to have more success in her career and be more appealing to white audiences. And if you saw one of the ESPN specials you would have heard former Kansas Monarch's manager Buck Oneil testify that baseball owners in the National League sent a light skinned 'negro' to Cuba to learn to speak spanish so he could pass and be slipped into the major leagues in the United States in the late thirties before Jackie Robinson was even a high-school graduate!

So you see how one statistic like a good portrait is worth a thousand years of historical truth and in this case verification of the core and fiber of intent and purpose of american culture still deeply ingrained in the collective unconscious of our majority population!

staff,

kudos to the recent article on the failed drug war.

please, bring up this subject that i have never seen in the debate:

everyone says to legalize marijuana and TAX it. why should we PAY for freedom? why compromise? this mentality is far against the concept of Life. Liberty and Property and reverts straight back to over-taxation and promotes tyranny. make the tyrant happy by paying him off?

NO taxing freedom!!!!!!!!

Once again, a very good argument. Where are the teapublicans ? I thought they were all about state’s rights, government intrusion, freedom, economy, jobs and small business.

Thanks

Tanks on Main Street: The Militarization of Local Police

2012-01-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

Arlington Texas PD has a drone now.
Absolutely NO experience with any kind of Aviation in the entire bunch.

Mr. Whitehead,

When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves from tyranny in government."--Thomas Jefferson

Your article was timely and excellent. I too have recently become aware of police militarization even here in Tn. Not only that, but police all over the nation seem to be very quick to slam people down face first for the least provocation, handcuff for embarrassment, stop cars in the most conspicuous, dangerous places with multiple vehicle reinforcements for even a simple traffic violation, traffic traps for small town "open collar politicians" to enhance their revenues and power base.

We are seeing the strong arm of big government instilling fear in it's citizens...and there seems to be no shortage of strong arm bullies willing to help accomplish this endeavor.

Please help save America as we have known it in the past. We must rein in big government. Don't let up and please keep exposing these travesties.

To compare our local police to hitlers army (jackboots, occupying forces) is extremely insulting. I hope you never care about someone who was outgunned by some crackpot strung out on drugs that is killed in the line of duty because his .38 Police Revolver was all you felt he should carry. Body Armor, forget it. We don’t need to “dress them like soldiers”

I am ashamed that I subscribe to a Union Newspaper that carries john whitehead’s column!

2011: A Civil Liberties Year in Review

2012-01-05T13:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the great article on 2011 Civil Liberties Review.

Would have been better if you had included a paragraph on the loss of food freedom. Never thought I'd see the day when wholesome raw milk was poured in the gutter.
And the FDA calls walnuts a drug, while allowing Lay's Potato Chips to claim them as a "heart-healthy snack."

Also, what about medical freedom? As a vaccine truther, I know that parents are being harassed by pediatricians for exercising their freedom not to vaccinate. It's getting worse.

Hi John,

It’s all true, the police state and loss of freedom. What you have written is undeniably true. It is constant surveillance, I know, I’ve experienced it first hand. However, what you didn’t mention was how long this has been active. The constant surveillance state has been active for a long time. People under surveillance, which could be most of us, are under surveillance for extended periods of time, it’s unrelenting. It’s not days or months, it years and even decades. I’m very sincere, it is extended periods of time.

Hello,

I don't know who will be reading this email but after reading the HIGHLY disturbing article '2011: A Civil Liberties Year in Review' by John W. Whitehead (Dec. 27, 2011) I must ask the following question. Does Mr. Whitehead believe there is ANYTHING we as a nation or as individual citizens can DO to turn back the erosion of our freedoms (other than the obvious 'vote them out')? Are we doomed to simply accept these invasions of our civil liberties and the affronts to our Constitution? Is there ANY HOPE for the United States of America?

I realize that everything Mr. Whitehead wrote is TRUE (sadly). But he offers NO hope, NO plan(s) of action so to speak. He leaves the reader with an inevitable sense of doom that we will never again be a nation of personal freedom and liberty, that for which our founders and thousands upon thousands of men and women over generations have bled and died that we might retain.

Can't he offer us any possible solutions? It would be greatly appreciated!

The Christmas Hope: A To-Do List for a Better World

2011-12-30T11:49:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much for your column. More than anything I have ever read, your column captured the essence of my wishes and hopes for our world. In our race to have more and better of everything, much of what defines each of us as human beings has been lost.

America the Battlefield: The End of the Rule of Law

2011-12-13T09:27:00.000-08:00

Great writing that I completely agree with. I would go even further by saying that this can, and probably will, be interpreted to include people who disagree with government. I feel that we are heading toward Germany of old. I cannot believe how asleep we are while all this is going on. I loose more hope with every passing day. The attack on our liberty is incresses daily.
Keep up your great work.

What is there that we can do to fight, after the fact, this law that allows them to detain citizens? I had no idea that this was up for vote in Congress in December. And I understand that it is too late for just contacting my Congressman, although I am going to do that, also.

However, now that I am aware that this has passed and been signed by Obama, what can citizens do to bring this up to the Supreme Court for constitutionality of this law. I found and read the CRS Report for Congress, dated 2/24/2005, titled: "Detention of American Citizens as Enemy Combatants" and I am very concerned to realize that this has been an ongoing dialogue because of 9/11. Homeland Security is bad enough - searches to travel is dehumanizing enough - when and where do American Citizens stand up to be counted and demand the restoration of their freedoms as guaranteed by the Constitution.

Have we been a free people for so long that we now are willing to be brought under subjection because we fear terrorists? Is that all it takes to give up our rights as free people? Fear. So many have died to ensure our freedom, did they die in vain? I don't care the promises of Obama - why should I care about the word of a man - I care that the Constitution that guaranteed my freedom and protection from corrupt governments, is now being laid waste on the words of a man. No, I want my Constitutional rights upheld - the protection of due process, speedy trail, etc.

If possible, please inform me what options are available to me to address this political crisis.

General Comments

2011-12-06T13:09:00.001-08:00

How on Earth can you use the word liberty in the same sentence with Lincoln? He violated our Constitution worse than any politician ever has and started us down the road to socialism and mercantilism. Lincoln ended our constitutional republic and replaced it with a nationalist empire. If you truly don't get it, then e-mail me and I will provide you with a list of books and reference materials that will explain it in detail.

Joe

Dear John Whitehead and everyone there at Rutherford,

Month after month, you are doing a great job there at the Rutherford Institute. Thank you for bringing these issues to the attention of people who might not otherwise notice. I especially appreciate articles such as these, "Ten Years After 9/11: Have We Become the Enemy of Freedom?", "The War on Drugs Has Become the War on the American People," even as I am sad when I reflect on the reality of the situation we find ourselves in, concerning the loss of traditional freedoms that Americans once shared.

The US Government, once sworn to upholding freedom and liberty, by degrees has become dedicated to the proposition that all men are enemies; enemies which require control, leashing, imprisonment, parasitic draining of life, and finally, liquidation and disposal. I love America: the beautiful mountains and shining seas show the handiwork of their creator. But so many in America are robbed and enslaved - or worse, enthusiastic robbers and slavers. Not figurative "slaves", but literal real slaves in real steal shackles, forced to work, or they suffer real, literal torture. And so few can even see it.

Thanks for shining some light in these dark areas of in the "land of the free."

Sincerely,

Doug

And don't even TRY to sell that moon speck!

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2011/1025/NASA-sting-terrifies-elderly-woman

Flack jackets? I'm afraid you continue to be correct -- the country is dying.

Keep up the good work, while you can.

-Kurt

Dear Sir,

I stumbled onto your web site and after reading one of your "Speak Truth to Power" articles I had to read more. Great job. I find it incomprehensible that we don't see more of these types of coverage from the big media outlets...and that the public at large doesn't express outrage over the lack of quality coverage. I'm thankful there are some independent voices out there who are speaking out. Just hoping it will not all be too little too late.

Wanted to thank you for what you're doing.

Mr. Whitehead,

Re: "The transition to a police state will not come about with a dramatic coup d’etat, with battering rams and marauding militia."

Most coup d'états go totally unnoticed, just as ours did; on December 12, 2000 Supreme Court justices' William H. Rehnquist, Anthony M. Kennedy, Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia, and Clarence Thomas were party to a coup d'état in America through their decision to deny the counting of Floridians' votes — in addition to violating Article 21 of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Mr.Ruthorford,

I am a strong and very vocal opponent of water-boarding. I am angry that every Republican candidate for president has directly or indirectly supported water boarding with the exception of Ron Paul.

If you also oppose water boarding I hope you will say so on line and in one of your videos.

Speak Out: America Is a Free Speech Forum

2011-11-28T13:49:00.000-08:00

Mr. Rutherford, After reading the free speech commentary you wrote,I had to unsubscribe from your opinions.This is not to argue the basic right of speech(within the boundaries of the public) and by that I mean people should not have the right to speech that will upset the general welfare of the public square.I'm not going to have a long speech on my belief in free speech,but I think that free speech should include responsible! That's all. We just agree to disagree.

Mr. Rutherford,

I was a supporter of the Occupy movement which had a clear message. It is important, as your video shows, for these demonstrations to have a clear message.

Another good example was the veterans bonus march on Washington and we both know what happened there.

I believe the Occupy movement was joined by divergent groups with different agendas and the original message was drowned out.

The problem with the Occupy movement seems to be loss of message and focus. There is the general problem of health and safety which comes about from long term ad hoc encampments.

How local governments will handle those problems is sill to be resolved.

In many cities, the police behaved badly. The police departments have become a culture unto themselves and call everyone else civilians---a clear sign police departments no long understand their role in society.

The tea party movement was very disciplined and well organized and ultimately taken over by the right wing of the Republican party.

The Occupy movement seems lack the above qualities and its message became lost while folks with all kinds of agendas tried to hijack the movement.

It was easily attacked by its opponents due to the folks who joined the movement with different agendas

For many years, Washington Square Park and the Park at 14 St. in NYC served as places for speeches, talk, argument and so forth.

Rutherford Institute Urges Texas Gov. Perry to Demonstrate Commitment to Justice by Temporarily Staying Execution, Calling for DNA Testing

2011-11-17T12:30:00.000-08:00

I expect this kind of nonsense from Whitehead, because it has become a pattern with his totally uninformed anti death penalty rhetoric. I expect better from Nat Hentoff.

There are solid reasons for the Texas AG and the DA to fight additional DNA testing in the Hank Skinner triple murder case.

There is substantial pre trial tested DNA and other blood evidence, as well as much additional evidence, which solidified Skinner's guilt in the original trial.

We have two confessions from Skinner and Skinner tried to plead guilty to a reduced sentence, all refuting the only defense that Skinner has put forth.

Make no mistake, it was Hank Skinner's decision not to test additional
DNA, pre trial.

Had Skinner known that additional pre trial DNA testing would have cleared
him, he would have ordered it. Look at what the cabal of "test the DNAers"
want us to believe:

That Skinner refused additional pre trial DNA testing, thereby taking the
risk of receiving the death penalty, intentionally, and making that choice
over taking the risk that he would be freed, instead.

Does anyone believe that nonsense?

The allegation that Skinner bowed to his original defense counsel's
demands to not test additional DNA, pre trial, holds no water. There is the
problem of Skinner responding to his counsel "OK, good call, I'll risk death over
freedom". Absurd, of course. Not to mention, Skinner does not bow to
anyone's wishes, unless he agrees with them.

Now comes Skinner, et al, meaning defense counsel, a bunch of "well
meaning" anti death penalty folks, with a smattering of the blindly ignorant,
crying "Test the DNA" - "what have you got to lose, except revealing you are
about to execute another innocent?".

Enter reality.

We already have DNA that implicates Skinner, as well as much additional
evidence that sent Skinner to death row for the murder of Twila and her two
mentally impaired sons.

Skinner's own experts said the DNA evidence against him was solid and that
the blood splatter evidence contradicted Skinner's description of events.

First and foremost, Skinner wishes to live longer, just as Twila and her
two sons did. That is the main reason for the appeals. Understandable.

What Texas is attempting to prevent, now, in testing the DNA that Skinner
refused to test, pre trial, is a very bad precedent, to wit:

In a successful effort to delay his execution, even more, Skinner files
motions to test the DNA material he had previously rejected testing, pre
trial.

If Skinner succeeds, this sets a precedent that, within certain cases,
which can be managed, just so, the defendant will be able to go back and say,
wait a minute, I don't like the outcome of my trial, because of the strategy
I chose, I want a do-over, via new trial or appeals, so maybe I can get a
better result next time.

It is a horrible precedent, which the state must fight and for which all
criminals and defense counsel are drooling over, both for very good and
obvious reasons.

Some in the media, inexcusably, are not presenting those well known facts
to their readers.

It is "the" important and only reason the state is fighting this fight - to
stop criminals, their attorneys and their supporters from gaming the
system, even more.

The state will, eventually, prevail, as it should and a triple murderer's
life will be justly taken.

Citing Concern for School Safety, Federal Court Dismisses Case Against Calif. School that Banned Students from Wearing American Flag T-Shirts

2011-11-14T06:59:00.000-08:00

please make sure the students can continue to fight for their shirts with flags. Why is it that people have to change their beliefs for others? Shouldn't each person do what they believe? We have to not say GOD, or not say CHRISTMAS because some people do not believe in it, so?, then they do not have to say it or celebrate it, but, do not make it bad for anyone else. Let these students wear their shirts and fight for them.

I read the subject article and John Whitehead’s comments. Of course I don’t know everything you’ve said on it, but I suggest we start talking about such incidents in stronger language that encapsulates the essence. I’ve copied my comments on the article below. It would convey a powerful image if we say the school and judge are discriminating, calling the American flag-wearers tolerant people (I understand they were not complaining against the display of the Mexican flag), calling those who made threats bullies and hate-mongers. We should also treat the threateners as what they are: criminals. If I threaten violence against my neighbor, the police will come for me, not my neighbor. The school and court would have them come for my neighbor. What kind of people are we raising here?

“Why are the school and judge discriminating against tolerant people in favor of hate-mongers? They are rewarding the bullies.

“They need to put the hate-mongers in counseling and explain that this is America, and that many Americans are proud of our country, just like they (the students in this school) are proud of Mexico. They need to teach these intolerant students to live peacefully, tolerantly with people who aren't exactly like themselves. And if they hate America so much, perhaps someday they can emigrate to Mexico (or return home, as the case may be).

“If a child gets what he wants by throwing a temper-tantrum, he will never learn self-control, sharing, delayed gratification, or many other character traits that make for a useful, productive adult. Ditto these immature students who can't stand Americans loving America.

“Why aren't conservatives and patriotic Americans verbalizing their actions in such language? It's what it is.

“We need to describe incidents and rulings like this in strong language that lays it out. Right now, the Lefties are winning the PR war by misrepresenting us, but they do it in strong, easy-to-remember language. We need to use the same strength of language when we lay out the truth.”

During the appeal to the ruling of the case vs.Morgan Hill Unified School District you all should associate May 5th with the Battle of the Wilderness. Give it an American historical aspect.

It's Time for All Americans to Occupy Washington, DC

2011-11-10T12:08:00.000-08:00

I know the boss does not read all the replys, but more folks should register and get active in the political party of their choice and not turn their party over to the ideologues of both left and right. Politics is a messy affair but then so is life.

help me contact the occupie movement the protesting that they are doning is all in the wrong placeses. the protest should be in washington agaist the tea party congressional cut cut cut program reublican that whos causeing the trouble. their're sitting up there trying to hog tie president obamha jobs programs so he cant do nothing. we need stoung voceses to go to washington dc and turn up heat to help president obamha i need the movements email address and forward the to the occupie movement let help the president jobs program the the tea party to turn people againt them to free the money and weath away from there greedy hand put demomcrats in upper and lower comgressioal district and re elect presudent obamha

I am a resident of Delaware. I am not part of the Occupy Movement/protest here in Wilmington, Del. I too am concerned about the protester's First Amendment rights to freedom of assembly and speech, but do you really think that right is extended for the purposes of erecting long term, permanent camps on public property when you consider all the health risks and increased crime that comes with that when encampments are made in downtown areas? I read in the news today that there were approximately 150 tents in Oakland, but that number had decreased lately to about 50. That's a lot of tents and how do we know that I like to go hiking and even in the state parks, which is public property, there is a limit to how many days you can set up your tent and stay in any one place. The reason for this is clear to most people, but especially those who are experienced hikers and want to see the public land stay as 'primitive' as possible for other campers to enjoy. The assumption being that when you go backpacking, you probably aren't going to carry a portable potty with you and trash cans and even it you did, probably aren't going to get them emptied regularly. I support the Occupy protesters as I would any citizen protesting, but I don't think they should be allowed to erect a campground in the city indefinitely. I read your commentaries on the encampments that took place in Washington during the Bonus Army protests. I think that was the exception to what most large protest movements are about. They come, they protest, speeches are made, and then they leave. In the case of the Bonus Army, it made sense that they camped until the Congress gave them what had been promised. The Occupy protesters have been promised nothing that has been denied to them. If the big banks impose new monthly fees, then protest by canceling and switching to a locally owned bank or a credit union which thousands of American are doing. I've been a member of a locally owned credit unions for decades and encouraged others to do the same. My auto insurance company recently imposed a surcharge on my account when I added a new driver to my policy and I told them if they do that, I'm gone. They did it anyway, so I took my business elsewhere.

The problem with the Occupy movement, I think, is that there is no defined leadership. Their message seems to be what the media has focused on and the images are graphic and that works well for tv, occupying an area of the city and then setting up tents and no one knows when they are leaving unless they are issued a permit and then we know. As you said in your commentary, "Occupy lacks a coherent message" and that is hurting their cause. Would their message be more effective if they came, spoke and left. The cities are broke, so why should they expect to take a chance with encampments that can turn violent and cause vandalism? I think the encampments are also causing some people to be afraid of traveling downtown, so again, it hurts small businesses in a bad economy.

I read both commentaries posted on the Rutherford Institute web site about the Occupy movement and thought they were good: http://www.rutherford.org/articles_db/commentary.asp?record_id=738
and I agree that citizens should take their message to Washington, DC: http://www.rutherford.org/articles_db/commentary.asp?record_id=740
and I also think that most of the people involved with the Occupy movement have no idea how companies make a profit. I agree and understand why they are upset. There is greed at the top.

O, come on. You are doing practically the same thing that you and Frank Schaeffer accused the Right Wingers of doing, sensationalized reporting and reporting the bad news because people pay attention to that and donate more when they get fired up. I'm commenting on this article that you just provided your readership with, this is just plain stupid if the Occupy movement protesters are aligning themselves with anarchist groups which this report says that they did. The news story that you posted on your web site contains a link to this report:

In a statement Sunday night, police said they had been monitoring the building since Saturday night when they learned attendees of an anarchist book fair held this weekend were aligning themselves with Occupy Chapel Hill and that about 70 people had entered the former car dealership.

The group printed a flier that said: The group printed a flier that proposed a possible new use for the space that would include a free clinic, kitchen, child care, library and dormitories, among other uses. The flier acknowledged they were breaking the law by entering the building.

So why shouldn't they be arrested for breaking and entering a building? The police did the right thing. The Occupiers are victimizing themselves and hurting their cause.

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/11/13/1641362/activists-take-over-vacant-franklin.html#ixzz1diLIt6fR

Cancer-Causing Airport Scanners? Enough Is Enough

2011-11-07T13:41:00.000-08:00

Kudos on another excellent article. ("Cancer-Causing Airport Scanners?
Enough Is Enough By John W. Whitehead 11/7/2011)

Involuntary X-Ray scanners that cause cancer, drones that kill indiscriminately, impersonally and without warning, snipers. These types of government methods for harming people covertly and without warning run afoul of Deuteronomy 27:24.

"Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen." -- Deuteronomy 27:24

Maybe they can just sing a little louder.

Doug

Thank you so much for this excellent article. I have had 2 melanomas removed. I have been reading about the increased risk of skin cancer from these backscatter machines and out of fear of another occurrence, I have refused to fly. I also refuse to allow myself to be sexually molested by government sanctioned perverts. I am enraged that my government is knowingly putting my health and that of my fellow Americans in jeopardy for filthy profit and power/control. I have written to both senators here in Arizona and have received a collective yawn in the form of generic letters telling me how this is all for my own good and necessary for my security. They don’t give a damn about my health or my 4th amendment rights. Government officials are willfully ignoring this and to me, this makes them nothing but accomplices in this crime.

Thank you for using your considerable influence and resources to highlight this issue. Please continue to be a voice for those of us who are being ignored. This issue is being covered up and most people who are herded through the scanners have no idea that they are risking their health just to get on an airplane. Keep fighting the good fight and thank you again for your article. I am forwarding it to everyone on my e-mail list

Sir:

You mention "our representatives" in your column. Frankly, we don't HAVE any "representatives." We have rulers who try to sound like representatives during an election campaign, but upon taking office put off such nonsense in order to more properly rule the masses.

I cannot tell you how many conservative sites send me e-mail advising me to "tell Congress" or "have Congress" or even more amusing, "MAKE Congress" do this or that. Frankly, it isn't possible. I dare say there are a few actual representatives in Congress, but even the best of them start out that way and within a few months or years are "ruling" right along with the rest of them in DC. Of course, what is true for Congress is even MORE true for any presidential administration. These people come into office - and yes, it isn't ONE person, but a cabal who take the Executive Branch - with the idea of "ruling." None of that "represent" crap for them! Again, occasionally some individual does believe that it is his sworn duty to serve the People. Much though he was far from perfect, Ronald Reagan did have that mindset. Sadly, he could no more actually "serve" in the present governmental milieu than he could fly without a plane.

Just as a colored lens changes visual reality, so too, the "color" of DC (government control) changes everything that can and does take place there, petitions, letters, e-mails and phone calls notwithstanding.

Sir:

All that has to happen is for the American flying public to go on a six-month passenger strike. The situation would be resolved very quickly. In large part, the American public is responsible to the abuses at the airports simply because they put up with it.

Dear Mr. Whitehead,

Thank you for writing the article ‘Cancer-Causing Airport Scanners? Enough Is Enough’. I hope you have a very large audience. This is info everyone needs to know.

You ask the question “What will it take for Americans to finally say enough is enough?” But how can Americans say enough is enough?

I have written to my Congressmen. I avoid airports. What else can an Americans do when the TSA has the power to intimidate, harass and arrest anyone with objections? Jesse Ventura has tried to take them to court, and failed. I have participated in local antiwar demonstrations that don’t get reported in the news. The Occupy Wall Street people are not getting any respect. What do you suggest.

Please write an article telling us all what can be done. A lot of people are saying ‘do something’. Do what!.

Mr. Whitehead,
Thank you for your piece on these dangerous devices. I agree with all you have written regarding how the American Public has lost many fundamental rights in the name of security against terrorism. As a retired airline captain I witnessed the theatrical charade of screening both pre and post 9-11. Now the process includes the potential for serious harm to the person because of dangerous X-ray dosage. You are correct that the TSA intends to use humiliation and intimidation to control individuals who don't wish to adhere to their chosen protocol. I was recently rudely shouted at by a TSA agent at a body scanner because my hands touched each other over my head. To be treated without respect is the norm. They may think we will not notice or care about these several indignities but there will come a day when we will collectively say "ENOUGH!"

You conspicuously forgot to mention the cocksucker who made bank off of this scanner bullshit.

ps. he looks like he just crawled out of the pits of hell and is a dual national.

Get off your ass and make an effort once in awhile.

Hi John

Yes backscatter X-ray such as AS&E and Rapiscan make to screen people, create an image from ionising X-ray however the dose levels per inspection are around the same as a dental X-ray, are we going to ban those ? what about CT scans ?

The typical dose rate from a double pose Backscatter X-ray unit is way less than what air crew and passengers are exposed to on one flight for 3 hours at over 30,000 feet, check that out ?

Other forms of people screening by L3 and Smiths Detection are MMW based so non-ionising ! Do some real research, MMW technology is no more dangerous than standing under a light bulb ! Sitting in front of a TV is exposing people to more of a dose ! Look at the radio spectrum and figure it out ?

Let’s deal with evidence. Show us all some credible and peer reviewed clinical evidence that confirms being examined by an airport security scanner has caused a confirmed case of cancer in anyone, we in the real world are still waiting for that – nothing how many years have we been waiting ? The high voltage power cable we all drive under next too or sit under in some public transport options are more of a potential health problem, look at that ?

Exposure to various forms of radiation is part of living on Earth – even when buried you can’t get away from it !

Do some work about aircrew and passenger exposure to ionising radiation when flying regular long haul flights at over 30,000 feet, a three hour flight is equal to being put through a baggage inspection machine – please do your research before pushing a barrow !

Getting out of bed each day can result in breaking an ankle – it’s all about mitigating risk and I don’t know about you, I’ve rather be subject to airport security “even when it’s in the US” than have the aircraft I and my loved ones are on blown out of the sky by mad people !

Occupy America and Friendly Fascism: Life in the Corporate Police State

2011-11-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Rutherford

I'm a recent subscriber to your email list, and although I am not in 100% agreement with you on everything, I am impressed that there are “conservatives” out there who remember what the term is supposed to mean.

I do wish to take issue with one statement in today’s (31/10/11) email, however. You state that

“… what the Occupy movement's "We are the 99%" motto fails to recognize is that the problems we face have to do with much more than economic inequality between the haves and the have nots. Similarly, the Tea Party, which started off with similar zeal, failed to recognize that the problem was not merely Big Government but, rather, the merger of Big Government with Big Business.” http://www.rutherford.org/articles_db/commentary.asp?record_id=738

Whilst I agree that the slogan itself creates this impression, it is by no means true of the OWS’s core activists. I have followed this process closely since day one, and I can tell you that the core demand of the OWS is to break up the corporate state you describe so well. The “99% vs. 1%” slogan is intended to appeal to the folks out there, like the Tea Partiers, who really don’t understand how the interpenetration of Big Money and Big State has brought us to this pass. But I can assure you, there is a very keen recognition within OWS that no single demand will make a difference, because the only demand that matters is that the way decisions are made in this country needs to change.

I encourage you to read some of the links below to see for yourself that consciousness that the Corporate State is the #1 problem is well-developed in the OWS.

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/10/david-graeber-on-playing-by-the-rules-%E2%80%93-the-strange-success-of-occupy-wall-street.html

http://www.dangerousminds.net/comments/first_official_statement_from_the_occupy_wall_street_movement/

http://coupmedia.org/occupywallstreet/occupy-wall-street-official-demands-2009

sincerely,

Ted

John Whitehead,

It sounds like we need to quit asking government to provide food, clothing, housing, good jobs, and anything else except national security and then take upon ourselves all of the things we ought be providing ourselves. If we want even one thing beyond the most bare minimum from the government, it will cost the government money. And that's where the government gets its power: in the name of saving money to do the most good, it can control every aspect of every life. Only when what we want doesn't require government money, when government is not at all in the business of any kind of charity whatsoever, will we escape its grip.

However, the message I hear from others is two fold: why is the government wasting money when it could be helping the poor AND government is controlling us too much. It doesn't make any sense to me that government would be criticized for spending billions on a war except in the context that it robs the people of their personal resources they would otherwise have to take on poverty and health care on their own. Instead, however, the very criticisms of government spending on wars or bail outs are not aimed to get the government out of charity but to actually just redirect itself more to hand outs than war clubs. But this misses the point.

I don't know that I even get from your writing the clarity that government has no business being the individual, acting moral on our behalf. I think the message is that we the people need to take on all the stuff ourselves, and do so privately. And for those who say, "yes, but government is more predictable and can ensure everything equally for all", we have to come back to "only by controlling everything for all". Why do I not hear this message coming clearly from your writings. I've only heard the misdirection of spending, and about American complacency. Where is the clarion call regarding America's relying on themselves, and how the only way to get government out of our lives is to quit relying on and asking them for "stuff", no matter how good it is.

I see no other alternative than that as long as people want their benefits, then the mob, the masses, will attempt to support government efforts to "make em", to force corporations to behave in such a way as to provide what people want, whether it be taxing the rich, penalizing overweight people, you name it. It is our own greed that is killing us.

To make matters worse, in our arrogance, we talk only of our own nation's health care and what ought to be basic rights. However, you hear no one saying, "We are taking the whole boat up, everyone in the world up, at the same time." No, we want rich benefits because we're arrogantly America's and deserve it and them rich people owe us. However, to the rest of the third world, we are the rich and if the rich owe the poor, where are the mirrors we should be seeing ourselves in as someone else's rich.

Mainly, where is the message that we need to immediately stop trying to get social security, education, grants, and everything else from government and do it ourselves at the most local level. You need some things done by government, but not by coercion. People are just not content. Sometimes, it is the do-gooders that do the most dictatorial thing. The "make-em" mentally is hard to bear any longer. If it is the fact that the government, in the interest of efficiency with resources, has the moral imperfection to reduce costs and thus control everything, that is causing our problems.

When will we wake up to our own greed and say We the People are the problem. Just like a store whose prices we don't like, or like high-paid athletes or entertainers: when you don't want them to be paid that, quit feeding the systems that create those pay scales. Quit asking the government for anything, take care of all social issues privately. To do otherwise gives the government fiat power to control everything in the name of money otherwise. Efficiency and promised benefits, therefore, becomes the Trojan Horse of Plenty offered to all the masses, whereby we invite more "make-em" style dictating to "others" not realizing it is actually and always "us".

Bill

while your commentary talks about a police state, which would normally mean a highly centralized state, what is disturbing in these actions is the actions describe are done by local law enforcement and it is now common for policemen to refer to fellow citizens as civilians.

John Whitehead, you are way off base on this subject. The OWS are anarchists without any solutions to the capitalism system that is sorely in need of repair.
The socialist ideas, where in GOVERNMENT is in control and has the right answers for all the people, is wrong. It can only lead to tyranny, without the benefits
we now enjoy. No one has yet has suggested;, buy one share of corporate stock, go to stockholders meeting and ask for a "better dividend", controls on executive pay, when profits arise from foreign manufacture, then restrict executive pay to the foreign pay scales.

you write about the most interesting stuff. as a community development specialist, i have been addressing, researching, analyzing components ot education, employment, housing, healthcare services within framework of economic sustainability in these federated republican states of this us of a.
i support the democratic peoples' efforts to control more greatly the intergovernmental process over which they exercise the popular vote.
not surprisingly, i consider the registered voter the benchmark of this process, without which input none of the occupying forces currently sitting as representatives can claim no right to exist.
i think the time for evolving our democracy beyond supporting the oligarchy, plutocracy that has become the working government/business agenda and evidenced to be in effect since the nation itself was formed predating the disaster of the great depression and subsequent contrivances by these two entities to 'get the money'.
as one who supports participatory democracy, i advocate that all elective, appointive, political civil service positions on all levels of government-local/regional/state/federal-keeping the salaries in place be filled with registered voters whose names are selected at random to serve two year terms, non-recurrent, non-concurrent in all such government positions.
i believe its time to occupy government for its own good and ours.

Mr. Whitehead,

I couldn't agree more that the melding of of government and corporations into an increasingly fascist state is not only dangerous, but unchecked will surely be the end of America.

Yet, the particular #Occupy protests of which you are speaking, I can hardly see as "encouraging'. When one considers the backers, supporter, financiers of this so-called "movement", it is highly suspect. When one considers the apparent motivations of greed, of slackards, of those who want to blame someone else and assume no personal reponsibility, who want both 'freedom' and for 'stuff to be free for all', it's hard to see much to truly like and support. And it would seem to me that much of their anger and directed frustrations, resentments, and protest is aimed at the wrong targets.

The cronyism of Obama and Wall Street, the bail-outs, the favoritism, the marriage of the high rolling financial world with the administration and with many in Congress is where the rage needs to be directed. Really, Wall Street and business does what business does. The problem is what our elected representatives are doing with them and giving to them. That, to me, is what needs "occupying".

Mr. Whitehead, I like your "contrarian" columns. But please do not romanticize "Occupy America" It at times is showing itself to be a bunch of thugs, disrespectful of neutral laws, democracy and good order. When it shuts down a port, it keeps many of the 99% from earning their daily bread. Such conduct deserves firm response that is not necessarily "fascist."

Tuesday night local activists shut down the City Council meeting in Long Beach, CA—the democratically elected local body—by using 1960's-style anachronistic, disruptive, threatening language and actions. This group claims to use "civil disobedience" in order to break city ordinances preventing all-night camping in local parks—rules that apply to everyone and serve public health and good order. Thus, they show ignorance of classic civil disobedience. What "unjust laws" are they breaking that deny natural rights to some while showing favoritism to others?

When they block legal freedom of movement they are a form of kidnappers. When they prevent legitimate earning, they are robbers. When they stop democratic, civil discourse they are storm troopers.

The Vampire: A Historic and Cinematic View

2011-10-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

Is the vampire the FED(and by extension an all too powerful central govt) Is that the power he wields because no one believes the myth as its to far fetched and just a conspiracy theory(the central bank and those that run it)??

Rutherford Institute Calls on Iranian Ambassador to Intervene in Execution of Christian Pastor in Iran

2011-10-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

Allah is a different God. He is God of HATE and imposes his will of control by the Imams. He promises heavenly rewards to those that die by conflict with his enemies. It is the antithesis of the philosophy of the Jewish Rabbi. Jesus of Nazareth. It should not included with those religions that provide freedom of thought. It is a tyranny of body and spirit

District Court Judge Finds Guilty Virginia Man Subjected to Helicopter Surveillance, Unwarranted SWAT-Team Raid of His 39-Acre Property

2011-10-19T07:32:00.000-07:00

So what is the next plan of action?

I guess all of us could be set up with a few dropped seeds on our farms if
we can be charged and they acknowledge that we dont even have to know the
plants are there! Unbelievable.

Chef Nancy

That's horse crap. Good luck on all our behalfs.

The War on Drugs Has Become the War on the American People

2011-10-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

Sir -

You simply don’t understand (tongue firmly in cheek): we are all children needing guidance by our superiors, our betters. After all, how could we live without them?

Take a look at what our superiors, our betters, have done to this nation. Aren’t things much better in the last 40+ years than at any time before in our history?

We need them to continue “leading” us down the road to “utopia” since we are incapable clods and unable to fend for, or take care of, ourselves. Without them, we face an existential threat.

We should be thankful that, in the end, it is Hamilton’s wishes of a strong central govt with a king that have triumphed over Jeffersonian individualism.

Kirk

I read your article on the Internet. Your comments were very appropriate, and your conclusions are correct. While drug addiction is a major problem in the USA, the more serious, or just as serious problem is giving the establishment an excuse for entering a house under this pretext. This extends to the family in general where the state comes between children, and their parents for various trumped-up reasons. The America I, and we grew up in has completely vanished since about 9-11.

The war on drugs has always been a war on Americans. How can we get
politicians to talk about legalizing marijuana? The conventional wisdom
is that being hard on crime gets votes. How do we reverse the world wide
anti-marijuana bias? We have only begun to see any discussion as medical
marijuana is considered and adopted.

Even people who used marijuana when they were young (Obama) are reluctant
to support changes in drug policy because of concern for kids. The
reality is that kids can get marijuana as easily as they can get
prescription drugs from the medicine cabinet at home. I'm pretty sure
that prescription drugs do far more harm than marijuana.

There is zero discussion of the relative advantages of legalization. No
one mentions the fact that marijuana has never caused anyone to die. Your
own article points out deaths from marijuana raids. Drug users are the
new closeted class (used to be gay people). You can't advocate for
legalization due to the risk of job loss or incarceration.

We live in a society where enforcement is the preferred over harm
reduction. This runs all the way from foreign policy to drug testing at
work. We need less police and military and more social workers and
treatment programs. People need help not enforcement.

Drug users and the legal trade of drugs don't do as much harm as
prohibition does. A rational comparison with the affects of alcohol shows
that "drugs" are less harmful.

When I was 20 I thought marijuana would become legal. I still think it
will but probably not in my lifetime (I'm 63). American think they live
in a free society, well, not really.

Thanks,

mark

This truly is a war on some people who use some drugs. In Canada we have a conservative government determiuned to implement the worst of your drug policies

The problem lies in the fact that the Government is trying to use a neutral Healthcare Act to shoehorn its prohibitionist policies on to the public based on a moral attitude towards some drugs. They have neglected to put before the parliament the most dangerous drugs: Alcohol and Tobacco. This would not mean prohibition as the minister is able to make any and all exemptions for any and all classes of users. There is actually no such thing in law as "illegal and legal" drugs. Drugs are inanimate objects and have no agency before the law. These are propaganda tools which have worked their way into even Supreme court decisions. (See my comments to Neil Boyd's article Klaus Kaczor) They end up serving the oppressors by conflating the user with an illegal object and thereby denying them the same rights under common law as the users of the more dangerous drugs alcohol and tobacco. The Minister has no right not to give full effect to the CDSA by not putting these two dangerous to the public substances before parliament (there are no exemptions for historical, cultural or hard to do political reasons), actually it is their duty to do so. By conflating all use of these substances to misuse the peaceful responsible users of these substances are denied their basic equality before the law with users of A&T the producers of which enjoy a virtual monopoly.This is exactly the same as the Jim Crow laws in the 50's. This is not a war against drugs it is a war against "some people." I will be going to court to challenge this law, on not charter, but common law disparity of treatment issue. We are the same class of people. Please feel free to follow my blog "Off the Bell Curve"

Thanks again for your rational piece of journalism

Klaus

John,

Just read your piece in the FFF.

Working as a lobbyist in DC the past six years, IMHO the Republicans will zero out the Medicare, Medicaid and SS budget before they give up on 11 aircraft carriers, 2500 new F-35 and 1.6 million soldiers.

Reason? Usa is Gods chosen country and must lead the world.

Howard

The War on Drugs/Drug Prohibition has been the most destructive, most dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery and Jim Crow.

John,

I believe that the main impetus for outlawing hemp came not from the cotton industry but the paper industry dominated by Hearst who had purchased extensive timber holdings in the pacific north west and saw that a new technique to harvest hemp and turn it into paper without the use of dioxins would put a major dent in his profits. Also DuPont saw that fuel from hemp would eliminate the need for their lead fuel additives.

It would be nice if we made fuel from hemp rather than corn. It would not drive the price of food stock up so much.

A great thing about hemp is that it will grow practically anywhere, doesn't need fertilizer and is pest resistant.

John.

Sir:

Many law enforcement officers have crossed the line and have become public menaces. If a citizens committee decided to take some unilateral action, SWAT teams would become a thing of the past.

Charles

Mr. Rutherford,

I believe that the number of people in prison for drug offenses is much higher. If a person breaks into a house or business and gets caught in the act of stealing property, would this be considered a drug violation? I’m not sure. The problem still remains that each drug offender, crack, heroin etc., is physically addicted. When he serves his time he is released. What do you think he is going to do as soon as he gets out? How long will it take to figure this all out? Great article and thanks for fighting the good fight.

Kelly

Thanks for shedding more light on this egregious behavior.

The significant point is that US citizens do this to other fellow citizens. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t right to do it to the Iraqi’s, … this list is long I expect the SWATs are mostly the same military trained, mentally deranged, that some groups worship as our freedom saviors. Behavior morons watch on TV as entertainment.

I have lived an adult life of chronic, at times debilitating pain – unnecessarily. My doctor and insurance were a Big Pharma and I paid.

Strive to thrive,

Tom

Great article and right on. I am a retired police officer and former SWAT operator for a police department in south Florida. I have seen this kind of tragedy up close and personal. I have since become a member of LEAPS, Law enforcement against prohibition. The war on drugs is a war on private property, American citizens, and it offends the US Constitution. It should be immediately terminated. Drug addiction and use is a health and social problem. It should be managed as such and not a criminal matter. No one should ever go to jail for marijuana. This is just a way for government to seize property, generate revenue and to control non-criminal behavior of the populace.

Rutherford Institute Appeals Airline Passenger, Pilot Lawsuit Against DHS & TSA Over Scanners, Virtual Strip Searches & Full-Body ‘Rub-Downs’

2011-10-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

I appreciate your efforts, In Aug. 2011, returning from UK, TSA treated us like criminals at Dulles. Herding, yelling, using bullhorn, dismantling us, etc.

Pat

Rutherford Institute Warns Against California Legislation Allowing Minors to Receive STD Treatments Without Parental Consent

2011-10-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

Hello John. Here's the nanny state update along with the definition of the
vaccine Gardasil.

California is using the schools to implement their insane 12 year old agenda
with no parental consent. Will they be offering the nanno RFID chip
particles
along with the shot next? Governor Brown has now crossed over the
threshold into
the world of Dr. jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Only a court order can now stop it.
I decided to write you hoping you and your organization could do something.
Thank you for any consideration.

God bless,

Chuck

http://www.infowars.com/jerry-brown-legalizes-12-year-old-children-giving-consent-to-gardasil-vaccine-injections-but-bans-tanning-beds-for-those-under-18/

Gardasil definition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardasil

Decrying Threats to Privacy, The Rutherford Institute Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Declare Warrantless GPS Use by Police Unconstitutional

2011-10-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

Thank you very much for this. Critical in our fight to remain dignified citizens in a nation where you are innocent until proven guilty.

George Harrison: Living in the Material World

2011-10-03T13:45:00.000-07:00

Your columns on civil liberties and abuses of the Constitution are among the best being written these days. This column on George Harrison is perhaps the best I've ever read on the "quiet Beatle." Thank you for all your great work advocating for people whose rights are abused, and for this column.

Wow!! That is beautiful and much appreciated!!!

Thank you, John Whitehead!

Regards,

Jo

…and your point is?

To the best of our knowledge George never did discover spiritual truth. In spite of all his searching and yearning, he sadly walked down the wrong road.

You never make that point.

“He found comfort in spirituality”. But he did not find the truth and it was the truth of the gospel of Christ that would have set him free.

That’s all that matters in the end John.

Dave

The Twilight Zone: At the Threshold of the Fifth Dimension

2011-09-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

John—Wonderful commentary on The Twilight Zone… I was 11 years old when it premiered, and I, too, was utterly captivated and fascinated from the beginning.

Regarding your favorite twelve episodes--- my personal favorite, (not on your list,) was “The Lonely”. Now there was an episode that really spoke to alienation and the need to reach out for human companionship…

Cheers~ Patrick

Mr. Whitehead:

Very well said, sir. My only complaint – and it isn’t really a complaint because favorite episodes are subjective – is that you did not mention “Deaths-Head Revisited,” which was a truly chilling episode, not only because of what happened to Oscar Beregi’s “Captain Lutze” at the end, but because there actually was a Dachau concentration camp.

After the inhabitants, the ghosts, of Dachau, led by Becker (Joseph Schildkraut), stage the trial of Lutze, sentencing him to become insane, which we see happening, Becker tells Lutze, writhing in pain on the ground, that his final judgment will come from God.

As the doctor who later arrived on the scene looks around and asks, “Dachau ... Why do we keep it standing,” we hear one of Serling’s most impassioned closing narrations of the entire series.

"There is, of course, an answer to the doctor’s question. All the Dachaus must remain standing. The Dachaus, the Belsens, the Buchenwalds, the Auschwitzes—all of them. They must remain standing because they are a monument to a moment in time when some men decided to turn the Earth into a graveyard. Into it they shoveled all of their reason, their logic, their knowledge, but worst of all, their conscience. And the moment we forget this, the moment we cease to be haunted by its remembrance, then we become the gravediggers. Something to dwell on and to remember, not only in the Twilight Zone, but wherever men walk ... God's Earth."

I’d say it’s undoubtedly one of the finest half-hours of television ever produced. Those you cited definitely have merit (I’m quite partial to “The Obsolete Man” and “The Howling Man” myself), but, in my opinion, “Deaths-Head Revisited” is certainly among the best that the series had to offer. Rod Serling’s brother Robert later opined that the beautiful “Walking Distance,” with Gig Young as a harried ad exec who suddenly finds himself back near Homewood, the town he lived in as a child, as among his best work, wonderfully displaying his nostalgia for his hometown of Binghamton.

But, I won’t try to debate any further – in part because there’s still another 142 episodes left! Ha.

Best regards,
Tom

Mr. Whitehead,

WOW! Really enjoyed your Twilight Zone article "Are we at the threshold of the Fifth Dimension?"

For me...the best show growing up, the show was right up there with Warner Brother's cartoons and Alfred Hitchcock when I was a kid; I'm still a kid at heart. Today's generation is missing so much not watching those episodes every week. As a youngster, not knowing what a genius meant, I knew he was one!

I remember some of my friends talking about Rod Serling when he taught at Ithica, brilliant man!

The episode that really hits home for me was "The Bewitchin Pool." When I was in 1st through 5th grade my parents fought all the time; I would be up stairs in my bed trying to sleep with a wicked knot in my stomach praying that they would stop fighting. Boy-O-Boy do I wish I had a swimming pool where I could go and be with Aunt T!

Wonderful article and thank you for the memories...

Best regards,

Jeff

Can John suggest or offer a place to get and relive these episodes. Does John recall the episode of the man that was horribly deformed and hideously ugly, but was offered the chance to go to another planet to escape Earth. He accepts and travels to the new place. As he disembarks a very beautiful, young lithe woman meets him and is about to board his craft to go back to Earth, obviously an exchange. She looks at him and says "You are so beautiful and I am so ugly. Will they accept me on Earth?" He is speechless.

Yep, 45 years ago and I remember that one like yesterday.

Bob

Citing Free Speech, Rutherford Institute Appeals Case of State Worker Found Guilty Under NJ Hate Crime Law for Joking with Black Co-Worker

2011-09-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

I am SO grateful you are taking on precisely a case like this. Being charged for a crime based on anything other than objective criteria is wrong. I loathe pranks (because it is very disrespectful and selfish) but I also think that you aren't a criminal based on subjective feelings. Thank you. I really look forward to hearing how this case results. Your the first person I've heard about that is taking on a case like this. I don't hear about much but still, this is welcome, welcome news.

Bill

Identity Ecosystem: Big Brother Logs On

2011-09-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

Guys:

This is one of these days I like the Rutherford Institute. As you might
guess, I happen to agree with this position. Virtually all administrations
are guilty of trying to invade personal liberties. It just so happens that
this particular one wants to add to the "Nanny State" adding "Big Brother's"
influence whilst the last one justified invasion on "national defense"
grounds. Yet, where the ACLU was vociferous during the Bush years, they are
tepid lap dogs to this Administration. They are a left leaning politically
driven entity without real regard for the Constitutional rights "they
trumpet" they seek to protect.

Regardless of parties, Presidents and movements, once we give an "inch" of
our personal liberties they will be forever gone in the precedents and
ratio decidendi of civil rights decisions. The Rutherford Institute
consistently seeks to vindicate rights without regard to proponents of encroachment.

Rutherford Institute Challenges Biometric Photo Requirement for Oklahoma Drivers’ Licenses, Demands Religious Accommodation

2011-09-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

The United Nation's International Civil Aviation Organization, that handles driver's licences, may be the Last and 8th head of the beast. Beginning with the fist world ruler to the last: Babylon, Egypt, Assyria, Medo Persia, Greece, Rome, Britain (the sun never set on the British empire), The League of Nations [that was wounded in it's authority or head], has come back after the head wound as the U.N. and the whole world wonders after it. You have a case for the Beast as well as the mark of the Beast. I hope this helps you.

Zero Tolerance: Appeal Filed Over Suspension of High School Lacrosse Players Charged with Possession of Deadly Weapons (Penknife, Lighter)

2011-09-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

All the members of the Talbot County School Board deserve an award plaque. LACK OF CONSCIENCE. --- LACK OF CHRISTIAN BELIEF IN LOVE AND CHARITY
LACK OF COMMON SENSE --- IMPLEMENTING AN ABUSE OF POWER

E-Verify: De Facto National ID and the End of Privacy

2011-09-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

Mr. Whitehead,
I read the editorials of many authors in my search for information and understanding in my effort to be prepared and to encourage those around me to also prepare. I would like to tell you that your work is some of the best I have found. You are clear, eloquent and always illuminate the lay of the land to your readers great benefit. Thank you sir, for all you do. It is greatly appreciated.
~Kaye

E-Verify is necessary. We must stop illegal aliens from coming here and working. The status quo is unacceptable. We have legal quotas that numbers almost a million people a year for people to come here legally. Surely you don’t suggest we do nothing to stop people from coming here and working illegally. This is insanity.

Ralph

Constitution Day: Is the Constitution on Life Support?

2011-09-12T13:16:00.000-07:00

Per the Sixth Amendment, don't forget that the jury has the right to judge *the law itself* in addition to the facts of the case.

And you are right about education. People are taught *what* to think rather than *how* to think. Please see my essay on education at http://www.alicelillieandher.blogspot.com.

Thank you.

Alice

John

I am a constitutional law researcher based in Minnesota. I was taught how to study and interpret the constitution by an individual that spent 30 years of his life and probably over 50 thousand hours studying and compiling research in this area. He died in 2008 without once ever petitioning the courts.

The State and federal taxing powers. Licensing and administration. Police powers. Contract and property rights. Gun control.

As for the constitution. Its still there. Under most circumstances, it simply cannot be reached because of complicated relationships created through unknown waivers.

An example:

Property law and building codes.

The State, under its police powers has the power to regulate building construction, alteration, or repair. It creates administrative agencies to oversee those activities. Here in Minnesota, as determined by the MN Court of Appeals, the Code regulates the “ACT” of building.

Most engaged in the activity are contractors and engaged in an activity subject to regulation under a license. The Code is written by the same agency that licenses.

The power to license includes the power to regulate under the license.

That would mean that the Code would fall within the context of business regulations. Hence in MN, the Codes controlling statutes fall under Chapter Title “Trade Regulation/Consumer protection Laws”

The Code must be enforced equally upon all whom would fall within its scope.

The law must be enforced within the purpose and context of the political/economic aspects of this States police powers it was created under at its inception.

THE RUB:

Substance over form. What is the State really doing?

Its placing restrictions on one mans right of property through a third party regulatory scheme (licensed activity) by a licensee who lacks property and therefore standing to argue injuries or wrongs or that those restrictions are unreasonable or arbitrary.

It is beyond the competency of the courts to engage in any such collateral inquiry.

In other words, the licensee cannot reach into the right of the property owners as a means to limit the powers of the State to regulate what amount to be a business/occupations privilege. The very powers upon which the Code is created. Judicially untouchable

Moreover, regulation of the privilege under the license poses a political question upon the courts.

The same laws created under the same political economic aspects of this States police powers are being lifted up and out of context and are applied upon the property owners themselves via integration with zoning permits.

Like and similar circumstances? Constitutional/judicial Due Process for challenge of a code violation? Hardley. The law must be enforced equally upon all.

Where then does this leave property and its constitutional/judicial protection?

Unreachable. The power to regulate INCLUDES the power to PROHIBIT under the license. Application to the privilege includes the acceptance of the conditions under the license.

The CONSTITUTION and it protections are irrelevant.

It get better.

The State also has the power to impose an occupation tax upon its licensees. This would fall within the context of an excise or privilege tax. Based on the value of the materials, labor, overhead and profit of the work done.

Instead they call it a permit fee and allow municipalities to contract Code enforcement to LLC’s to save money.

Revenue derived from a fee is a TAX. If the State is prohibited from imposing an EXCISE TAX upon civil liberties (property) (power to tax is power to destroy) how can the municipality hand an LLC the power to derive revenue from a so called fee if they themselves are prohibited from doing so?

Where the power to tax exist in this State, it cannot be suspended or contracted away. It must be collected for public purposes.

AND, if the State has the power to tax the occupation based on valuation of the work done, how can a private for profit LLC move into the constitutionally exclusive sphere of an occupation tax whereby deriving revenue from a fee for private purposes?

Where the power to tax exist the privilege of corporate profit and gain cannot displace it.

HMMM

And what of the constitution?

Again. Irrelevant.

We are all being taxed and regulated as if we are mere trespassers on our own property. And the courts sit by idle doing exactly as they are suppose to....as what is left of this once great republic burns. Think mere procedural due process under a licensed and taxable privilege as distinguished from constitutional/judicial due process involving an activity that is a bona fide civil liberty.

If the law is to be enforced equally upon all, which form of due process trumps? How does the court sit in relation to the “RIGHT” as that right is affected by the enforcement of the law?

Are we to believe that the courts would apply an entirely separate standard of scrutiny upon the codes provisions depending on whether or not an actual right was exercised and possessed?

Sincerely

Mark

Dear John W. Whitehead,

As a Yellow Dog Democrat it was an easy and delightful read of your opinions in your current article. I am a freelance stage director and spend time in lots of different venues. At the moment I am in the small, highly Republican town of Mt. Carmel, Illinois. It is so politically partisan that the local paper is called THE DAILY REPUBLICAN. Seeing your column in this "rag" I almost skipped it, being pretty certain that it probably would be more "Fox News" cant. Happily, I did not skip it.

Thanks for so cogent and well reasoned a summary of what has gone wrong with our country. The only thing you omitted that I would love to see in print is a repudiation of the Supreme Court's right wing majority for ignoring their own bias toward "states rights" and then blatantly intruding into the Florida recount process and thus stealing for Bush an election that most voters thought ought to have gone to Gore.

Keep up the good work.

Tom

Ten Years After 9/11: Have We Become the Enemy of Freedom?

2011-09-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

Mr. Whitehead,

Whatever the actual cause of the collapse of World Trade Center (WTC) buildings 1, 2 and 7, plane crashes and/or fire were not the cause. Architects, engineers, physicists too numerous to ignore - even people with a good knowledge of high school physics - have proved that the collapses happened at near free-fall acceleration (of gravity: 9.8 m/sec/sec). The flaw in the NIST reports is that they computed an average acceleration of the collapses, instead of the dynamic (instant-by-instant) acceleration of the collapses. Any high school physics teacher, with software available free on the Internet, could compute and graph the data points obtainable from on-line videos of the collapsing buildings. I have personally done such computations and graphed the data: points of fixed points on the three buildings after the actual collapses began, rather than at the first buckling and shuddering, with no actual downward movement. The results are inescapable: the buildings met NO significant physical resistance by the underlying floors - impossible unless those floors had had their structures destroyed before being reached by the collapsing floors above. Only an event comparable to a so-called "controlled demolition"could have achieved this result.

Therefore, the questions that remain are: Who? and Why? Your commentary, while accurate, is too timid - and far too late. The fascist state has arrived in the U.S., as it did in 1930's Germany, in the guise of "security". As the German people (out of the belief that "it can never happen here"), failed to recognize early enough the destruction of the Republic, so have the American people. NOT a "democracy", but a Republic called the United STATES of America, as the Founders intended.

Now it is too late! The situation is beyond repair or restoration by political means. Only methods that would result in the deaths of millions of our own citizens by a government determined to retain power. And, just as people like yourself failed to challenge those seizing power while they were seizing it, you will also be late in calling for the overthrow of the usurpers who have seized our nation's government. Your commentaries, therefore, are as smoke in a wind storm - they will achieve nothing of consequence. Those now in power will never yield that power back to the citizenry; only force will attain that goal. And men such as yourself, too weak and too late in their critiques when power was first being seized, will likewise delay the call for decisive action by the citizenry.

Brave words by timid men: Were you "part of the problem", as the Vietnam War-era protesters used to chant? My personal opinion is "Yes", as were most Americans. "When good men do nothing..." You certainly must know the rest of that quote.

Dear Sir,

Very well done! Great writing and the truth too!

It is time for all of America to confront the path that America has been
taken and route out those that are doing it and to take it back to its roots
of respect and freedom. Enough is enough.

Thank you very much for all of your work for us!

Sincerely,
Larry

Mr. Whitehead, you shock me!! While there are arguable reasons why we should not have gone into Iraq the supposed lack of weapons of mass destruction was NOT one of them! Surely you haven't bought into the leftist lie that Iraq didn't have any, you are certainly better than that!! Hussein had and USED his weapons on his own people many times throughout the Iran Iraq war and after and had threatened to turn those onto neighbors. You have much of the Liberal theology in your articles that has brought Christianity down to the level of "just another religion" but you have always had many thought provoking ideas in them. Please don't destroy your credibility by spreading hogwash.

We, meaning in this case John, has done an excellent job of refusing to acknowledge that today's US population is a bunch of profligates unworthy of the nation they inherited. And until we can unbreak an egg, or make butterflies strong, or a charismatic leader emerges, there's nothing anyone can do to change that.

Alas,
Rey

Follow the money. There is a war in this country, but its against the White Christians. There being pushed out of all the sports, tv, movies, name it and you'll see. a negro can committe a crime and not concidered racism. But, if a white man even speaks out against the racist in this country, its turned around. What a bunch of hyprocrites.
On April 23rd, during a debate on immigration law, Congressman John Rankin makes the following statement to the House on the subject of the Jews, which is recorded in the Congressional Record, "They whine about about discrimination. Do you know who is being discriminated against? The white Christian people of America, the ones who created this nation...Communism is racial. A racial minority seized control in Russia and in all her satellite countries, such as Poland, Czechoslvakia, and many other countries I could name. They have been run out practically every country in Europe in the years gone by, and if they keep stirring race trouble in this country and trying to force their Communistic program on the Chrisitan people of America, there is no telling what will happen to them here."
Don't forget GOD took away the Kingdom from the Jews and made their house desolate (Matt.21:43;23:38). They are still enemies of Jesus Christ, this country and its Christians. The white are systematically pushed out of everything great they have done in this country.

When Martin Luther King Reached the Point of No Return

2011-09-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hi John..one of your alltime best. Gives me chills.

Brew

Rutherford Institute Appeals to Virginia Supreme Court on Behalf of 14-Year-Old Honor Student Expelled for Shooting Plastic ‘Spitwads’

2011-09-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

We have these programs because the ACLU and its buddies on the bench have restricted the teacher's ability to use their discretion to deal with kids.

Get the lawyers our of the schools and let the principals do their jobs.

We don't have to get the lawyer's kids out of the public schools because they don't go there.

Give the public school principal the same freedom given to the private school and the problem will disappear.

Alan

Setting the Record Straight: Michele Bachmann, Francis Schaeffer and the Christian Right

2011-08-19T13:20:00.000-07:00

Dear John Whitehead,

We’ve never met, but you might recognize my name, because Jayson Whitehead published an interview with me on the Rutherford Institute website in 2005 concerning my book, _From Darwin to Hitler: Evolutionary Ethics, Eugenics, and Racism in Germany_.

I wanted to tell you that I was delighted to read your article on Bachmann and Schaeffer on your website. I agree heartily with it. I don’t know if you saw my op-ed article on the same topic (published in _Philadelphia Inquirer_, _Ft. Worth Star-Telegram_, _Sacracmento Bee_, _Kansas City Star_, _Modesto Bee_, and elsewhere), but here it is, in case you are interested:

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/17/3844430/bachmann-and-dominionism.html

Blessings,

Richard

The Death Penalty Is a Miscarriage of Justice: It Should Be Abolished

2011-08-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

I am not a dedicated Baptist. I have not been to church for years. I am
67 years old.

I was raised as a Christian and I believe in God and I believe you can
not go to heaven except by Jesus Christ.

I have seen shows on the death penalty and it concerns me.

When a convicted criminal is sentenced to death and he is seated to be
executed, the State provides a priest or clergy to stand by his side and
do whatever he can to get the KILLER to ask the Lord to forgive his sins.

We all know that Jesus Christ died on the cross to have God forgive ALL
our sins who ask forgiveness, no matter what the sin or crime, and God
will forgive the person and he will go to heaven.

THAT, is where I have a problem. I don't want the killer to go to Heaven.

I want the killer to do life in prison and be dead a long time before a
clergy or priest can get the person to confess his sins and ask God for
forgiveness and he straight to hell.

That is my opinion.

you are speaking truth to wimpiness. not having the death penalty is the true miscarriage of justice. endless appeals and the different levels of murder are also miscarriages of justice. the death penalty is not there for justice. once an injustice has been done there is only retribution, restitution, revenge and righting a wrong. in any crime there is only injustice, justice has already gone out the window. and for the taking of a human life, deliberately or in the act of another crime, society has the not just the right but the obligation to demand the ultimate penalty for the ultimate crime. you apologists for murderers make me sick. if the founding fathers did not want the death penalty in america they would have specifically included that in the constitution. they knew it was an effective deterrent and the obligation of society to protect its citizens.

Dear Mr. Whitehead,
While there may be times when people have been wrongly charged with, even convicted of, a crime, the death penalty is not a miscarriage of justice by any stretch of the imagination. The death penalty was a penalty instituted by God to protect society against those who had become so spiritually corrupt that they had degenerated to the level of murder, adultery, homosexuality, etc. No matter who says otherwise, the death penalty is a perfectly legitimate punishment that actually raises the dignity of human life back to the level where if a person takes a life he pays for it with his own. Period. And those who are the family of the victim should get the first opportunity to throw the switch, pull the lever for the hangman, whatever.

What has happened in our culture is we have so debased the value of human life that we simply allow crime to happen with minimum punishment. Courts bargain with the lawyers of the criminal while the victim/victim's family has little or no input into that process. That is a travesty! Godly designed justice is always based upon restitution. Under that system, if you steal, you pay back double the value of what you stole. If you cannot, you are sold to indentured servitude until you work off what you owe. If you kill someone, you die, unless the killing was accidental. Then there are even specific consequences and ways of dealing with that situation.

The commandment, "Thou shalt not 'kill,'" has been so abused by the God haters because the original intent of the commandment was thou shalt not MURDER, or kill without cause. And, of course, the word "murder" in our current culture has been debased to mean any kind of killing, legitimate or not.

You have some wonderful, thought provocing articles, Mr. Whitehead, but this is one area where you are in error. If, in fact, someone is erroneously put to death - and, frankly, I don't believe it happens as often as some would have us believe - then, we do have a God who will sort out the problems when he sends Christ back and we all go before that judgement seat. Those who lie or otherwise cause the wrongful execution of someone will indeed face their own penalties before God, who is a far better judge than we will ever be. Now, before you go into the usual, "Well, then, why don't we let God judge the murderer?" routine, God laid out the law telling US that it was OUR responsibility to protect ourselves using his rules. WE were to carry out the law and the penalties. If, perchance it is discovered here and now that someone did lie and an innocent person was put to death, THAT person dies. It really is as simple as that.

Keith

I was opposed to the death penalty for many years but now I realize the problem is that it takes WAY TOO LONG to carry out. The "Mumia" killer has been on death row longer than the cop he murdered was alive.
Ergo for Richard Allen Davis here in California, far longer on death row than Polly Klaas was alive.
Blacks here in Oakland are 28% of the population but 80% of the crime, in SF 5% of the population but at least half the crime and the same is true of every major urban area in the US.

The rioters in the UK should have received the instant death penalty. Very few innocent people have been executed.
I agree it should be zero but the great thing about the penalty is that none of these murderers will be killing again, it's a 100% deterrent in the case of the particular killers.
I strongly support Ron Paul but there are some nutcases in the libertarian ranks who are out to lunch.
Rothbard strongly supported the death penalty, Rockefeller's takeback of Attica and the LAPD's whipping
of Rodney King. So your leftist intellectual mush is not any official libertarian position.

I wish to respond to this quote: "There is nothing moral or just about the death penalty--certainly not the way it is implemented in America, and anyone who says otherwise is either deluding themselves or trying to get elected by appearing tough on crime."

God told Noah this: GE 9:6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man." The reason that a man should be put to death is because we are made in the image of God. This is a transcendant thing. The reason for doing so isn't disappearing any time soon -- never, in fact.

Interestingly, God allowed David, a murderer, to live. At the same time, God put many to death and used men to carry out these things. Jesus forgave a woman caught in adultery. Thus, it is hard to know how to carry forward the Old Testament commands in that light, really hard.

"RO 13:4 For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer."

Some would say, I among them, that it is a further injustice to force the family member of a murdered victim to, through taxes, pay for the murder to be incarcerated and it is made all the worse when they eat better, sleep better, have better health care, better accommodations (libraries and media) than many of the family members of murder victims. If your family member got murdered and you had to pay an extra $20 a month to feed and clothe them the rest of their life, and if that takes away food from the table of your remaining children, how do you square that with justice?

EX 20:22 Then the LORD said to Moses... 21:12 "Anyone who strikes a man and kills him shall surely be put to death. 13 However, if he does not do it intentionally, but God lets it happen, he is to flee to a place I will designate. 14 But if a man schemes and kills another man deliberately, take him away from my altar and put him to death. 15 "Anyone who attacks* his father or his mother must be put to death. 16 "Anyone who kidnaps another and either sells him or still has him when he is caught must be put to death. 17 "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death."

These are Gods words, not laws made up by man. God is not immoral. These are his standards. I don't see how being opposed to the death penalty itself as immoral can be supported scripturally.

The only challenge for me is to temper judgement with mercy. As James says: "JAS 2:13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"

Further, when a police officer guns down a man who is on a shooting rampage, this is a just carrying out of the command to protect people made in the image of God. He is killed because he won't stop any other way. This is moral. This is just. Do we only shoot to stop a murderer in the act, or, as the Bible indicates, is it correct to mete out punishment for it also, after the fact? Consider this: the Cities of Refuge were to hand over people found guilty of intentional murder, to the avenger. What can be more clear than that?

To follow God is to be both stern and merciful, to order the execution of some and to stay the execution of others. I have to confess it would be a sober thing to actually have to mete out such a sentence. We who are forgiven much do indeed want to be merciful.

I have even considered what I would do if being attacked by someone who can only be stopped from killing me by killing them first. Should I, as a Christian, give up my physical life to give them a bit more time that God may reach them?

What about my family? Do I owe it to them to preserve myself? While I have no zero trouble killing to protect others, yet I struggle about protecting myself if it means killing another?

Do I let a person kill me and take away my children's father and source of support, do I keep me alive for them? Do I instead trust them to God? How do I decide.

If I am to base my beliefs on Scripture, npunishment that includes putting to death a murderer is both just and moral, but it is not to be exclusive of mercy. God himself exemplifies this. It is with intrepidation and prayer that we should carry out our God's standards. We should not apply them with human vengeance, but out of worship and respect for God's laws, his authority and his standards, trusting to him the results. Not for spite. Not to avenge. But to apply justice, in a just way, always mindful of his mercy, yet not to the exclusion of his justice. This is so difficult.

Bill

Yes, this is just another instance -- abolition of the death penalty -- when Left Libertarians and Right Libertarians may agree whole-heartedly with one another. Why, then, do they not combine to "put the screws" to candidates for office, at every level, who stand opposed to the factual, moral, legal, and philosophical reasonableness of abolishing this blemish on the face of our country? Because they are not commonly financed by corporations? Because they do not commonly support a return to the gold standard? Because they are not subsumed by the unthinking/unaccountable tribalism of partisan politics? As you so carefully and cogently point out, there isn't reason or anything else substantial standing in the way of immediately abolishing the death penalty. (Nor, is there anything reasonable standing in the way of a complete reconstitution of our entire penal system.) If like-minded citizens would stand together, the abomination of capital punishment would be gone over night. The profiteers and others who reap benefits from this injustice would be defeated. Do you see a chance that that might happen any time soon? If there is the slimmest chance, it will be because of people like you who continue to beat the drum for sanity and real justice. Thank you.

John Whitehead:

I heard your interview in WVTF this evening.

It sounds as though you have been hanging out with your apostate buddy Franky Schaeffer.

You may make denigrating comments about Christianity, but you know very well the law of God requires the death penalty for capital crimes.

Please take Samuel Rutherford's name off your organization. You'd be better served by becoming a branch office of the ACLU.

Sincerely,

David

You're right. I couldn't agree with you more. The death penalty, as we do it now, is a miscarriage of justice and should be abolished. Lethal injection is just so tacky and tasteless.

The Japanese had the right idea. Instead of forcible execution, we need to bring back mandatory seppuku!

What utter rubbish. So this system must be perfect or eliminated? Will this metric then be used for the entire legal system? The entire welfare system? ad naseum. Has it not been recognized by you we live is and imperfect world? A world in rebellion to its' maker. He had a plan, rejected in the old testament then rejected in the new. Perfection is longed for by all creation so if it's not here and now it will best best to remove evil from the camp once and for all and the ways to determine the evidence, means of judgement and penalties are quite clear in Deuteronomy. Take a peek and then comment on what the Judge of all the earth has missed. cruft

John,

I make an effort to read all your pieces on LRC; I appreciate your work.

Your argument against the death penalty is certainly provocative. The fact that it doesn’t seem to deter the act of murder would seem to lean more toward the fact of the grind of the system, and possibly to the lack of public executions for capital offenses.

However, since God’s word is the final authority, should we reconsider? I’m thinking that your argument could be applied to any civil crime as justice is rarely carried out, much less to biblical standards should one be convicted of rape, theft, fraud, etc.

Do you recall Rushdoony commenting on the plight of the wrongly convicted?

Regards,

Curt

I think the real injustice about the death penalty is discrimination by gender. A man is MUCH more likely to be executed for a crime than a woman who does the exact same thing. Why doesn't this ever get mentioned? If women were the victim of "disparate impact", we'd hear this over and over and over again. But it almost never gets mentioned.

Men are the Rodney Dangerfield of American society. We get no respect.

"It is hard to understand politics if you are hung up on reality. Politicians leave reality to others. What matters in politics is what you can get the voters to believe, whether it bears any resemblance to reality or not."

Thomas

Actually I believe it was George Ryan of Illinois who suspended executions in Illinois. His successor may have signed the legislation.

John.

with DNA evidence catching and trying the criminal is more precise. I'm for the death penalty if it's a 100% air tight case proven with dna and other witness/police evidence. If someone killed a family member or close friend, I'd personally want to see the perp dead and out of society for good, and so would most, except the liberals of course.

-- L. A.

"There is nothing moral or just about the death penalty – certainly not the way it is implemented in America"

Mr. Whitehead, I quit reading your column at this point. No need to read further to know that we are in complete agreement. A quick scan told me that I am familiar with the anecdotal support for your position.

I have long been a believer that the death penalty--justly applied--is morally tenable in a Christian ethos. Jesus, on the cross, did not tell either thief that he was getting a raw deal. (As for His unjust punishment, well, that is utterly unique and beyond this interlocution.)

The late John Paul II (even as a Catholic, I refuse to call him "blessed," for reasons that are another discussion) left the door open the merest crack for the just application of a death penalty. However, his general disparagement of the modern death penalty was technologically-based: suggesting that the state of the art of penology was such that society could be sufficiently protected from the lethal depredations of convicted "stone" killers. Unfortunately, that logic offered no protection whatsoever to fellow prisoners or to prison staff--who are, after all, members of "society."

(Was Jeffrey Dahmer saved? We'll never know, in this life. However, he might have been saved, had he had to face the executioner. And the fact that his fellow-convict murderer faced no lethal consequences for the murder is immensely problematic.)

Anyhow, there is no question at all that our American system of "justice" is light-years from achieving even the general intention to mete out true justice. For that reason, I years ago abandoned my stubborn--albeit qualified--defense of the death penalty in this country.

I admire your work and your writings. Thanks for reading my thoughts.

--
Mark

Dear Mr. Whitehead,

I am a college freshman at UCLA and trying to get my blog (bunburydave.tumblr) going and trying to get into nationally syndicated journalism. I came across your article after being referred to lewrockwell to read about Ron Paul being under appreciated by the press-which he is.

I just wanted to point out this particular line from your article: "...there are 1,371 blacks on death row (42% of the total death row population) despite the fact that blacks only make up 12% of the U.S. population."

It was very misleading to include that blacks make up 12% of the population when the pertinent statistic would have been what percentage of criminals in the United States are black, because only criminals are eligible to be committed to death row. Also, you did not acknowledge any counter argument. Just a little constructive criticism.

Josh

John:

You know I love you and your work.

But on the issue of abolishing the death penalty I believe you are wrong.

First the death penalty is Biblical. You know that. Second, nations and societies that fail to execute capital punishment incur God's wrath, 'blood guiltiness'.

That said, I realize the state - US government is screwed up big time and has executed people wrongly. However, that is not to negate the clear Biblical and historical precedent for capital punishment.

The Bible clearly states that those who fail to administer capital punishment properly at then subject to that punishment. Go back and read Rushdoony's the Institutes of Biblical law on this.

Rather than abolish the death penalty, we should demand it be carried out properly, and if it is not those involved in injustice should be subject to it. That's the proper solution.

When you can make a Biblical and historical argument against the death penalty, I'll listen, but to say because the EU has abolished the death penalty so we should too is a poor argument (and you know it).

To think that Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dalmer, Charles Manson and others don't deserve the death penalty is not only unBiblical but irresponsible.

I greatly respect you and your share with you your fear of the state using its increasing power against its citizens. The answer is to correct this over reach, which its a root cause.

Once again, I greatly respect you and your work. I think you are seriously wrong on this issue and that such a position hurts the institute and damages it's standing for truth and righteousness in the Christain community.

Love you and the Institute.

Gary

In a recent article on Lew Rockwell's web site you write, "Even if most of those condemned to die prove to be guilty, if just one innocent person is wrongly executed, that is still one too many."

I think by this logic one could never justify a death penalty, which is clearly a result at odds with the scriptures.

God seems to equate wrongfully letting the guilty live (which you support, with regrets) with putting to death the innocent (which you think is utterly intolerable to the point of prohibiting the death penalty). Both should be avoided, of course, but mistakes will be made, as God (of course) knows. Your balance would seem to be that one innocent death outweighs letting dozens (hundreds? thousands?) of guilty people live. That is a very common standard among decent and godly men but one I feel is unbiblical and humanistic.

For a good articulation of what I'm referring to, consider listening to the following:

Casey Anthony: Soulless Murderer by Phil Elmore

http://kgov.com/bel/20110707

Thanks for giving this some thought. Enjoy your writing and have for years.

Frederick

Mr. Whitehead,

You make a pragmatic case for the abeyance of death penalty executions. However, unless God is in error himself in having governments do them, the idea remains that if one man sheds another man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God was man made. Further, if such punishment is swift, it brings terror to evil doers said Solomon. The way our appeals processes go, it makes the "swift" part practically non-existent, and thus renders the penalty (if it ever comes) not the deterent it would be. The Bible is clear that justice, if swift, is a deterrent. There is no arguing that. It makes clear the standard that those who murder deserve the death penalty, as the Cities of Refuge give up those who are not found innocent to the avenger of blood. But we do see mercy for David who ordered a murder, for God did not order David's death, the God who declared the standard. Jesus did not stone a woman caught in adultery to death. Those two things, together with your pragmatic considerations leave much room for viewpoints on this. Include the fact that God did not carry out the death of Adam and Eve swiftly but over time, givng them time to repent and call upon God. Perhaps in your conversations, you might speak to the ideal, and the Biblical truths, even while we acknowledge the pragmatic current limitations. I must not be so idealistic that people die needlessly for it. Yet we must not be so pragmatic that we let go of a standard that is fitting. We ought hold both. That's the best I see it. Thank you for explaning your viewpoint more thoroughly.

Bill

Best if all the very bad people are given the opportunity to commit
suicide. Start with the guy in Norway. At the end - God will judge us
all so if there is any doubt; then
the sentence should be a life term

Rutherford Institute Urges Gov. McDonnell to Reconsider Virginia’s Death Penalty Policy, Stop Jackson Execution

2011-08-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

Gee Guys? Rape and murder of the elderly isn't worthy of the death penalty? Reformative JUSTICE? Where was the justice for defenseless 88 year old Ruth Phillips?
I guess removing the Ten Commandments from site in public education removes any serious mind damage to those who don't see them-- and yours too?
Has TRI gone mad because those you are pandering to are not going to provide financial aid to your ill focused defense!

No doubt he deserves to be punished? And rate of recidivism on such people who are placed in peril by "reformative Justice?

DD

I have enjoyed reading many of John's opinions and have found myself agreeing with a vast majority
of them.
This is one that I find myself in opposition to. My reasons are the following.

One: For crimes of this nature, I am in favor of the death penalty.
Two: The heinousness of this crime cries out for this type of penalty.
Three: There are many in our society who have been subjected to abuse as children who
manage to live out their lives without committing acts of violence against others.

What if the jurors had been given a "complete picture", of the abuse, his attorneys claim Mr Jackson
was subjected to as a child, and the jury still found for the death penalty?

If one is opposed to the death penalty, for any crime, then those in opposition will always argue that
the guilty have not received a fair trial, or that there are mitigating circumstances to warrant undoing
a lawful verdict.

Sincerely,
Stephen

Is the Christian Right Getting Fooled Again?

2011-08-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

Aloha Mr. Rutherford!

This is yet ANOTHER article that makes me thankful I receive your newsletter! Mahalo!

I know you are a man of faith, and yet you choose not to blindly follow the "men" that profess "I am the way..." I respect your honesty.

I never quite know what to expect in my inbox, and that does intrigue me... Writings like this, documents and speeches from King, actions from J. Wallis, writings of John Deare, all move in the direction that Christ laid out for all to learn from... Too bad the riches of life enthrall so many...

Keep up the good work, Sir,

Malama Pono,
Mike

Thank you for posting this. I don't know how many Christians will read it much less heed your caution. I believeas a Christian who has a bit of Spiritual Discernment, that Rick Perry is a shrewd and consumate politician who will use every trick in the book, even if it means trying to decieve the people of God.

Bettye

You email is a good one but let me say this as a person whose family The Bowery Sullivans have been involved in politics since 1890---all Churches become somewhat political and at the turn of the century Irish Catholic priest asked the parishioners to vote for Tammany as it looked after the immigrant and Jewish district leaders and local politicians always worked the local temple.

We have had priests and ministers involved in the ant-war movement and run for elective office.

All of this without disgracing their cloth like Fr. Coughlin or Fr, Feeney.

I do believe that Rick Perry is treading on dangerous ground and is exciting people who call this country a Christian country. Very dangerous.

Tim

Was not Joseph raised to power? Moses? Joshua? Paul? Paul was a powerful person before his conversion. He used that power when he needed to, calling on his Roman citizenship etc. Maybe the reason Jesus was not more political was because he knew his ministry in the flesh was not going to last long. Many Christians believe their lack of involvement, years ago, is at least partly to blame for the mess we are in in America, today. Jesus must be lifted up in all areas of life, including politics.

I am a retired pastor living in an eastern Tennessee small community. We live among good people, yet they are not known for progressive thoughts and actions. Your articles (especially the one published on August 12: "Is the Christian Right getting fooled?") are very welcomed. Many thanks for your continued thoughts and reflections as you challenge us as a gadfly. Peace and Hope - William

Television News: Are We Amusing Ourselves to Death?

2011-08-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

I totally enjoyed reading your two part editorial on the Media. We get it in a small town paper(The Pilot News). In my lifetime I've seen the media go from real reporting to the garbage they now spout as the news. In my own situation of being an Amateur Radio Operator, I've learned to look elsewhere for fact on shortwave, but even here you must have the salt shaker handy. It appears that the purpose of the whole thing is the dumbing down of the American Public so we will sit and be complacent little "subjects" with no mind of our own except what we are told by the talking heads of the networks. The edited stories of the news should start with "Once upon a time....".

I look forward to your further articles. They are read and discussed here in "flyover country".

Frank

Hi, Mr. Whitehead,

I am for freedom and agree with much of what you say. I agree with what you say about television "news" being little more than entertainment. But you also list Sean Hannity among some of these "entertainers" and I would like to ask you to reconsider. I also wonder why you have chosen to include him. Mr. Hannity speaks out for freedom, like you do. He delves into the issues and the lies of the mainstream media and shows how we are losing our freedoms. He informs us of what is really happening in America so that we can take a stand for what is right.

You include Mr. Hannity in your judgement of : Yet these talking heads are little more than Wizard of Oz-like front men for the powers-that-be, the mega corporations whose sphere of influence extends from the newsroom to the nexus of political power, Washington, DC.

Please do not attack and criticize people who are also fighting for our freedoms as you do, just because they may use a different medium then you do. Mr. Hannity is reaching people with the truth.

Again, I ask you to please reconsider attacking people who are fighting for truth and freedom in America.

Thank you,
Theresa

Your article which appeared in a local Wisconsin paper as "TV news gives a biased view of the world," was read with interest and appreciation. However, I believe that the article would be more accurate and pertinent if the following were eliminated or revised.

"In our media-dominated age, news personalities such as Bill O'Reilly, Chris Matthews, Sean Hannity, and Rachel Maddow, among others, dispense the news with power and certainty like preachers used to dispense religion and boast vast viewerships that hang on their every word." I have never felt these personalities were. "...dispensing the news." Rather, it is opinion, commentary, ideology, etc. Often their presentations are bracketed by opposing points of view. There is abundant evidence that the "NEWS" is biased. There is no need to created "straw men" to prove your points.

"Clearly, there can be little hope for objective reporting in an environment ..." A M E N ! "

Howard

Dear Staff,

Your institution espouses dedication to addressing serious issues ignored by the main stream media. What a joke. Where were you guys when Obama’s association with Bill Ayers, a know domestic terrorist, and Jeremiah Wright, a black liberation theology proponent, were being overlooked? Where were you when government influence on financial institutions forced them to provide home mortgages to people who could not afford them, thus creating an economic downturn with global ramifications? More recently, where is your expose on HR4646, a bill currently being snuck through Washington which puts a 1% tax on personal bank deposits?

Your president, John Whitehead, tells us the main stream media does not provide credible news. He indicates we need to go on the internet for the truth. He refers to Arianna Huffington as a vanguard in integrating news with social media. That reveals your true political slant, which is obviously based on a very socialistic agenda. Credible? What a joke!

Respectfully yours,

Joe

Dear Mr. Whitehead:

Thank you for your column on the news media lacking investigative reporting and news. I was talking Wednesday to a group of senior citizens about Montana's historical lack of investigative reporting due to Anaconda Copper and its electrical arm Montana Power owning the papers till out-of-state corporation bought the papers to sell ads, and TV news no long subject to a fairness doctrine. A gentleman in the audience said, see Whitehead's columns in the current Belgrade News. I looked, and there was your excellent column -- on the page facing my own guest opinion piece on social security law in Montana in 1923. I appreciate the work you are doing through your column and institute. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Anne

The Plight of Marco Sauceda and the Loss of Our Freedoms

2011-08-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

You article amazes me. Of all the examples to use about our civil liberties and you choose to write about an Honduran immigrant who speaks no english. The police were called there because a concerned neighbor saw a man kicking in a door. Even the most prudent of liberals like yourself should see that the police were obligated to respond and investigate. The police, probably speaking english....god forbid, instructed the man several times to show himself. He didn't. So the police handled it. A police invasion? Not at all, they were called, they responded and had a duty to investigate. Not the fault of the police that the man doesn't speak english. Poor poor Mr. Sauceda. If you want my sympathy you wont find it for an Honduran immigrant. You make it out like the cops were monsters. Like they were just driving along and picked out some illegal immigrant to mess with. The best part of your article is when you say, "When the police did finally get Sauceda out of the bathroom, they pepper-sprayed him, shot him with a pepper ball gun and wrestled him to the ground." WOW. The police probably did it for no reason. I'm sure the Honduran immigrant who speaks no english and has the mind of a child was totally cooperative. I'm sure the police probably just got done watching porn in their cars and decided to kick the crap out of a brown person. Very compelling human story.

You and other Liberal minded folk often speak of revolution, not in the war sense. But that each individual is responsible to guard our freedoms and not let the government take that away from us. News flash........most people are sheep. They are scared. They want to wake up, drink their coffee. Put the kids on the bus, go to work and not be bothered. I, like you desire change. But our children are raised to be politically correct and passive. Do you think our Founding Father's were passive??

No, i don't think they were. They believed they could make a difference, they could stand with other Patriots and fight off oppression and tyranny. That passion is gone. Most don't have the intestinal fortitude to fight. I served my country in the Marine's and have a deep love for this country, as you do. Today I serve the Commonwealth as a State Trooper, and have been one for nine years. I have a wife and 3 children. I do it because hopefully i can make a difference and ensure a brighter future for all of our families. But sometimes when i read your paranoid articles about the police and how they misuse their power, it makes me mad. I am not blind to police corruption. But most of us are good honest people. Who love this country. But it is a difficult job. Especially when people don't trust us.

I look forward to hearing from you. I know this was a little sarcastic but obviously we have different point of views. I respect your views and agree that our government may not always be on our side. But the police are pawns in a bigger struggle to take this country back. I desire a revolution. One that will change our government. But I, like most other Americans, have jobs, families and have bills to pay. So i guess it will just have to wait.

I will continue to read your articles.

Sincerely,
Matthew

Mr. Whitehead,

I read today your excellent column in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Very well said. I have added you to my short list of modern-day American Patriots. At this point my list includes You, Deroy Murdock, A. Barton Hinkle, and the entire Richmond Times-Dispatch Op/Ed staff.

"The similarities to pre-Revolutionary America are startling." What is even more startling to me is the complacency of a people that call themselves free. You are right. This persistent creep of tyranny has been so slow that it has lulled us to sleep. So many of us have ceded our free will -- to the common good-- for so long, we no longer recognize tyranny. This theft of liberty, and autonomy, is exactly the same type of violation that ignited the American Revolution. Yet, today, we shrug it off as if it were nothing.

"Every successful revolution puts on in time the robes of the tyrant it has deposed." Barbara Tuchman

I eagerly await your next column. Godspeed my friend.

Sincerely,

Kevin

p.s. Please, if i might indulge you a bit further and quote Orwell. "Sometimes it is the duty of intelligent men to restate the obvious." Duty calls you sir. I humbly suggest that you get on with it.

"The U.S. Supreme Court effectively decimated the Fourth Amendment in an 8-1 ruling in Kentucky v. King by giving police more leeway to smash down doors of homes or apartments without a warrant when in search of illegal drugs which they suspect might be destroyed if the Fourth Amendment requirement of a warrant were followed."

This ruling is very disturbing. What is the point of having a 4th Amendment? how could 8 justices rule in favor of unlawful entry? What can we do to reverse this? I've lived in communist countries in my work, and it is normal for police to smash down doors whenever they like - and now the U.S. is no different.

Kurt

"In a very real sense, we truly are back to where we started in those pre-Revolutionary War days, seemingly having learned next to nothing from those early days of tyranny at the hands of the British crown." (The Plight of Marco Sauceda and the Loss of Our Freedoms)

Exactly. And it's been like that for decades, in my estimation. This is a major, major problem for Americans, even if few recognize it.

Not much difference in freedom from London, London Ontario, and Loudoun County.

Doug

Dear John

For some time it has seemed obvious to me that the goal of government was to criminalize the population. Once we have all been individually maligned, impugned or discredited we will distrust each other and view one another through a cloud of suspicion. This will allow the government, through legislation and a dependent, subservient police force to peel away the most egregious objectors to totalitarianism in the name of public safety. Even if we know that it is wrong, the pall of guilt cast upon everyone (aided by a complicit media) will paralyze us into inaction. As that begins to happen, Mr. Sauceda was just a "disposable" test case, I am going to miss you.

Sincerely,
Paul

USA is an evil torturing nation of it's own innocent citizens

And that is the damn truth.... 100% truth.

I am talking about many thousands of innocent Americans who have been put on a totally Unconstitutional 24/7/365 Patriot Act Sanctioned Organized Stalking Program-- where they not only surveil you, they vandalize your property, character assassinate you everywhere you go and in your home and hotels they bath you with painful directed energy weapon assaults. I have found numerous cops involved in this... retired cops, marines, former military and they have used these same type electronic torture weapons on my 78 year old mother when I stayed at her home in San Diego for a time after getting driven out of my home in Nashua, NH by extremely painful directed energy weapons. So don't tell me this is a good country.... we have an evil Government and through decades past the government is no better than the people who have been in charge. In the United States today--- across the entire nation, Americans charged with no crime, under investigation for no crime are having National Security Letters issued against them and mostly for vigilante- vendetta reasons that has nothing to do with terrorism. This can be kicked off by people in the government who are using the program that was most likely developed to deal with sleeper cell terrorists as a vendetta tool for gripes they cowardly cannot handle as a man or woman so they have their adversary in some non terrorist related issue put on this fucking program from hell. There is a shitload of people going through this. I am only one. And I am not putting up with i,t I can guarantee you that.

Once the Posse Comitatus Act was suspended in 2007 this kicked into high gear by war mongering self righteous evil bastards who think they are protecting America from terrorists when in reality they are torturing and harassing innocent Americans.

A bogus SAR report and the an NSL is issued... you have no day in court and then you are put on this goddamn program. God Bless Stasi America.

This Government is torturing thousands of their citizens.... You tell me that is a good government. There are a lot of websites that explain what is happening with this. This one I think is the most accurate. The website is by married couple with 3 children and they too have had to move around the country to try to get some relief. Which really doesn't work.

Sheriff Bill Gore in San Diego said " his name does not come up in my computer", after he ran my dob, ss#. drivers license number. And yet in San Diego I was hit with both government sponsored Patriot Act organized stalking 24/7/365 and painful directed energy weapons torture for hundreds of night and watched my 77 year old mother as she would be crying from the pain saying, " why did you bring this to my house." Captain Peter Segal of the Nashua, NH police Dept said " you are not under investigation for any crime." And my story is one of many thousands.. and growing Americans being put on this harassment, provocation, torturing 24/7/365 program.

So you look into this you moral high road truth seekers-- And let's see what the hell you do with the SPIN on this --- and then you will find out if what I am saying is the fucking truth or just stay Government Propaganda Specialists.

http://www.torturedinamerica.org/

Jeff

Just read this Op/Ed from August 1, 2011. Thanks for speaking up. I am really upset at the destruction of our personal liberties. The strip searching at the airports is one example. The government using imminent domain to steal people's property is another. The city of Raleigh sends letters to elderly in their 80s threatening a lawsuit if they don't sign over their property for less than 50% of the value the city assessed the property for tax purposes. They always time these letters to arrive right before a long vacation like Thanksgiving or Christmas to torture the recipient to the max. The reason for the imminent domain - to build a 50 foot wide bike path down the center of their property.

How's this: I'm driving down the Interstate. A driver in a one ton pickup truck who had been going 85 mpg earlier up the road is now blocking the highway, cruising at 55 (70 mph speed limit) is the left lane, neck and neck with another car in the right lane. I pull between the two lanes to try to see around the two vehicles. A state trooper pulls me over. First words out of his mouth: "Where are you going in such a hurry." Duh, I wasn't going anywhere, was I? So I answer "Nowhere." Answer seems obvious to me. I was going nowhere fast before he pulled me and nowhere at all sitting on the side of the road. So he gives me a ticket for following too closely. I'm wondering, what the hell does that mean? Where is his subjective data supporting that? I am 55 and have not had a traffic ticket in 39 years. Over the following days, I ask friends, including a coworker whose husband works with this state trooper, just what does that ticket mean. They are all amazed and say the only time they have ever heard someone getting a ticket for driving too closely is when they are involved in an accident. So I go to court, on my birthday, using up one of my valuable vacation days. About 80% of the people in traffic court are black. I am white. But I find it very suspicious that there is such an imbalance of blacks in the courtroom. I sit there all day. About 3 in the afternoon, the trooper comes in. He is frustrated to see that I came to court. There is a hurricane on the way. He tells me I can either come back another day (because the court will not have time to hear my case) or I can plead guilty to something about driving with improper equipment. So I can either lose another vacation day, or plead guilty to something I am not guilty of but which won't raise my insurance rates like following too closely will. What kind of choice is that? The other blacks I had been talking with over the day say to keep fighting because it is so bogus. But I decide I would rather pay the $100 court costs and keep my vacation day. It was so depressing and difficult to plead guilty when I was not guilty. I stood up there and cried. I looked at the clerk of court in disbelief and could hardly get the words out of my mouth. I was raised to tell the truth and here I was being forced to lie under oath. As I am standing there mute, looking at them, and the clerk is saying quietly, "plead guilty". It was such a violation. The one positive, now I understand why the jury found OJ innocent. I was treated better than alot of those blacks that were in the court. One man had driven over 100 miles to appear in court, and they were going to make him come back another day. My coworker whose husband is a state trooper with the man who cited me said he is known among his coworkers as an asshole. I wrote a letter of complaint to the state government. Nothing was done. This occurred in Halifax County NC. There is no justice in that county.

Here's another. We filed for our tax refund from the state of NC. They never sent it to us. We kept asking for two years. They sent a letter saying we owe them more money. Our attorney says to them, just deduct that from the refund you owe them. NC won't do that. My husband says he and the attorney will handle it. He still believes you can get justice from the government. In the end, the state of NC confiscated the money from my paycheck - over $2000. They still had three years of refund check they had not sent us. So I told the attorney I wanted to know why they took my money. I sat there in his office refusing to leave. He called the state of NC Revenue. Spent one hour getting bounced from person to person back to the original person to another person. They kept saying they had mailed the check but they could see it hadn't been cashed, but then they had mailed it again and so the check was in the mail. You and I both know there are lots of liars who say the check is in the mail when it isn't. But at least they finally put the three years of refund checks in the mail, because we got them within two weeks. I'm still out the fines and interest they had confiscated from me (the over $2000 stated above) and the attorney said they were wrong in their assertion that we owed more money. No one has told me just what the problem was. Another example of the poor tax code - in that same phone call, we clarified that we should not have to pay an additional $25 because the attorney had not signed on a line that the form said did not need to be signed. The government worker thought it still should have been signed but admitted that it was not required to be signed. So we won't get fined $25 and then get fined interest and penalties and get money confiscated etc.

And then they wonder why the TEA party is around.

Don't ask me for money. I just wanted to tell you my story. We are all slaves working to support "massa" government.

VIPR Searches and the American Citizen: 'Dominate. Intimidate. Control.'

2011-07-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Whitehead,
I received a copy of your article, condensed via email, from 'Western Journalism' and 'World Net Daily.' After reading their short version, I found your full article. It 'says it all' ...if only people would read'n heed.

I often repost emails that I receive on to my blog and forward some of them to others, which I did for the condensed version email version of your article that I received from WJ/WND; however, after reading your complete article, I felt that by adding it on to my blog it would be futher disseminated and read by folks who visit my blog (not many, but everyone counts.)

First, let me say as that I was encouraged by your article in that it lets me and friends know that we are not alone in our view of the "state of America." Media pundits abound, but few have come close to expressing some of our concerns as well as you have done.

I'm retired from U.S. Customs in 1993 as a Special Agent (after 23 years.) I worked at New Orleans, St. Thomas, Jacksonville, Fl, HQ, the D.C. field office, at the Glynco National Training Center, and last here down in the Imperial Valley of California along the Mexican/American border in Internal Affairs until I retired. Having gotten lots of search warrants, made many arrests, seizures, fines, penalties at various duty stations, law enforcement and its application on the citizenry is 'old hat' so-to-speak.

As my police experience grew, I noticed a gradually change in federal law enforcement's expansion of "power" over 'ordinary citizens.'

Early on around 1970-1972, while stationed in New Orleans, some of us agents participated in a minor way, in testing the then new passenger 'walk through' metal detectors. I was becoming somewhat suspicious of what I now call, "unintended consequences" of the potential to eliminate, what until the early 70's what was normal for the times which was the ablility of a passenger with a picture ID to carry firearms on board an commercial aircraft. I presumed, rightly, that with the advent metal detectors, along with the then threat of Muslim terrrorists 'tail wagging the dog' results of their hijacking, that carrying a weapon on a flight was to be short lived. It was.

Back in the early 70's, before the days of 'sky marshalls', there was a (then) secret program of putting some of us Treasury agents (and a few FBI) on international flights to counter hijackers. I never quite understood the basis of our 'bottom line' authority, though it seemed a logical thing to do; however, the rules of engagement were telling. In order of priority from most important (1) to least important (4):
1. Don't screw the stewardesses.
2. Don't drink before (as I remember) 8 hours before a flight.
3. Don't fall asleep on the plane.
4. If you shoot, kill on the 1st shot.

Luckily, none of us that I flew with encountered a terrorist.

Later, in the mid-70's we were briefed on the then new, Currency and Transaction Reporting Act (COTR) which was supposedly written specifically to target the remnants of the 'La Cosa Nostra.' Some of us asked the U.S. Attorneys during training sessions on the new law as to whether we had to identify targets as being criminals or would the law applied generally to all citizens. Some hmm-hawwing later ...all citizens.
It wasn't long before anyone traveling in/out of the U.S. had to declare any money/negotiable instruments over $10,000. (Of course, we were to tell the citizens that IRS wasn't involved. (That too, went by the wayside later.)

Somewhere around the late 80's, we were briefed occasionally on changes about how we could develop probable cause to obtain search warrants in situations with in the past required us to clearly, without a search warrant, to stay off of a person's private property. The "new" training was about how we could intrude onto peoples personal property (curtilage), without warrant, to observe 'suspicious activity' in order to develop "probable cause" for search warrants. This was explained as even allowing us to cross on to personal property regardless of how it was physically protected, fenced...walled...etc., and to move right up to any opening (e.g. window with partly opened shade) and to even 'press our nose' on a window' and peer in to a home/building (after what in the past would have be considered 'violating curtilage') and if we observed 'suspicious activity' use that to develop from 'articulable circumstances' to 'suspcious cause' to 'reasonable cause' then on to 'probable cause', depending on the situation ...of course.

As I approached retirement, I began to question, especially being a border agent which gave me the authority (within the defined confines of a border area) to search to whatever extent I felt (being able to articulate my reasoning) to search of any item, vehicle, person, or dutyable object including mail crossing the border. It was when I first was transferred down along the Mexican border that I encountered my 1st "Border Patrol/INS Inland Checkpoint." Even as a federal agent, while traveling along a U.S. highway, being forced to stop and I and each passenger individually being forced to declare our citizenship or suffer the potential of a vehicle and body search was unnerving. I had not experienced outside the confines of an actual legally defined border area such unannounced, random, stop'n search situations. Except maybe 'drunk driver' road blocks which seemed intrusive enough.

Then, after 9.11 when the government wanted to create a 'computer database surveillance' system to monitor all databases in the U.S. for "anti-terrorist" purposes it didn't take long for me to realize that the government's appetite for monitoring and ultimately controlling all aspects of citizens' lives was at hand. Luckily, at least I think, that project was squashed; however now, as your article so clearly explains, Big Brother is upon us, face-to-face. From my experience in federal law enforcement, as a Customs Officer with more broad search authority (back then and within the narrowly defined confines of a border area) than any other law enforcement officer, I see not just a slow erosion of personal rights under the 4th Amendment, but all personal rights that were guaranteed under the Constitution are being systematically removed from the 'real world' experiences of all of us.
A friend, one of the people who reads my emails and blog, recently gave me a copy of a book entitled "Unintended Consequences." It is directed against the assault against the 2nd Amendment. I in no way condone the author's scenario to resolve the government's efforts to eliminate the 2nd Amendment; however, it did present an historical/modern view of how government power over citizens increases, how it increases exponentially and, as you point out, is almost impossible to remove once it is established.

I hope you will allow me to keep your article posted and also that you have some email means of allowing myself and friends to follow your writings.
I posted your article on my blog at: http://harrolds.blogspot.com/2011/07/warning-vipr-searches-and-american.html.

Please let me know if you want it changed in any way or removed.

Please excuse my rambling, but I have a few folks with whom I exchange messages and many of them I forward or post on my blog. Your article is important.

Given the current political climate in D.C. and that of some liberal states and federal court districts, times don't look good for us. Hopefully, a needed "change" will take place in November 2012.

Sincerely,
Robert

Acceding to Rutherford Institute’s Demands, Ohio Dept. of Education Removes Letter of Admonishment from John Freshwater Record

2011-07-19T12:39:00.000-07:00

Go, baby, go! When a skilled advocate rises to the defense of one who is battered about by the winds and the ways, it's a beautiful thing to see that person's waters calm and their boat level and their journey become a pleasure again. It's neat to see people realize they don't have to batter a Christian to respect the law, to see them learn they may be guilty of the things they so strongly teach children against.

Thanks for all that you do,

Bill

The Military Industrial Complex: The Enemy from Within

2011-07-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

John: (Should it be reverend?)

The problem with essays such as yours is not that they are inaccurate (they are quite accurate in fact) but that they are not read by the people who need to read them.

Military analysts and economists have been writing about these very same issues for quite a while and all corroborate exactly the same things that your recent essay proposes. In fact, this same type of writing has been accomplished on every issue facing the world currently... all to no avail.

This type of information reaches only a minor portion of the public because it is only that amount of people who are cognizant of the overall problems facing the United States as well as other nations.

The rest simply don't care or simply believe whatever the mass media presents them. Even if such information did in fact reach a wider portion of the public there would be little reaction since most of the public is indoctrinated from years of propaganda as to what should be believed.

Winslow Wheeler and Franklin Spinney (it may be Chuck Spinney, I always get the two confused) have written extensively on the US military and its ridiculous budgets and they have exposed far, far worse than your essay does... and yet no one I know has the faintest of ideas. For example, the F-22 Raptor, which had $4,000,000,000 allocated for future production has been scrapped in favor for more F-35s. The reason is that the F-22 is a completely hand-built aircraft making production expensive, slow, and resulting in fewer aircraft. The F-35 on the other hand is cheaper and is more easily produced for field implementation. Do you think the US saved any money by this decision?

Absolutely not! Lockeed simply added in an extra $4,000,000,000 to the F-35s after-production and maintenance costs. The F-35 is also not nearly as capable as the F-22 and like all stealth aircraft, vulnerable to long-wave radar and less capable of fending off projectile attacks on its skin.

Its not a bad idea to believe that an educated citizen will keep the government in line. And in simpler times has worked on occasion. However, with technology comes more stealthy ways to attack the way people think and that is the biggest threat to this planet's future. And the people in charge simply do not "think", they only do what is in their best interest.

As noted investigative journalist Arundhati Roy of India said just a short while ago, the idea that peaceful resistance can overcome such issues plaguing societies is long gone...

Steve

Dear Mr. Rutherford,

Thank you for your excellent article. There is no question that the military-industrial complex is a terrible drag on the country, and a deeply corrupting one.

At the same time, the public--including our politicians, from the top down--is operating under a very serious lack of knowledge regarding how our currency and banking system actually works.

One has to distinguish between federal debt and all other debt. The various states of the US, all private business and households, are users of the currency. They must "balance their books" to stay solvent.

The Federal government is the issuer of the currency. The currency acquires its legal status and practical reality owing to the fact that it alone is accepted as payment of taxes. This point is absolutely fundamental.

No currency, no credited accounts in the entire economy of the US would exist without it first having been spent into existence by the Federal government or its designated agens, such as its member banks. If this point isn't grasped, it is not possible to think accurately about our present economic system. It isn't a debatable point. It is simple fact.

The "debt" of the Federal government is the LIABILITY side of the ledger. Thus, when the government spends the money to buy goods and services in the private sector in order to accomplish its purposes, it creates a CREDIT in a given private sector account, which is an asset to the private sector and the gov't accounts for its position as a liability. In an ordinary household economy (and states and businesses) a liability represents a debt to pay which that agent needs to obtain dollars through income or borrowing to meet its obligations. But the federal government, being the monopoly issuer of the currency, literally creates what it owes with the stroke of a computer--as Ben Bernanke has acknowledge quite publically.

The problem here is that most humans are superstitious, and believe that money must be a "thing"; they must reify what is really a concept. Hence they confuse currency, which is termed nomical wealth, with what is termed real wealth--that is, real goods and services. If the country is incapable of producing anything of value, all the currency issued is worthless.

It goes without saying that the private debt in the US represents a very serious situation, and much of it is the result of the extraordinary corruption of the financial industry. See the articles of William K. Black at the "New Economic Perspectives" blog. See also the articles of Michael Hudson, often published at Counterpunch.

The Federal government, as the monopoly issuer of the currency--as distinct from the various states, which are users of the currency--does not need taxes to obtain the dollars to buy anything whatsoever. Federal--as distinct from state or local--taxes serve a quite different set of purposes in a fiat system, among them being removing purchasing power as a control on inflation, should the economy approach a condition of full employment (something we are very far from indeed). It can also serve various other political purposes, as should be evident.

The entire debate over the "debt ceiling" is essentially wrong-headed, as economists such as James Galbraith and Marshall Auerback, Michael Hudson, Warren Mosler, Randall Wray, Bill Mitchell, Scott Fulwiller, Cullen Roche, and others, have valiantly tried to explain. I earnestly recommend you read these authors.

The transfer of dollars to the banks represents a tremendous problem. Not because the gov't is "printing too much money" but because it represents a tremendous, dangerous, unjust concentration of wealth and power. And the same holds true regarding the Pentagon--with the added disadvantage of creating enmity abroad. These monies should have gone to create productive resources and renewal of infrastructure, all of which would have meant employment and therefore spending power, and therefore a means of rescuing our debt-burdened population.

The ridiculous theater of the "debt ceiling" does nothing more than to reduce the middle class to penury and debt peonage, and the various states are reduced to selling their public assets and utilities. This means the country falls into the hands of the vast corporate entities who wish to turn our country into a toll both-serf economy. This, incidentally, is exactly what is happening in Europe, since the various EC countries stupidly gave up their currency sovereignty in favor of the Euro, thereby rendering their status like those of the various states of the US.

We have a system that is perfectly capable of generating once again an enormous prosperity. But we are being savaged by a double parasite.

Best wishes,

Jim

Dear Mr. Whitehead:

I read with interest your article on the Future of Freedom Foundation’s website http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd1110f.asp .

And the situation is much, much worse than the military alone. The federal government now spends vastly more on entitlements and on subsidies to businesses (particularly the medical and insurance industries), universities, and a host of “social services” parasites, than it does on the military. Washington DC is an enormous feeding trough. It is not going to end well for individual liberty.

I urge you to read Professor Charlotte Twight’s book, “Dependent on DC the Rise of Federal Control Over the Lives of Ordinary Americans,” Palgrave/St. Martins Press, 2002. She is a Ph.D. economist and a lawyer. Nobel Laureate economist James Buchanan wrote a jacket-copy endorsement. http://www.amazon.com/Dependent-D-C-Federal-Ordinary-Americans/dp/1403961468/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240863324&sr=1-1

Her book shows that the growth of government and the fostering of dependency has been systematic, deliberate, and bipartisan. She states that “growing federal power—driven by legislation, validated by Supreme Court decisions, and accelerated by presidential ambition—has eroded the rule of law in our nation, leaving almost no activity that the central government cannot at its discretion regulate, manipulate, or prohibit.” “A constitutional counterrevolution has occurred in America—one so profound that few today can imagine Americans free of dependence on government.”

Dependent on DC is the outgrowth of her doctoral dissertation which focused on the techniques government has systematically developed to expand the scope of government power even in the face of widespread public opposition.

You may be familiar with her 1975 book, “America’s Emerging Fascist Economy” (Arlington House Publisher) that received excellent reviews from National Review, Libertarian Review, Reason, and Human Events at that time. http://www.amazon.com/Americas-emerging-Fascist-economy-Charlotte/dp/0870003178

Dr. Twight referred to it as “capitalistic collectivism” and “participatory fascism,” the latter in reference to the insistence of those in power on demanding “participation” by the populace, --particularly by their opponents. Ayn Rand referred to this as demanding the “sanction of the victim.”

I think both of these books are highly relevant to what is happening to our nation. But of course, I am biased.

John Wayne Was True Grit

2011-06-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

I have admired the “Duke” for decades. He is my favorite actor by far. My favorite movie of all times is “The Shootist”. The philosophy within, the dialogue, the acting – wonderful. In almost every real life situation, something he said in that movie applies! Another one of his greatest movies is “The Cowboys”. Turning boys into men in the Old West! Very evil against good!

I am a 68 year old woman who is a Libertarian, and follower of Objectivism (Ayn Rand) since the 1960’s.

Sincerely,

Hercy

U.S. Supreme Court Declares California Law Restricting Sales of Violent Video Games to Minors an Unconstitutional Violation of Free Speech

2011-06-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

Using the same logic, laws restricting the sale of pornogrphy, alcohol, tobacco, firearms, etc are also unconstitutional. Sorry, I don't buy it. This is just another step in the continuing spiritual degradation of this once great nation. The story of the boiling frog......

Keith

Rutherford Institute Assists Iraq War Veteran Charged With Disorderly Conduct for Exercising Free Speech Rights

2011-06-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Go get em. Down with fascism anywhere it manifests it's evil self.

Brew

The New FBI Powers: Cointelpro on Steroids

2011-06-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

Mr. Whitehead:

As author of Lincoln Uber Alles: Dictatorship Comes to America, I share your views on the death of the Bill of Rights. I try to warn people too, but it's not looking good for the home team, is it? I hope you see something in society right now that I don't.

Kindest regards,

John

Hello;
I, too, am perplexed, actually saddened to know America has gone the way of the worst grade B movie from the 1950's depicting tyranny in Germany, "your papers, PLEASE!" It is so much worse in America today.

But your solution? Political? Marching in the streets? Sir, America is one of the few countries with citizenry that is armed and able to stop the tyranny face-to-face, one at a time, and with, if necessary, prejudice. Accepting even the current road blocks, man handling of spouses, the very TSA dispicable actions at an airport, on our open roads, done under the guise of WHAT? Terrorism? NOT. It is an assault on the very essence of the individual freedom and rights to: live, travel, prosper and exist.

No, I suggest the time has come to make it personal, again. Now is the time to say NO, openly against such shameful behavior by any and all those guys/gals in uniform that dare to touch, prod or even suggest any course of action.

We must not be afraid of government. Jefferson had it right, THAT is tyranny. there is no 1/2 pregnant; there is only tyranny and true tyranny. Like Colorado, like Florida, if I feel threatrened, with a needle for blood analysis or body search, you touch me, whether in uniform or not, and you will KNOW the consequences.

Having said that, my point to you, as a legal counsel, why have you and your colleagues NOT stood up for the right of the individual to defend themselves, to be treated as the sovereignts they are, versus being the puppets of the FEDERAL power? When did your dignity as individuals get usurped by the titles and offerings of the Washington DC crowd and no longer defend the individual against the obvious intrusiveness of the FEDS, especially after 9/11?

WHAT happened?

I agree with Edwin Vieira, another constitutional lawyer, return money and militia back to the states before the collapse. But more so, take back the individual right to sound money and self protection against kings, DC and now SWAT police, as an individual. Do not allow any man, any woman, to touch you, invade your space in any way while traveling this great country, while walking the streets in your neighborhood. You touch me without my permission and you will suffer the consequences, right then and there.

Now, can you stand tall and say "Enough is enough?"
Can you see the wrong of this political process that has boiled the frog to death? Can you feel it?

America was once the leading country for freedom in the world. It now ranks 9th or 12th on scales of freedom and FALLING each year in surveys conducted annually. WOW. Now that is a crime. TSA is but the tip of the iceberg here, and taking blood samples on the road? Not from me.

And lastly, reiterating the underlying point here, or one of them. How come NOT one legal suit has been filed against TSA or any of these thuggish government groups, cops or any of them, by lawyers associations to defend the rights of America here? WHAT is the problem?!

I strongly suggest it is time to establish Freedom Networks across America where individuals can Twitter others as to any such abuse, anytime, anywhere, to video, take a stand against, whatever they want to do, at that time with any usurper of America liberties, right there, right now. I am not afraid of another Rodney King, I am afraid we will have SWAT/tyranny in America so self evident that, anyone with the eyes to see knows, as most of the world now says openly, the USA has become a rogue police state now know for what it is around the world.

Oh, and given the government now monitors our e-mails, our phones, our presence in the streets, this e-mail will probably be used to ID me as some kind of terrorist by some automaton, even an actual human monitoring such communications, in the countless rooms around the USA, or the underground NSA endless acres of computers outside DC or down South or wherever.

Something went wrong in DC and it has made us into an ever darkening tyranny of injustice. I am very disappointed and do not see a political solution. I see a people wronged and the French Revolution model as eminent.

Personal opinion...

If you made it this far, thanks for reading the felts and thoughts of one who knows tyranny, have seen it around the world and hate that it reared its ugly head here, has nested here and become the mother of all dark entities right before our eyes...
--
Freedom always, Family and friends before all
Noël

funny everything you say I agree with totally

same things that RON PAUL has been saying for years

but who the frick are we?
you think people care they dont
they have their job just over broke
they have their huge tv made in china

and they dont care about anything or anyone
drink my beer watch my tv work my job

and to hell with anything else

we are a slave country and NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE
911weknow com

I knew the day it happened it was a inside job
and the american people bough the war on terror
and weapons of mass destruction trama 911
mk ultra mind control of the masses bullshit
hook line and stupidity

Robert

REMEMBER COINTELPRO GREW OUT OF THE ANTI WAR MOVEMENT AND CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. DID WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHO WAS BEHIND THE ANTI WAR MOVEMENT? FOREIGN POWERS? COMMUNISTS? WHO WOULD GAIN FROM COMMUNISTS TAKING OVER VIETNAM? OR THE CIVIL UNREST – THE RACE RIOTS THAT CONVULSED THE NATION DURING THAT PERIOD IN OUR HISTORY.

J.J.

Your article "The New FBI Powers: Cointelpro on Steroids" is will written; and fairly presented the civil liberty and Fourth Amendment abuses by the FBI during the COINTELPRO PERIOD. Your article clearly explained why it is problematice the FBI will use its new Powers and intrusive technologies to investigate law-abiding Citizens in a manner, that may expectantly dwarf the FBI's prior COINTELPRO operation. I recall during the Church hearings, targeted anti-Vietnam War activists referred to the FBI as "Frames, Bribery, and Intimidation.
Under your subparagraph titled, "So what's to be done?" you first mentioned that Americans need to get their heads out of the sand and their butts off the couches and act like real Americans for a change, e.g., take to the streets and protest the deplorable state of our nation; and Second, that once Americans have Congress' attention, push for legislation to mitigate FBI Fourth Amendment and other abuses, especially no warrant searches of Citizens and property. While I totally agree passing legislation is necessary to protect law-abiding Americans from intrusive FBI investigation Fishing abuses not limited to warrant-less wiretapping, reading private mail, sneak & peak searches of one's home and office and Citizen spying, I believe passing legislation is not possible when the government constantly perpetuates fear of terrorism while concurrently stating the "The War Against Terrorism" is a war that will never end. And if that doesn't keep the encroaching police state on Steroids, the U.S. Government has already demonstrated, perhaps coincidently, it can inspire homegrown terrorists to act prior to anti-FBI, NSA or CIA legislation coming up for a vote in congress.
You may recall Republican Senator Hatch failed to get passed The Crime Control Act of 1993 three months before the first bombing of the NY Trade Center before terrorism was a problem in America. U.S. Citizens right and left protested successfully stopped the Hatch bill "S8" despite the first Trade Center bombing. Rep. Hatch' legislation S8 attempted to add: Section 3509 Admissibility of Evidence Obtained By Search or Seizure (a) Evidence Obtained By Objectively Reasonable Search or Seizure (b) Evidence Not Excludable By Statute or Rule:" That provision would have laid the groundwork for Government/police to conduct illegal searches of Americans, their homes and offices with little or no probable cause as follows: Government need only assert that "a search and seizure was carried out in circumstances justifying an objectively reasonable belief that it was in conformity with the Fourth Amendment." Had the Hatch bill passed it would have opened the door for government/police to conduct mass civil asset forfeiture using (illegally obtained evidence) because police would only have to assert, "A search and seizure was carried out in circumstances justifying an objectively reasonable belief that it was in conformity with the Fourth Amendment."

It should be noted in 2010, the GOP proposed a new "Contract With America" that would "make it much easier" for police to succeed with false arrests allowing illegally seized evidence into courts.

Thanks to former Rep. Henry Hyde, Chicago, Ill there were over 200 U.S. laws and violations included in his Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 that allow the U.S. Government and local police to civilly forfeit property from Citizens without a conviction; those forfeiture provisions just months later, were included in the Patriot Act. Under federal civil asset forfeiture laws, a person or business need not be charged with a crime for government to forfeit their property. US private contractors since 2001, now work so closely with the U.S. Justice Dept. and local police, exchanging information to arrest Americans and or to share in forfeited assets, private government contractors appear to have merged with police, similar to Hitler's private Gestapo with the German police, spying on, arresting and confiscating Citizen's property. When former Rep. Henry Hyde's bill HR 1658 passed, the "Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000" effectively eliminated the "statue of limitations" for Government Civil Asset Forfeiture. The statute now runs five years from when police allege they "learned" that an asset became subject to forfeiture. Obviously if Congress in 2012 or after approves the GOP's (proposal to admit illegally seized evidence into court) that abuse together with Rep. Hyde's passed HR 1658 asset forfeiture bill that requires only "A preponderance of Evidence", will allow police and government contractors to utilize government warrant-less wiretaps, searches of Citizens' Internet activity, ground and email and other warrant-less sources to forfeit Citizens' homes, businesses and other assets.

Most property and business owners that defend their assets against Government Civil Forfeiture claim an "innocent owner defense." This defense can become a criminal prosecution trap for both guilty and innocent property owners. Any fresh denial of guilt to the government when questioned about committing a crime "even when you did not do it" may "involuntarily waive" your right to assert in your defense-the "Criminal Statute of Limitations" past for prosecution: immediately assert your right to first have an attorney present before answering a single question-any fresh denial of guild, even 30 years after a crime was committed may allow Government prosecutors to use old and new evidence, including information discovered during a Civil Asset Forfeiture Proceeding to launch a criminal prosecution. For that reason many innocent property and business owners are reluctant to defend their property and businesses against Government Civil Asset Forfeiture. Additionally providing a federal agent a wrong or misleading answer to a question can subject you to imprisonment under USC sec. 1001, Internet search James Brogan V. United States. N0.96-1579. Also see in that decision Justice Ginsburg opinion on involuntarily waving your right to assert in your defense-the "Criminal Statute of Limitations" past for prosecution.

No doubt government is sitting on a ton of illegally obtained evidence. The GOP's proposal to allow government to use illegally seized evidence against Citizens could be used to selectively target citizens in a flood of prosecutions and forfeitures. One can envision police and government contractors drooling over the prospect the GOP might succeed getting Congress to pass legislation allowing prosecutors to use illegally obtained evidence resulting from false arrests: only a mere preponderance of evidence, little more than hearsay gleaned from no warrant searches and false arrests, could be introduced in civil asset forfeiture proceedings to seize Citizens' assets.

The U.S. Supreme Court increasingly is leaning toward allowing police to use in prosecutions illegally seized evidence, if it was obtained by police "allegedly making an honest mistake" which appears to mirror "Section 3509 Admissibility of Evidence Obtained By Search or Seizure" introduced in Rep. Hatch' Crime Control Act of 1993.

Ross

Citing Infringements on Rights of Street Preachers, Rutherford Institute Asks Federal Court to Call a Halt to Enforcement of Noise Ordinance

2011-06-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hello,

I just read that your group is helping "Repent America" to sue the City of Winchester and the State of Virginia to repeal the noise ordinance here.

The noise ordinance is a law that in effect in most, if not all, states. It allows police to lessen noise and if need be, fine people for breaking that ordinance. The fining rarely, if ever, happens.

In Winchester, the noise ordinance is in effect from 9am to 9pm, in the surrounding county (Frederick County, Virginia) it is in effect from 8am to 9pm. That means you can not play loud music, make excessive noise or otherwise disturb people during evening, night and morning hours. There is an extra part to this, the ordinance allows police to tell people to turn down music and other things causing noise during the day, like say during a parade. That doesn't count for lawn mowers, tractors, bands playing, etc.

By Repent America's lawsuit, you are opening up that anyone can play music as loud as they want, with no consequence. I'm sorry, but I like to sleep. Give people an inch and they'll take a mile, the old saying goes. If you give people that opportunity to play their music loud or heck, just sit in their cars and rev them all night, they'll do it.

So, I ask, would you like that happening in your neighborhood? No. So, why do you want to essentially make it legal for it to happen in mine? Because Repent America was asked to turn off an amp for a mic, doesn't have anything to do with freedom of speech. Let me break out the history book.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Nowhere in there does it say, you can have a microphone hooked to an amp during a parade. Nowhere in there does it say, my neighbors can play loud music as loud as they want while I am trying to sleep. Nowhere in there does it say, some guy can park his car in my parking lot and rev his engine all night cause he feels like it.

You CAN however talk all you want, that was NEVER prevented. You can talk, they didn't duct tape their mouths shut, they just said "turn it down" when the parade was starting. I don't think that is too much to ask. I don't want to hear anything other than the bands, the people and the parade. If I want to hear about Heaven and Hell, I will go to church or you can talk afterward.

What your lawsuit is saying is your group lacked the common courtesy to turn the mic off during the parade, so people could enjoy that parade. The same thing they would ask anyone else to do if you yourself complained if you were trying to watch the parade. This is EXACTLY what the law was designed to do, make unnecessary noise stop. Nothing to do with speech, just unnecessary noise.

So, I ask, would it be OK if I came to your house at, say, 2pm, hooked up a mic with an amp and started reading the paper? Freedom of speech, right? Would be annoying, wouldn't it? You'd call the police and tell them to have me "turn it down", wouldn't you? So, what is so different about you that you can't do the same for 2 1/2 hours during a parade? Nothing.

I hate to say it, but bringing forth a lawsuit like this, it will just make the City of Winchester, Frederick County, and the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival committee less likely to give Repent America a permit to be in the walking areas for the festival next year, it might even have people talking back, but not in the way you like. But what it won't do, it won't give Repent America the voice you want. It won't give them any listeners. Because all they will see, all the people of Winchester/Frederick County will see is "that group that tried to get the noise ordinance taken away".

If it isn't OK to do it at your house or your place of business, it isn't right for you to do it here....and there is nothing in the Constitution about that, just Common Sense.

Please leave my town, my county, and my state out of your "message" and leave us alone.

Thank You,

Tybois

This case would be a good vehcile to address the noise in the electornagnetic spectrum that is contributing to manipulation of the human nervous system.

That's something that will get the officials attention.

If they are going to enforce the noise ordinance, then include enforcement of all different kinds of noise.

Sincerely,

Ken

SWAT Team Mania: The War Against the American Citizen

2011-06-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

Thank you for a good and needed article. I have sent it to a friend as there are so many people who are totally unaware of the evils going on around them.

You mentioned SWATs having their roots in California in the '60s, but in the early '60s I was on the Jackson MI Police Department and at that time "Heavy weapons squads" were being created in response to the racial protest and the like at the time. The militarization of police has been unabated ever since.

I am not a particularly brave person, but when it comes to police work you do the job or get out, it's the right thing to do. I was appalled watching the videos of Columbine years ago with all law enforcement hunkered down around the school knowing a probable shooting rampage was going on inside. I don't believe in fool hardy actions or misplaced bravado, but never could I have tolerated not being on the offensive. From that and other incidents I decided that cowardice plays a roll in much of the SWAT team proliferation.

Additionally at that time for a 90 man department all the training was in house and on the job. Now all that has been abandoned and at least in MI graduation from a college level law enforcement training curriculum is required. So training is mostly at the whim of colleges and professors.

A third very important factor with the militarization is the proliferation of SWAT teams on TV programs. Occasionally they are shown in a bad light, but for the most part everything is depicted as good and virtuous. Usually the applications are appropriate, unlike what really happens in real life. But, on TV no one questions the need or validity of SWAT teams.

I still maintain a level of respect for those serving in law enforcement, but one cannot ignore the abuses and excesses.

One of my sons and his future wife was visiting me and they had a small motor home parked in the drive. To avoid them needing to come in and use my Internet service I attempted to run a telephone line out to the motor home. The wire my son bought did not have the ends on it so I left a 25' wire with a connector socket laying on the ground. One night two gestapo dressed deputy Sheriffs arrived and said 911 dispatch had received a call that hung up and they had to check it out. I assured them that I live alone and made no such call, but they persisted. They must have observed me at my computer through the large front window as they came to the house.

Afterward I regretted letting them in, but I did even though I explained the light rain must have shorted the telephone wire I left laying. Now, the stupid part is the lights were on in the motor home and obviously someone was in there. Yet those deputies never checked it out and my son never knew they were there.

Keep sharing the word Mr. Whitehead, people need to know about the excesses, SWAT teams raiding Amish dairy farmers and the like.

Sincerely,
Ron

Dear Mr Rutherford

After reading your article, SWAT Team Mania, I feel compelled to share with you a story about my father. He was a construction worker that got himself elected mayor of Missouri City, Texas (pop. 30,000 at the time?) in the early 70's by going door-to-door every evening and talking, at length, to anyone that would let him. During his political career, which included two terms as councilman, one of the agonies of my childhood was being dragged around with him on his rounds and having to endure hours of adult discussion as he talked to his constituents. (He loved to talk but he was also emphatic about the Constitution and upholding it as well as is oath of office.)

One discussion that I remember now, after having read your article, was about his opposition to the creation of SWAT teams. At that age I certainly did not understand everything I heard but I think that maybe the city of Houston had created a SWAT team around that time and that there was probably some enthusiastic noises being made by the moneyed interests in the area. (Namely developers who turned Missouri City into a huge sprawling upper class suburbia called Quail Valley, which ironically, denied an environmental group I worked with years later from canvassing door-to-door in the area by claiming some bizarre interpretation of their Constitutional "rights" to not allow Freedom of Speech. They lost of course.)

My father, I remember now, was emphatically against SWAT teams and had some huge discussions about it. Later, when I was much older, he mentioned once that very issue and described how he had given a speech at a mayor's conference in opposition to SWAT teams because they were paramilitary organizations and therefore, in his opinion, unconstitutional. The one thing about my father that was certainly different from most elected officials was that upon election to mayor, he sat down and read all of the by-laws and regulations of the community and county. It was infuriating to the developers and their lawyers because he would quote them chapter and verse the regulations that forbid them to do what they were planning to do.

He failed to get re-elected and was beaten by a much better funded opponent who just happened to be friendly with the developers and who immediately set out to remove the restrictive regulations on development. My father later ran for Lieutenant Governor of Texas on the Republican ticket and then got audited by the IRS three times in the next 5 years. He was at that time making about 32k per year and that never changed much for the rest of his life. At his death, he had about 5k in cash, some small property with a trailer home on it, and a 20 year old car. Oh yeah, and a garbage truck's worth of bags of receipts going back 25 years because after the audits he became obsessive about documenting even the smallest purchases. (Literally, there were receipts for such things as a pack of gum and 10 gallons of gas. It was a mess.)

I live in Switzerland now and never plan on returning to the USA. Here we have a real democracy and even if it is not perfect, it is functional, which is more than I can say about the USA. Ironically, because the Swiss have a great liking for America, the greatest threat and most detrimental changes to Swiss democracy have been the results of American corporate influence here.

Thanks for your articles and for voicing your opinion so forcefully and eloquently."Qui tacet consentit" - He who is silent, agrees.

Sincerely

Douglas

John -

I enjoyed "SWAT Team Mania: The War Against the American Citizen" and found it to be spot on with my knowledge on the topic. I am a retired military guy and have a number of close friends in law enforcement. Many of my acquaintances, most in fact, do not support the militarization of LE nor the capricious use of SWAT teams for non-violent crimes. I look forward to reading your work. Please keep up the good work.

Peace,
- Skip

Dear Staff:

I was very pleased to see you address the issue of the quasi- if not total militarization of the domestic police forces and their conversion into a 24/7 SWAT enforcement regime. I agree that this does not bode well for relationships between citizens and their constabulary. Take the case of David Burgert, now front and center in the news media. David Burgert apparently ran afoul of his corrupt law enforcement establishment back in 2002 and started being slandered as a "militia-survivalist-nut". He was not defended adequately in court the first time & despite having only minor infractions (gun ownership), ultimately was convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the government and spent time in a federal correctional facility. Interestingly, the head of the Flathead County SWAT team at the time, Chuck Curry, is now the Sheriff and is continuing the county's vendetta against Burgert.

A simple moving violation has been the pretext of this new attempt to rope Burgert back into jail. In all of the alleged confrontations with police, no one has ever been injured--this in itself is surprising given Burgert's supposed "paranoid anti-government" delusions. It sounds very much as if they have already decided that this man is throwaway trash and their actions indicate that he is guilty with no chance of being proven innocent. (Wouldn't it suit their interests just fine if they found him and used him for target practice in the wilderness, where no one is looking and, where they have set the tone for his justifiable execution?)

A case history compiled about Chuck Curry, the SWAT menace and current Sheriff, is not so savory: his use of 'no-knock' SWAT raids on unsuspecting homeowners (ie, drug users) have been overturned several times on procedural grounds in Montana courts due to his many violations of the 4th amendment. Not surprisingly, it is this same Chuck Curry along with the FBI and others who now seeks to hunt down a supposed miscreant in the woods and give him no due process.

I offer this as an example of what happens when the police themselves are creating the very conditions they claim to want to avoid: direct confrontation with an irate populace. Which came first, oppression in the form of SWAT or, the arming and anger of the population?

Sincerely,
Karl

Dear Mr. Whitehead,

A friend of mine in NYS sent me your article on Swat Team Mania on the Rutherford.org site and I just had to write.

On Aug. 3, 2011 I was a victim of Swat Team Mania. First off, I am a 69 year old woman with stage III colon cancer and have spent the last 27 years in the same home, in the same town in Tennessee raising my parrots under the registered trademarked name of Hookbill Haven. I have shown my birds and won several Best in Shows, have raised several generations of rare Amazons, Greys and other species and sold my handfed babies to people all over the country, including the editor of the local paper and the owner of the local Farm Bureau Insurance Co. with never a complaint.

Last year during my second recurrence of colon cancer I needed a resection, involving a week long stay in the hospital. I hired a woman to come in and feed and take care of my 100+ birds. I did not particularly like dealing with her afterward and never had her to return until July 8,9,10th of this year when I hurt my neck and needed help. She came in and cleaned cages in a few rooms working several hours on those afternoons. My neck healed and I again let her go because things were turning up missing and she was acting erratically.

On the late afternoon of Aug. 2, after pulling in my driveway I was confronted by what looked to be a utility worker, dressed in white driving a white truck with a utility logo. He told me that the water to my home was to be shut off the next day (the HOTTEST day of the year) while a main was repaired.

I informed my estranged husband that evening and asked him to come early the next day and make sure all the outside animals, chickens, horses, etc. had plenty of fresh water.

On Aug. 3, worried about the upcoming heat and lack of water mentioned, I got up at 5am and started changing water dishes of all my birds in the house to make sure EVERYONE had fresh water. At 7:10 am the phone rang and I was told to come out of my home to show the utility men where my water line was. I was promptly served with a search and seizure warrant based on terrible lies that this woman had said about me and who I have since learned has a criminal record. I was not allowed to return to my home nor even get my cell phone. At the same time the assistant district attorney showed up and behind him a SWAT team, complete with bullet proof vests, automatic rifles aimed and wearing gas masks entered my home yelling and screaming. Thank God my estranged husband was not there or I believe they would have shot him!

What prompted this? I am a published auther, an animal rescue..a small elderly woman that raises BIRDS and have never even gotten a speeding ticket! I was even on the City of Portland web site as a "Noteable". Am wondering why in the world would they do this? Am still wondering today.

A road block was set up and NO media or anyone else was allowed within a half mile of my house during the raid, for the whole day. A porta potty was immediately set up. This raid was carefully planned ahead of time.

As soon as the SWAT team came out of the house a long line of people commenced to come up my driveway and I was informed that they were here to "inspect" my birds. At first I noticed a familiar face, a vet that had treated several of my birds and cats before, so I thought they would go in and see that my parrots and lovebirds were all fine and that would be that. WRONG! Another group closely followed the first carrying kennel cabs and white towels. I was ushered to the police station against my will and kept there all morning until a detective took me back to my home. There I was informed that ALL my birds, cats, my pet goose and some chickens were being confiscated. Then I was held at the police station and told to sign a "surrender" or post a $50,000 surety bond for their care and the costs of the raid, now totally "$30,000". I don't have that kind of money but still did not want to sign away my whole business and $40,000 worth of parrots but I was told if I signed there probably wouldn't be any charges and I wouldn't go to jail and I was in such a mental state I finally did sign it, a fact that no one in the world can know how much I regret.

And I was IMMEDIATELY ushered off to jail. They lied.

At least ONE of my parrots, and some have said two, were killed by Animal Rescue Corps during the raid. All photos were staged and taken by ARC, as I said NO media were allowed near my property...and Ch.2,4,5, Fox 17, the newspapers were all here trying to get photos to no avail. Property was destroyed during this raid, doors to outside pens were cut off, chickens were let loose, my horses were injured and several rescues were later killed because, according to ARC head, Scotlund Haisley, "they had no quality of life!" Now who is he to decide what lives and dies? He was recently let go from the Humane Society for Gehstapo like behavior during raids and is now known to direct his group to attack the elderly, particularly single women who raise animals as a business.

The assistant DA, who is a member of the Animal Legal Defense League, the police and the extremist Animal Rescue Corps have taken a self supporting, animal loving business person and ruined her financially, physically and emotionally for what? For politics and the almighty dollar...or dollars, $40,000 + of them. I have never made a late payment and now my line of credit, my business, is gone and I have been declared indigent by the court. My birds were gone before the hearing even took place just 7 days later. Only my purebred chickens were taken including a famous Andalusian rooster who was "Chicken of the Week on the online Backyard Chickens web site..a prestigious award he deserved. He did not deserve what he got here that day. 40+ mixed breed chickens were left and the fat, healthy cats were returned a few days after my hearing.

And if you would like to know about that joke, please let me know and I will tell you how the asst. DA and my attorney sold me down the river when I could disprove EVERY charge and did indeed get one knocked off immediately because the vet did not remember that he has examined one of my rescue parrots 10 years ago and declared her inoperable. Justice is only as large as your wallet. I am looking for it though because I feel my rights were violated in many ways and are still being violated as the DA will not give me the unedited video that was taken on the day of the raid or the necropsy reports which he already gave to the media.

Another aside...the assistant DA called the county codes department during the raid and had my home condemned for NO REASON! Signs were posted and the police said I was not allowed in my house. I slept in my truck for 3 nights until my daughter came down from Cincinnati and got a room. The monday after the hearing I was permitted back inside my home with no inspection. This was done so it looked like they found my home in terrible condition...it was not. I have central heat/air, city water, good electric, plumbing, a new roof, etc. A nice home...NO REASON!

Thank you for the time you have take to read my story. If you would like to use any part or all of my story please feel free and if you have any off the record advice I am all ears. I cry every day and night for my beautiful birds that I will never get back but I still need to do something...somehow...for my name and the name of my business.

Best...

Lasandra

Free Speech Violation: Park Ranger Orders Visitor to Leave National Military Park, Citing Objection to Ron Paul Decals on Car

2011-05-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

I’m so very grateful that we still have attorneys who have the clarity of mind to work and fight for individuals who express the freedom that still seems so obviously endowed to us all.
I just read an article about the circumstances involving a Mr. Faw and the Kings Mountain National Military Park. Without your assistance and concrete knowledge of our Constitution, Americans and rightfully, along with much of the world, would surely slip back into a state of suppression of individual rights.
Thank you again for working on behalf of freedom.

Sincerely,
Craig

This is a terrible setback from the United States Socialistic Regime. We're to the point where we have to ask nicely to please give us our rights back. And the answer is, "No, we need them right now, for what we're doing. But if we don't need them in the future, we'll be sure to let you use them." It is a sad day to see that kind of thing happen. And alarming. And no matter how vocal, it does no good so far.
Further, there are so many things on so many fronts that are occurring (and yet to occur!) in the Obama administration that it is mind-numbing to the legislators to hear from their constituents.
The effect on them is: "Everything we do is always wrong all the time, I'm going to stop listening." To me, their behavior is similar to Mordecai's imperative to Esther: Who knows but that you have come to position for such a time as this. And their behavior is similar: And if they perish seeking these permanent (?) changes to our nation, it is worth it to them. The difference is that Esther's cause was noble, and the current changes debase our nation. There isn't one thing to confront.
There aren't even just a dozen major problems. There are hundreds of encroachments. They come at us so fast that if we were to focus hard on just the top three and beat on them for the next four years for change, that would still leave 97 new ones (brushfires against freedom) being lit while we concentrate on just the few. Net effect would be that we lose anyway. Personally, I'm at my wits end about all of this. The only thing that makes sense is that God has decreed we shall face judgement and that he is letting our nation go the way it has chosen to go.
Usually, he lets the wickedness of the wicked blossom fully. It's not because he doesn't care, it because he has decided to judge it, often times. So he lets them go. Since in our wisdom as a nation we do not seek God but deliberately choose to believe lies, he is able to give us up to all sorts of things and our foolish minds become darkened. If that is the case, nothing I can do will change that. Everything I do has the net effect of changing nothing. It's overwhelming. What is not overwhelming is my trust in God. What does not bother me is people like you continuing to do the fine job you are doing. When we do what God wants us to do, our lives are never wasted.
I have taken to telling my boys recently: "God never wastes a life. If you put yourself fully in the Lord's hands, you can be absolutely certain that no matter what happens, he will never have wasted your life." Of course, like William Carey the missionary and his printing press house burning and flooding, it is hard to understand at the time the reasons in his providence for the events that are at odds with the whole purpose he felt God sent him for. But he continued on because the call doesn't change just because circumstances don't go our way. I loved reading "Heroes of the Faith: William Carey" from the YWAM folk. It helped me separate results from calling. So I am never overwhelmed to where I do not continue to write to my representatives. Until God tells me not to do so, I write.
And from time to time at the dinner table, I pray. God is trustworthy. But I also know his eyes roam to and fro throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. He often responds when we stand in the gap. He has the discretion to do so or not. But often, no one stands in the gap when he is willing. May we all stand in the gap as and when he calls us to and let him bless the results in ways we may never see on earth. Do not give up. Carry on. God never wastes a life, nor a court case given into his hands. God is good. All the time. Bill

The Changing Face of the Police and the Death of the Fourth Amendment

2011-05-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

Excellently written.
As you noted, more citizens are becoming aware of the militarization of the police. We were all shocked with the Indiana ruling recently.
But as a lot of others, I am lost as to what to do.
Once, in two cases where my twin daughters were the victims, I actually wrote the judge. The accused, being the son of an officer, was being treated excessively lenient by the prosecutor. I had known the prosecutor and the officer were friends, so I decided to make sure the courts knew more details. Wow what a difference that made. Almost an immediate transformation with the judge reprimanding the prosecutor.
Do you think the judges need more input from the citizenry?
Usually I don't hear about a case until it's over...

James

Changing society is reflected in language.
Notice police referring to private citizens as "civilians."
In fact, these are civilian law enforcement personnel, not military police officers.
Their use of language suggests they regard themselves as military (and dress and act the part).

Herman

there is saying going around-
when cops act like an occupying army, they will eventually be treated like one........

Superb analysis, John. Unfortunately, while accurately depicting our loss of liberty and now living in an environment in which we are rightfully fearful of those who are supposed to protect us, there is no kernel of hope that this can be halted or corrected. If the courts not only encourage this but support the destruction of our liberty, where can we turn?
Dark days. And more coming.

All the best -
Rob

In your article, you use the term "up in arms" loosely. While that is Jefferson's cure for today's problems, we just don't see it happening.
America desperately needs true leaders vs sideline commentators. When will you set down the pen and lead American patriots into action against the enemy?

Mark

Hi John,

I just read your article at LRC concerning the Patriot Act and the 4th amendment violations. I certainly share your concerns, however, the electronic eavesdropping on our private property was well established long before the Patriot Act. Our basic rights to privacy on our own property were eviscerated some time ago.
I’m genuinely concerned this will not end well. Someone will step across the line one too many times and something is going to happen. We’re human, there’s only so much we’ll tolerate before we act.

Sincerely,
Mark

IF COPS ARE SUPPOSED TO 'KNOW' THE LAW, THEN ONE MUST ASSUME THAT IF THEY INVADE YOUR HOME ILLEGALLY, THEY DO SO WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE.
SO, THEN ONE MUST FURTHER CONCLUDE THAT THIS RULING IS TO PROTECT THE COPS AND NOT THE CITIZENRY.
In the second case, the Indiana Supreme Court actually stepped beyond the constitutional parameters of the case before them to broadly rule in Barnes v. State that people don’t have the right to resist police officers who enter their homes illegally. The court rationalized their 3-2 ruling legitimizing any unlawful police entry into a home as a "public policy" decision. On its face, the case itself is relatively straightforward: An Indiana woman called 911 during an argument with her husband. When the police arrived, the man blocked and then shoved an officer who tried to enter his home without a warrant. Despite the fact that the wife told police her husband hadn’t hit her, the man was shocked with a stun gun and arrested. Insisting that it would be safer for all concerned to let police proceed even with an illegal action and sort it out later in court with a civil lawsuit, the court held that residents can’t resist police who enter their home – whatever the reason. The problem, of course, is that anything short of complete and utter acquiescence and compliance constitutes resistance. Thus, even the supposedly protected act of free speech – a simple "Wait, this is my home. What’s this about?" – constitutes resistance.
http://lewrockwell.com/whitehead/whitehead31.1.html

[Anonymous]

Dear Mr. Whitehead,
Your recent column published on LRC highlighted painful truths about the place where you and I live.
It is my belief that these changes ultimately stem from a persistently rising "social mood" (see www.socionomics.net for reference) that translated into astronomical levels of (misplaced) trust and complacency on the part of most individuals.
While "traditional" authoritarianism is associated with social mood declines (e.g. those signaled by the plunging stocks and economic conditions near 1917 Russia and the Post-Great-Depression period in Europe and North America), we seem to have grown a hybrid kind of soft-authoritarianism, one associated with Big Mother more than Big Brother.
I must assume you receive queries from individuals asking, "What are we to do?" I don't pretend to know how you respond, but my belief is that the only prudent thing to do is to make one's home a castle again via passive means, giving up on "words-on-paper" as a bulwark of our defense.
Two of the greatest dangers "regular" people now face are being the victim of vindictive prosecution or of a no-knock SWAT raid. Lives ruined and lives lost to these "clerical errors" are too numerous now to ignore.
While I know not what can be done to avoid the former, as you know the latter cannot be met with return force, no matter how satisfying such a contemplation may appear. To even "win" such a battle (shooting down the invaders before their return fire finds you) is obviously to lose the "war."
What one must do is bog down the invasion in slow-to-surmount obstacles. Since most data show those implementing "dynamic entry" do not relish the razor edges of broken windows and strongly prefer to use a battered-down door, it should be possible to reinforce a door to the point where their battering rams (and even "breaching rounds" from shotguns) require a siege instead of a smash-and-grab.
Having lost the element of surprise and shock, entering a home is apt to appear more risky than even these adrenalin-addled cowboys will relish.
I have yet to act on my thoughts, but I think individual initiative along these lines is far more productive than waiting for our neighbors and fellow citizens to withdraw their consent from the nascent police state our rulers erected while they dozed.

Best wishes,
Dave

Dear Sir:
I could not agree with you more in your recent column The Changing Face of the Police and the Death of the Fourth Amendment, which I read at LewRockwell.com. I firmly believe that this death began when Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist wrote that because of the magnitude of the problem of drunk driving, road blocks do not violate the Fourth Amendment. He had fallen hook, line and sinker for the propaganda spewed by MADD. MADD has also helped kill the Fifth, Sixth and Tenth Amendments in their attempt to bring back Prohibition.
Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Read

Mr. Whitehead,
Thank you for a GREAT and timely article. I have several concerns about the effects of this unlawful ruling. One of the things I have repeatedly read about this decision is that it applies only to searches when officers are pursuing drug investigations. I am not an attorney but I think this decision can be used by police to include practically any "exigent" search. That is to say that police will be using this decision routinely to search also for guns, suspicion of "stolen" goods, to search ones vehicle without consent and so forth, and those searches will be held to be lawful under the provisions of this decision.
I notice that we have yet to see the search warrant for the Guerena case in Tuscon which just occurred. The old provisions of the 4th were in effect at the time of that search.
I sincerely hope you will continue to give attention to this 4th amendment issue, as it is crucial to our way of life. I know that you are a Constitutional attorney and I have a question for you. I know that the judiciary is somewhat insulated from being removed because of some politicians petty power impulses, but I also know that they can be removed for the right cause. Do you think this Kentucky v. King decision opens the door for impeachment and removal of these justices?

For Liberty,
JD

Dear Mr. Whitehead:
What a sad commentary on the other "Conservative" justices, in the Kentucky v. King decision, when Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the lone dissenting vote. What happened to Thomas, Scalia, Roberts and Alito? Goodbye, Fourth Ammendment.
I read your article on http://lewrockwell.com.
Thanks for your time.

Best regards,
Mark

Sir:
We had this same problem a couple of centuries ago. Should the citizenry decide to handle it the same way, I think that the concept would spread across the country very quickly.
There was an incident in Arizona recently where a SWAT Team killed a former Marine in front of his wife and child. Medical teams were not permitted to assist the homeowner until after he was dead.
Such occurrences need to be corrected, either through the legal system, or outside of it.

Charles

This is a terrible setback from the United States Socialistic Regime. We're to the point where we have to ask nicely to please give us our rights back. And the answer is, "No, we need them right now, for what we're doing. But if we don't need them in the future, we'll be sure to let you use them." It is a sad day to see that kind of thing happen. And alarming. And no matter how vocal, it does no good so far.
Further, there are so many things on so many fronts that are occurring (and yet to occur!) in the Obama administration that it is mind-numbing to the legislators to hear from their constituents. The effect on them is: "Everything we do is always wrong all the time, I'm going to stop listening." To me, their behavior is similar to Mordecai's imperative to Esther: Who knows but that you have come to position for such a time as this. And their behavior is similar: And if they perish seeking these permanent (?) changes to our nation, it is worth it to them. The difference is that Esther's cause was noble, and the current changes debase our nation.
There isn't one thing to confront. There aren't even just a dozen major problems. There are hundreds of encroachments. They come at us so fast that if we were to focus hard on just the top three and beat on them for the next four years for change, that would still leave 97 new ones (brushfires against freedom) being lit while we concentrate on just the few. Net effect would be that we lose anyway.
Personally, I'm at my wits end about all of this. The only thing that makes sense is that God has decreed we shall face judgement and that he is letting our nation go the way it has chosen to go. Usually, he lets the wickedness of the wicked blossom fully. It's not because he doesn't care, it's because he has decided to judge it, often times. So he lets them go. Since in our wisdom as a nation we do not seek God but deliberately choose to believe lies, he is able to give us up to all sorts of things and our foolish minds become darkened.
If that is the case, nothing I can do will change that. Everything I do has the net effect of changing nothing. It's overwhelming.
What is not overwhelming is my trust in God. What does not bother me is people like you continuing to do the fine job you are doing. When we do what God wants us to do, our lives are never wasted. I have taken to telling my boys recently: "God never wastes a life. If you put yourself fully in the Lord's hands, you can be absolutely certain that no matter what happens, he will never have wasted your life." Of course, like William Carey the missionary and his printing press house burning and flooding, it is hard to understand at the time the reasons in his providence for the events that are at odds with the whole purpose he felt God sent him for. But he continued on because the call doesn't change just because circumstances don't go our way. I loved reading "Heroes of the Faith: William Carey" from the YWAM folk. It helped me separate results from calling. So I am never overwhelmed to where I do not continue to write to my representatives.
Until God tells me not to do so, I write. And from time to time at the dinner table, I pray. God is trustworthy. But I also know his eyes roam to and fro throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. He often responds when we stand in the gap. He has the discretion to do so or not. But often, no one stands in the gap when he is willing. May we all stand in the gap as and when he calls us to and let him bless the results in ways we may never see on earth. Do not give up. Carry on. God never wastes a life, nor a court case given into his hands. God is good. All the time.

Bill

Bin Laden, Gaddafi and Modern Warfare: On the Highway of Death

2011-05-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

As a fellow VN vet, you are no doubt familiar with “Free Fire Zones”. Whole villages were napalmed ahead of the defoliation formations where I was a navigator—in the lead aircraft where I could observe the Pre-Strike destruction. Our government always tried to cover up this stuff, unless exposed, as at My Lai. But now we openly brag about it! We almost got Gadhaffi and did managed to kill a couple of his grandchildren. The story on Osama frequently changes, but the brutality of it seems a cause for great celebrating and self-congratulating by politicians who directed or at least participated.

Ron

A powerful case for the horrors and inhumanity of war. I am profoundly anti-war. I see war as a failure, win or lose. And what it does to those who engage in it is beyond revulsion. I am so glad to meet others who feel much the same and have the ability to express it. You're depiction of the Vietnam war helicopter pilots was especially poignant, as was the Kuwait massacre. I'm old enough to remember Vietnam, Korea and even WW2. I remember few atrocities from WW2 except, perhaps by the enemy. Must have been a kinder, gentler time for the U.S.? Remove the profit from war and we will have fewer. Best.

John

Mr. Whitehead:

If there were a God, he/she would have absolutely NO reason to help any of those of us making war on the world. "God bless the USA" Not likely. "Made in His image!" Sure we were.

Jack

John.

While I tend to agree that war is ultimately about killing, it seems unlikely that we will escape war.

We produce war as we do anything else. We have all grown up with stories of war. Literature, film, education, etc. There is no reason for us to assume that we can live without it.

Also, there is no reason for us to assume otherwise that rich men make poor men go to war. The way it seems to work here in the west is that the elite beat the drums of war to which the middle class march and the poor are sent to fight. F---.

If you murder a man on the streets, you are a murderer. Locked up and the key thrown away. But you murder a hundred men in battle and you are a hero. Accidentally kill a man on the streets and it's manslaughter; in battle, collateral damage. It's so strange and beautiful how our perception manages our interactions.

So we must change our cognition of war.

But one would think it's so easy to change our mindset; turn off the war switch. First, we need to understand the hell of war. Let's all go to war or none of us.

M

Thank you, John...
...for so clearly pointing out that the greatest cost of war cannot be measured in dollars.

Frank

John, thanks for having the courage to speak the truth in love. While Bin Laudin has done much wrong we all have responsibility & culpability because of the attrocities our government & country has perpetrated on other nations & peoples of our world. Please keep the faith & keep speaking the truth John..... Our world so desperately needs men of YAHWEH who have counted the cost and chosen to follow YESHUA. I pray that YAHWEH's love & peace will surround & keep you and your family always.......

Loren

Brilliant and soul-filled, as always.

May God help us all, yes.

Thank you, John.

Mike

Dear Mr. Whitehead,

Bin Laden, Gaddafi and Modern Warfare is a wonderful piece. I only wish more people would see it. I read in the paper (or on a website) that while only 40% of older Americans approve of torture, 60% of younger Americans do. This is an ominous development. I believe it is in large part a response to the public discussion of torture in relation to the war on Terrorism. It is also a symptom of the declining prestige of Christianity. The moral authority has passed to Judaism, and in Israel torture is legal. That may be a prejudiced view, but I really do think the decline of Christianity is making us a more brutish nation. It is very sad. Such elements in the Arab world that believe in world domination are hopelessly far from having the tools to pursue their fantasy. This is in stark contrast with international Communism. The Red Army was the world's strongest for a time, and the Soviet nuclear arsenal rivaled our own. Soviet propagandists taught in every major university (and still do, sort of.) Compared to such physical and intellectual firepower what the Arab extremists can muster is pitiful, and with one glaring exception their fight against the west has been entirely on their own turf. It must certainly seem nightmarish and Satanic to the camel drivers to see drones overhead reigning down fire. I am no longer proud to be an American.

Peter

2011-04-29T07:01:00.000-07:00

Click Here to Read the Rutherford Press Release

John,

Thanks very much for the informative article about drones. I live in Texas where these monsters are already patrolling the border areas. I figure it won’t be long before they’re cruising above the interstate highways and circling the largest cities, looking for evil doers. Your concern about “what a terrorist could do with a fully-armed, remote-controlled airplane” inspired this thought- Now there’s a movie waiting to be made!

Best wishes,
Roger

Rutherford Institute Defends Christian Teacher Fired for Urging Public School Students to Think Critically About Evolution

2011-04-12T10:54:00.000-07:00

Our forefathers set up the constitution under an allegiance to God as expressed by the philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth,
Our code of conduct for society's mutual well being rests within the wisdom found in the ten commandments and the teaching of Jesus. Remove or deny these standards of conduct, establish false ideologies, ignore the positive value that
religious sects provide to constrain the human foibles of lust and greed, there in, is cultural disaster. Anarchy ?

Mr. Freshwater might ask--- what code of conduct, philosophy, does the Board of Ed. advocate for themselves and the students? Are social tenets important for students regardless of their beliefs toward religion?

Historically science has made many mistakes and changes its' thinking when better information is forthcoming. Mr.Freshwater apparently is able to give his views in proper prospective and his students do well. If he takes the entire
bible literally, rather then a allegory, then he should keep it private

Charles F.

Government by the Rich: Is This the American Dream?

2011-04-04T12:32:00.000-07:00

Click Here to Read Rutherford Press Release

Brilliant, and I am glad that a social conservative has said it. I believe George W. Bush catered and pandered to the rich. I also wonder what damage he did to the gospel for the millions who lost jobs and Wall Street got bailed out and people's perception of evangelical Christianity got ridiculed while he and his rich pals made off with the national treasure.

David V.

John,
Great job on this! Your commentaries are always on target. You really see things as they are and have the courage to say so. Keep up the great work. I admire your work.

Curtis

What took you so long to figure this out. We wrote about this 30-40 years ago. Whose names do you see on the credits of movies, news, and other television shows?
Several dozen families in the northeast own and/or control the banks, shipping, rails, air, steel, television, newspapers, radio, and probably the whore houses. They have been creating news since the Maine exploded in San Juan harbor. Hire you a dissertation studen to research this for a PhD.

G.S.

The Rutherford Institute Defends ‘Redneck Not Racist’ K-12 Bus Driver Fired for Displaying Confederate Flag on His Personal Vehicle

2011-03-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

The provocation of this flag incites an instant uproar that bears on scandal, where such proceedings have led to such a disreputable state of the aforesaid driver, as victim, to depart his tenure with his reputation in tatters, his fortune possibly forfeit, his life conceivably in peril.

And what was the extent of this stake, where such alarming reports of sporting a decal onto his truck would invite such an organized assault upon his very person?

Rather than humiliated, this man should express outrage over the proceedings that inviolate the mere tenets of our rights as enumerated under the articles that founded this nation. And what does this accomplish? Nothing but abuse and condemnation from an arrogant group maliciously led.

This gentleman has my untold support in his actions and may his disputation be upheld in a most reasonable manner, within the conduct of a civil matter on the high constitutional questions that holds our nation together and not sunder it apart.

Such a mocking of our nation cannot continue. The damage such individuals or groups that inflict such claims to person and property cannot be tolerated and must give way to inherent principles that govern reasoned discourse.

Let us dwell on the State of Oregon and the position that they have taken and understand that those liberties we have inherited be sustained by freedom from imprudent judgement.

Cordially,

AH

Zero Tolerance Policies: Are the Schools Becoming Police States?

2011-02-21T11:19:00.000-08:00

"Incredibly, local police also went to Michael’s home after midnight in order to question the fourth grader about the so-called “shooting” incident."

Mr. Whitehead:

Thirty or forty years ago, the police would have laughed the school authorities out of their precinct station. Unfortunately with their militarization of mind and practice after decades of the "war on drugs," the police are part of the problem. So this is NOT so "incredible." At least my children are out of the system and my grandchildren are home schooled.

I've always wondered what would happen if the parent of one of these victims showed up at the school and showed the "educators" what a real weapon was and what it could do. Well, not in this day and age of the sheeple.

John D.

Dear Mr. Whitehead,

I just wanted to thank you for the illuminating article on the insanely stupid "zero tolerance" policies in public school. We have twin 12 year olds and see the awful result of police state management of schools every day. Not enough people know the insanity of this so your article summarizing some of the most obvious cases is much appreciated. And, certainly, not enough is being done to undo this moronic program. I intend to send others to read your article, which I found on Lew Rockwell's website.

Thank you again,
A parent for liberty,
--Joe B

Sex Trafficking: There's More to the Super Bowl Than Sports

2011-02-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. Whitehead:

Thank you for your article of Monday, January 31st, 2011:
"Sex Trafficking: There's More to the Super Bowl Than Sports".

I found it informative and helpful in my understanding of the
connection between the sex trade and the entertainment industry
(the category in which I consider professional sports belongs).

After reading the article approvingly, however, a friend of mine
pointed out that you seem to have neglected to include the
trafficking of boys as sex slaves.

Such activities represent an issue often ignored in Canada and
the United States.

It falls into the same category of media neglect as the use of
underaged male sex slaves as part of the process of securing
business deals between Western companies and local firms
in such foreign countries as Afghanistan.

I do not condemn the article because it does not include both
genders in its examination of the situation; I would, however,
encourage you to consider both boy and girl victims in your
future writings on such matters.

Please keep up the good work in the cause of freedom.

Thank you.

Yours truly,

(Rev.) David C.

Much Aloha John,

I completely agree with your recent post, except for the last 1.5 paragraphs! I am sure you are expecting a volume of mail...

I too, believe that this is a horrendous, dirty secret in America and am thankful that I live "out in the country" on the Big Island of Hawaii--these sorts of acts are not on our spectrum (though my 14 yr old is online watching you tube vids). I sort of hope that the world will change enough that when 8 years grow on my beautiful 7 yr. old daughter, only horses will be around and the boys will have to ride up to our front gate!

I do think that the last paragraph or two that considers ME, and many of my upstanding friends, as COMPLICIT in this atrocity is a bit overboard! I have not watched a single NFL game this year; I will gather with some great, long-time friends, some of whom I rarely see, with their families, to have fun and sort of (if the game is good) watch a football game. Otherwise, we will play our own sports, talk, reminisce, eat wonderful food, and catch up on each others' lives. Most of us are educators, trying to instill the values that you espouse weekly in your columns--there are Buddhist, agnostics, Christians, Catholics, etc. and we all share the fellowship of gathering together. Yes, it does happen at other times, but...

I appreciate the strength of your convictions, and the power you continue to eloquently express regarding our Constitution. The last two paragraphs, however, seem to stretch a bit past those foundations--it's OK, it is your blog, but most often you are filled with facts, lay them out, and allow others to recognize or realize the validity of your writings. This article does the same, until the last two paragraphs...

Keep up the good work sir! I have caught myself recently allowing my emotions to impact the words I sent (to my vice-principal). A conversation or two later all was resolved...

Continue to Keep Us Informed (we all need it!)

Malama Pono,
Mike P.

Renewing the Patriot Act While America Sleeps

2011-01-24T12:55:00.000-08:00

Dear sirs,

I enjoyed Mr. Whitehead's commentary, but it comes as too little, too late. The America in which I was born and grew up is gone and it is not coming back.

As a physician-researcher (often for military and government projects) turned businessman, I have witnessed first-hand the stunningly rapid increase in data collection on ordinary Americans. As a frequent traveler abroad I also have experienced first-hand the abusive behavior by TSA and Customs officials, including extensive searches of me, my luggage, computer files and other personal items. On one occasion at Boston's Logan Airport, I was detained in a small room for interrogation for over 3 hours as my luggage, clothes, phone and computer were quite literally taken apart in front of me - while four armed Customs officers shouted insults at me and accused me of numerous crimes. During this particular episode I was told that I was required by law to answer all questions; was not allowed to call my attorney or anyone else; was told I could be detained indefinitely; was falsely accused of verbally threatening a Customs officer; was handcuffed and repeatedly threatened with arrest for asserting and maintaining my right to remain silent; and my audio recording of the event on a second phone was erased and over-written by these officers. Subsequently, I have been "randomly selected" for Customs searches literally every time I re-entered the U.S.

The United States will never be what it was. Therefore, I chose to leave the U.S. to live permanently in Europe. I am not alone. I have encountered many American expatriates here, who like myself, discovered the only hurdle was transferring our businesses and assets overseas. Since we bring businesses and create jobs, we all have been welcomed by the governments here. At least here they make no pretense of living in freedom under an enforceable Constitution and Bill of Rights. I think it was Thomas Paine who wrote, “It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from its government.” Unfortunately, anyone in the U.S. expressing that opinion today is placed on a "terrorist watch" list.

Mr. Whitehead expressed some fine sentiments in his article, but they are too little, too late.

Jack H.

Rutherford Institute Sues Town Over First Amendment Violation After Homeowners Were Ordered to Remove Thomas Jefferson Sign From Yard

2011-01-21T08:31:00.000-08:00

Click Here to Press Release

Do you think there is a certain irony in suing a city for baning a sign that says bind the government to its constitution, using an amendment to the federal constitution that is supposed to bind the central government? Are you not asking the central government to slip it's bonds and pretend that it has the power to apply restrictions meant for it to cities? In the name of freedom of speech you undoing the very thing that Jefferson argued against. This is granting legitimacy to illegitimacy. You are using the Mafia to kill a cockroach. Does the Constitution of Iowa have a provision restricting its cities from infringing on free speech?

Mike

The Identity Ecosystem: Obama’s Plan for Internet Control

2011-01-21T08:23:00.000-08:00

The boys located at Versaille on the Potomac want to control the internet. They know that if they bring back the "fairness doctrine"
the internet will explode. If they can get control of the internet, they can slide in the Fairness Doctrine and shut down free speech. Where in the hell is the ACLU on these issues?
This flies in the face of everything they are supposed to stand for.

Mike B.

I faithfully read the right side of news on a daily basis. Your article today was dead on, please keep the news coming!
THANKS!
Gary G.

Rutherford Institute Sues Town Over First Amendment Violation After Homeowners Were Ordered to Remove Thomas Jefferson Sign From Yard

2011-01-20T13:40:00.000-08:00

Click Here to Read Press Release

I don't know that free speech means interupting the proceedings of a deliberative body. I have been on a school board, and there was a time and place for public comment. During a session of congress, does not seem like the time and place. It does not seem like this particular speech was singled out, just any speech from the audience at that time.

Carl D.

Charges Dropped Against Student Arrested for Removing Shirt, Displaying Text of 4th Amendment in Protest of Airport Scanners

2011-01-11T12:50:00.000-08:00

Click Here to Read Press Release

John:

I don't agree with this. Our airports must be kept safe. Traveling on planes is not a right. This type of disturbance and distraction will open the door for more like Mohammed Atta and the like.

V/R,

John Drier

The State of the Nation: Are We “Approaching Spiritual Death”?

2011-01-11T12:48:00.000-08:00

I so enjoy your commentaries and anything else I receive from The Rutherford Institute. I am 66, a woman. My husband of 81 and I are too old to fight, he fought in WWII for the freedoms that are now very obviously being taken one by one under a guise of being done for "our safety and security, defense, etc".

Everything you write about is oh so right! But please, do you know why America is not moving?
Young America is not standing up! A few..one here and one there. One individual can be stomped out and disappear and would soon be dropped from the news.

But crowds! Where are the crowds of disgruntled Americans demanding real change back to the morals and disciplines of a generation ago! Freedoms, civil rights all guaranteed under the constitution are now being judged wrong by the judges of today.

Anyway, sir. Thank you for the work you do and the hope you provide individuals who are caught in the legal battles related to these trying times..

I will die for my Jesus, gladly. I doubt that I would willingly die for my country anymore because it is no longer "my" country. God help us all. May he come swiftly.

I wish I could offer more than my prayers for your continued successes.

Blessings

Bonnie

Elvis Presley: Down Lonely Street at the Heartbreak Hotel

2011-01-05T12:20:00.000-08:00

yes, John - in so many ways, he was a metaphor for the generation. it's all about keeping that early spirit alive - the QUEST, not the indulgence that "success" allows for so many.

and not to mention - his "handler" Colonel Tom, who controlled his every business move, and prevented him from taking on challenges that might have inspired him (like the movie with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristopherson - where Elvis was the first pick for the male lead - can't think of name).

important point you are making here - for everyone. like you, i LOVED him when he first started out - up till 1978 - but even then, he was essentially "spoiled"

Valerie G.

Nazis in America

2010-12-30T13:34:00.000-08:00

Think of the atrocities that our own (?) Gov't has imposed on humans worldwide since WW 2. Our own (?) intelligence agencies under the directions of the US Gov't leaders have committed terrible acts against humanity. Bush & Cheney and their collaborators, appointed as well as elected officials, have allowed, caused and directed inhumane acts worldwide and it continues under the Obama & Biden administrations to the present time. We have become a nation of hypocrites, liars, murderers and torturers by funding these atrocious activities. Washington needs to be thoroughly sanitized and the criminal elements eliminated by whatever means necessary! Let justice be served and freedom reign.

Gary C.

Red Light Cameras: Safety Devices or One More Step Toward a Surveillance State?

2010-12-20T13:38:00.000-08:00

Mr. Whitehead,

Your commentary in the holiday issue of the River City Reader is well written and timely. Maybe it will alter the course and cause some positive actions.

During 2005-2008 I was living in UK and experienced the 24/7 surveillance in Britian. I had penned a letter in response to an IEEE article on the London Ring-Of-Steel that tries to debunk some of the propaganda associated with this type of money making scheme. I submit it for your information. It was considered by the IEEE staff, and I was contacted, but it was eventually not published.

Respectfully,

Kenneth K

Dear Mr. Whitehead,

Thank you for your well-researched and well-reasoned piece in today’s daily progress. I was a bit of a fence-sitter on this issue until I read your column today. Now, I’m steamed, and will contact our officials, referencing your article.

Appreciatively,

Malcolm H.

While I agree that more round the clock surveillance on all aspects of our life is a common goal...After having dealt with the bureaucracy in Irving, TX (large suburb of Dallas) and reading the information on the red light cameras in Austin I am thoroughly convinced that the all might dollar is the number one motivating factor in these cities. My personal experience was spending lots of time and money defending against two of these tickets I received months after I had sold the car that they were received in....They wanted money....They were not overly concerned with who, what or where I was. And the fact that most of these are privatized in Phoenix, AZ makes it even worse. You can't deal with local officials....Instead you get some faceless voice in a call center that is only interested in soaking you for every dime they can get. That is what happens when you make public services a for profit business enterprise. The cost goes up and the service goes down. Austin even projected the amount they were going to make and then almost panicked when people stopped running those red lights and revenue was about a third what they projected.....Money was the first and foremost consideration for having the cameras.

And I am sure you probably don't want to hear it but because of the movement to pay no taxes and privatize everything then cities are doing anything and everything they can to pay the added costs of privatization and keep our infrastructure at a level that is conducive to people and commerce.

Larry P.

Mr. Whitehead:

I really enjoyed your column today at the LewRockwell.com site: "Red Light Cameras: Safety Devices or One More Step Toward a Surveillance State?" I think one way to fight this dangerous, tyrannical money-grab by the municipal governments is for personal injury lawyers to start sending copies of those studies you mentioned conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Texas Transportation Institute, and others, to the municipalities to put them on actual notice of the dangers involved and the safer alternative (lengthening the time of the yellow lights). This way, when auto accidents occur as a result of the red light cameras and unlengthened yellow lights, personal injury attorneys can circumvent governmental immunity laws (given the wanton, willful, gross negligence) and begin suing the municipalities—in effect, disgorging the wrongfully extracted “profits” from the municipalities for the benefit of those injured. Your column should be published in the American Trial Lawyers Association magazine or others frequently read by the plaintiffs’ bar!

Thanks again for the great column!

Sincerely,

Steve A.

Dear Mr. Whitehead,

Although I agree with you on most issues of individual liberty, I am not sure about red light cameras. I live part of the year in Germany where there are cameras and the fine is large for running a red light. I feel so much safer knowing that lights will not be run! You can almost always count on that. When I am in the US or Canada, I literally look both ways when the light turns green to make sure no one is running a red light the other way.

So I see a safety benefit when drivers believe it is inadvisable to run a red light. Maybe some jurisdictions use cameras as a money making machine, but I still feel much safer in a country where people do not normally run red lights.

Joan H.

Hello,

I recently got a traffic camera ticket and I am so angry that I immediately called all my council members and told them that it is unconsitutional.

$532 plus lost wages to go to court, plus higher long term insurance premiums for many years thereafter plus the cost of traffic school is OUTRAGEOUS cruel and unusual punishment for stopping and turning right which my pictures show I did, but not the video. Plus, it doesn't even look remotely like me driving the car. To be very direct, the traffic
cameras make me get into a state of extreme anxiety that something will go wrong in the intersection (like someone stopping and making me stuck in the middle) that I speed through them and darn near hit the back of the car in front of me. Of course this hasn't happened, but this is my fear. I hate the cameras now. Who can afford such tickets?

I would like to have the CEO of the camera company put to death along with all the elite who think that this is an appropriate fine for a middle class or poor person. I don't even care if people think I'm going insane....I am getting tired of it. Our Constitution is being trampled on. Do they have a right to even videotape me? I thought movie stars get PAID!
How would they a child to have their arm cut off for running and not walking to recess? Consequences should be appropriate for the situation. The situation is that politicians need money, but they shouldn't take it out on the citizens they serve. I could see a scale of $100 for the first, $200 for the 2nd ticket and so on...that would be more appropriate. Having such SEVERE fees in an economy where most citizens except the politicians and the elite (whose companies are making billions having their traffic cams installed around the globe) is a CLEAR form of discrimination against the middle and poor classes whose lives are seriously impacted long term by what is a minor infraction.

It angers me even more when I think of the criminal company who I paid $5,000 to install cabinets in my home who walked away with the money. I sued. I won. ....but I never got a dime from them and the court doesn't punish these people! NO JUST NICE PEOPLE LIKE ME THEY WISH TO PUNISH.

I am going to organize a campaign to vote out all my council members who say, "the state determines the fees" as a response to my argument. I say, did you ask the public whether or not we WANT traffic cameras? Also, if the STATE mandates such unconstituational fees, then just say no to the state and tell them that you will
install cameras when the fees are appropriate for the American people.

Anyhow, I appreciate you fighting this fight. It is nice to know that there is at least ONE caring person left in the USA WHO ISN"T A WHORE TO THE CORPORATIONS.

I am looking forward to the day when the bankers get their AUSTERITY payback and I hope the gangsters and violent people take out as many as possible. Looking forward to the coming collapse and Amercian Revolution against the banking criminals who caused our city governments to start raping the public for every last dime they have.

Have a great day!

Erin

John Lennon and the Cult of Celebrity: “They’re Gonna Crucify Me”

2010-12-01T07:23:00.000-08:00

i think if you research further - you may find that Mark Chapman was mind controlled - a CIA op. this entire operation - his flying to NYC from Hawaii - the whole deal was so orchestrated - how could one really believe that he was acting alone? and after shooting Lennon - he goes back to reading his book! no - this speaks of mind control, more than just Chapman being a delusional person. delusional....by way of mind control. there is much more to this MKUltra and other CIA operations than most of us have any idea about....

Gisella

thank you for this, Mr. Whitehead.

it has been suggested by many that Mark David Chapman had been mind-controlled,
by way of MKUltra or other CIA operation. those familiar with mind-control techniques point out how Chapman did not run after murdering Lennon - but continued to read his book until he was apprehended. this does speak of a mind-control operation. had he been in any "rational" mindset, he would have attempted to run from the scene of the crime.

your article suggests a more rational explanation of Chapman's behavior, in terms of his being "let down" by Lennon's removing himself from his public image - but i do believe that the mind-control possibility is the more likely scenario in this despicable tragedy. Lennon was always a threat to the government - and the CIA has so many ways to "out" anyone threatening to them - especially today. i'm sure you would agree with that. there are a few MKUltra mind controlled persons who, thru a twist of fate of deprogramming, have described their early training as assassins. i am not sure if i am remembering his name correctly - but i think of Dennis O'Finnighan (i am sure i have this spelling wrong), who has been on the public speaking circuit for several years now - relative to his early assassin training, and naming people he was mind-controlled to kill. he explains that there are very few trainees, from his age group, still alive.

most people are not aware of these mind-control operations, which reportedly continue to this day.

although i agree with the premise you present in terms of celebrity falsehoods perpetuated by the media - i intuitively believe that Lennon's was a political assassination.

-valerie g.

Are Body Scanners Dangerous to Your Health?

2010-11-23T07:27:00.000-08:00

Dear Rutherford Institute,

Thank you very much for taking an active stance and helping us helpless citizen masses who oppose TSA's UnConstitutional Procedures. As a citizen I feel so helpless. I don't feel that my elected government representatives are responding at all, while those appointed at the TSA and Homeland are exceeding their power. As an American citizen, this is the first time I ever felt government oppression personally.

Also, I do not see any mentioned anywhere how these horrendous procedures are affecting someone like me. I see discussions and articles about how the TSA pat-downs can be traumatic for sexual assault victims. The truth is, the scanners and the pat downs are traumatic for any victim of physical abuse. I was not a sexual assault victim, but was a victim of child abuse and violence. While it is my own personal matter to overcome any related issues as an adult now, the idea that another person can randomly exercise authority over my body, whether by the scanner or pat down, without being justified by probable cause, is personally threatening beyond words. Just the thought of it makes me feel ill and sick to my stomach. I cannot imagine that I'm the only victim of violence who feels this way. Just the knowledge and thought of what the TSA would do to me if I pass through airport security, brings back memories and familiar feelings of being subject to physical abuse; the feeling is that another person doesn't treat you as anything with worth, that you are nothing but a piece of garbage, and they can lay a hand on you anytime or expose you as something less than human by taking away your basic human dignity (such as making you stand with your arms up like a monkey in the scanner, while someone can view every part of your body).

I am an expat living overseas. I had originally planned to return to the US to spend X'mas and New Year with friends and family back home. I have since changed my travel plans after the TSA adopted these new rules. Janet Napolitano says there are other transportation options. But for international travel, there is no real option other than to fly into Canada and drive in to the US, and drive back to Canada to fly out. With the current situation, I do not think I can return to the US at all until I repatriate when I don't need to board a plane in the US. (Right now I will need to return to my job and family in my foreign country of residence.) I feel exiled by the TSA.

I travel globally and have been through many airports. Travelling is a big part of an expat's life. I am not an un-concerned or ignorant person when it comes to airport or flight security. I do not see how the scanners or the enhanced pat down will do anything. A terrorist can just as well blow himself up inside the scanner or at the pat down. There are other more effective measures than these.

So thank you for taking a stand on behalf of us.

Sincerely,
Alexa C.

Your article in the Monroe Evening News this Sunday (11-28) was great. I never use to read the paper or care much to hear about the news but I've been getting into it and noticing how horrible our government has become. Your absolutely right when you say "we have to recognize that we are ruled by an elite class of individuals who are completely out of touch with the travails of the average American".. Our government could careless about our health or maybe even our safety at that..the only thing they care about is being powerful over us, the people.. You should talk about the government in future articles in the newspaper... Maybe people will start to wake up and actually start to worry about what's going on in our country and stop worrying about the wrong things such as what's going on, on the Jesey Shore or what the new fashion trend is this month...
Good work keep it up

Sincerely,

Missy

Don’t forget that we are not only being irradiated at the airports. These mutation machines are mobile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGAIJVk1028

http://www.as-e.com/products_solutions/z_backscatter.asp

Alex Z.

Sir

Good points, well made; especially the parts about the ruling elite being exempt. But where's the problem?

Is it the scanners themselves, the mindset that creates the 'need' for them, the sheep-like passive acceptance of them, or the reliable tolerance of your huddling masses towards ever-increasing impositions?
What happens if we project trends? (Brrr, let's not go there ... )

Is there an answer?

Yes. But it isn't in democracy American style, it's in Democracy. Huge difference, and yes, we in New Zealand are no more democratic than you in "the Land of the Free".

Think about it, in a democracy* how long would you have to put up with this stuff? And if you feel like this about the TSA, was the survey quoted recently in Casey stating to the effect that 'eighty percent of Americans think the Aviation Security measures are a great idea' in error, or a falsehood? Why should you object when so many think it's wonderful?

I offer that some people may gripe a bit about it but in the end they will accept it. If their choice is take all their clothes off in public and cavort across a stage before entering the aircraft in the nude — or not fly — most will strip off and cavort. It may even come to that ...

I don't have any answers. None beyond getting rid of your systems as they are now and bringing in Democracy—which until people can think qua Think wouldn't be a good thing.

In New Zealand I'm putting together some thoughts on a revolutionary idea which would involve the banning of ALL political parties in the first instance and having democratically elected representatives; who can only implement decisions made by their electorates via democratic processes.

Sir, I perceive your nation as a truly noble social experiment gone horribly wrong, hijacked and perverted by the self-serving and very clever. I wish you the best of luck.

Regards

John H. (New Zealand)

* a la Lincoln: the old "Government of, by, and for, the people" (v. the ubiquitous "Government of the people, by the party, for the party").

How would anyone know if they "turned up" the scanners during an alert? They do that quite often with the metal detectors, but everyone can tell. Possibly the scanners are designed to also see internally to detect implanted explosives as well if they feel it is "necessary".

Dave

Good going John!

But now that they have backed down on screening pilots, how about broadening your lawsuit into a class action to defend all citizens whose dignity and constitutional rights have been violated. Actually, I don't know if a class could be certified against the US government. But if we don't stop these unreasonable searches and violations now, they will be indiscriminately checking body cavities next.

Perry T.

Sir:

I have instituted my own “opt-out” policy regarding airport security. I won’t be flying at all until this lunacy is halted.

It is interesting however, that this was started just before the heavy travel holiday season. John Pistole and Janet Napolitano will continue to push this madness until the traveling public pushes back. I hope that we push back very hard.

Charles B.

Here’s what the American College of Radiology says. Would appreciate your comment. Thanks.

Rich B.

ACR Statement on Airport Full-body Scanners and Radiation

(Originally Posted January 2010) - Amid concerns regarding terrorists targeting airliners using weapons less detectable by traditional means, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is ramping up deployment of whole body scanners at security checkpoints in U.S. airports. These systems produce anatomically accurate images of the body and can detect objects and substances concealed by clothing.

To date, TSA has deployed two types of scanning systems:

Millimeter wave technology uses low-level radio waves in the millimeter wave spectrum. Two rotating antennae cover the passenger from head to toe with low-level RF energy.

Backscatter technology uses extremely weak X-rays delivering less than 10 microRem of radiation per scan ─ the radiation equivalent one receives inside an aircraft flying for two minutes at 30,000 feet.

An airline passenger flying cross-country is exposed to more radiation from the flight than from screening by one of these devices. The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement (NCRP) has reported that a traveler would need to experience 100 backscatter scans per year to reach what they classify as a Negligible Individual Dose. The American College of Radiology (ACR) agrees with this conclusion. By these measurements, a traveler would require more than 1,000 such scans in a year to reach the effective dose equal to one standard chest x-ray.

The ACR is not aware of any evidence that either of the scanning technologies that the TSA is considering would present significant biological effects for passengers screened.

The ACR encourages those interested in learning more regarding radiation associated with imaging and radiation oncology procedures as well as radiation naturally occurring in the Earth’s atmosphere to visit www.radiologyinfo.org.

Dear Mr. Whitehead,
Thank you for your editorial in today's LewRockwell.com- a wonderful site, is it not.

I think the word you meant in your last paragraph was "timidity," not "temerity."
Temerity means boldness, and certainly Americans have not been bold in
containing the state.

It seems to me that the body scanners have nothing whatsoever to do with
security. Their aim is simply and solely to humiliate and terrify the public.
I do not believe the government should be granted the dignity of being
taken seriously any longer.

Kind regards,

Caryl J.

You are so correct in your evaluation. The solution can be one simple word......PROFILE. We need to get over being politically correct, and see that the Israeli solution of profiling passengers at Ben Gurion airport is the most viable answer.

The day we stop worrying about being politically correct, we will have made a step in the right direction.

Respectfully,

Vladimir C.

The Total Control Society Is Here: Iris Scanners

2010-11-18T07:24:00.000-08:00

Click Here to Read John Whitehead's Commentary

Mr. Whitehead,

I read your article and found it very interesting. In response, all I can say is this: I am a Christian. I believe in the doctrine known as "the rapture." I have been praying for it to occur for a long, long time. Now I intend to redouble my prayers.

God bless you and yours, sir.

Henry C.

Scary stuff! They think they’re going to eradicate fraud? Yeah-Right! Didn’t they ever watch the move DEMOLITION MAN? Do they really think the Mexican drug cartels would hesitate for one moment to follow Wesley Snipes example in that move?

Technology isn't the problem its man can not handle the technology. In the same way that we need a well regulated banking system, a well regulated legal system, a well regulated rail system, a well regulated economic system, a well regulated population, we also need technology to be well regulated. It seems mankind can not handle regulation either and has cast regulation to the discard.

We have technology expanding exponentially, human morality diminishing exponentially, coupled to absolute power corrupting absolutely and idiots running around saying that in a hundred years we are all going to be cooked, mankind is screwed.

Regards,

John

we shall see....

body scanners is the benchmark and cause celebre. much could happen on that front. so i'm not particularly nervous about the scanners. other things are/will be happening before all that (or concurrent), like the crash of the economy, insurrection, tax revolts, who knows. in other words, many changes on many fronts. thanks for writing!

all the best,

JB

Hi John,

Some food for thought - I've long considered that easy identification of people is a good thing; the problem is that it's restricted to government.

For example, why is it only police, or their cronies, can determine whom a license plate belongs to?

If someone wants to date my daughter or sell me a car, why CAN'T I do a background check?

Freely (as in easily) available information about the people and entities we deal with could and should be a good thing, heck a great thing. My concern is that only "they" can access such information, thus forcing us into "needing" them for "security".

If people knew that anyone, not just police officers, could identify them by license plate, would driving behavior stay the same, get worse - or get better?

Why shouldn't shops be able to identify shop-lifters?

(and yes, at the tender age of 12 I got cautioned for shoplifting... )

I believe databases in themselves are not dangerous, indeed I believe they would be massively helpful in any libertarian society. The danger is that only our Lords and Masters can access them, leaving the rest of us stumbling around blindly.

What do you think?

Alan

Dear Mr. Whitehead:

Maybe the economic collapse and dismantling of the federal monster is a good thing - I pray for that every day. As a Christian I don't believe God will allow us to establish another Tower of Babel in the world.

God bless your efforts.

Jim H.

Dear Mr. Whitehead,

Thank you for your recent article, “Total Control..” I will be quoting your last few paragraphs referencing Orwell, along with Cronkite’s quote, as I wind up my own informational piece to conservative members in our mountain County here in Colorado. I intend to take a hiatus, but will leave people some educational material before I go, mostly on our Central Banking system.

I think this young man with his business degree from Harvard nails the big-picture view of our current state of affairs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6HuzhMUHGM&feature=related

I will be traveling through the Denver airport in a week or so. The now routine requirements that we remove shoes, travel with tiny bags filled with tiny bottles lest they be confiscated, etc is almost more than I can bear. I can assure you that I will refuse both Chertoff’s new naked scanner, and their “enhanced” pat down which involves frank touching/inspection of our private parts through our clothing. This goes well beyond a breach in the 4th amendment----illegal search.

Thank you,

Elena C.

John, what about it?

"it’s Congress that bears the brunt of the blame.." The citizens put them there, 95 percent incumbents returned, anti-citizen Biden, 6 terms, war monger Pelosi, forever. It is a democracy. Too stupid to do otherwise? Then it is here to stay, intrinsic.

The advantage of a "democracy" to the power, is that it is such a good control system. People claim it is TV control. Would it work on you?

Ken A

Invasion of the Body Scanners: More Tales of Terror from the Unfriendly Skies

2010-11-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

As to the airport security we should use the Israeli system. Stop the politically correct balony. A terrorist before entering security check could have a large bomb in the carry on board luggage, take it to where the security checkpoint is located where a large gathering of people are waiting to go thru security (probably equivalent to 3 planes of passengers), blow it up. The whole airport would be shut down including airports all over the country. That is why intelligence and profiling are the best defence.

Jim H.

The government? Yes, but so is Costco!

Don't believe me?

Just try walking out without submitting to the search, and watch what happens. I *know*, because I DID.

By the time I was released I was almost in shock, I had no idea they could do that. But that was only the start. Even though I refused to ID myself, (and they eventually dropped the threat to call the polce, and finally allowed me to leave,) they somehow managed to ID me and called me at home the next day and interrogated me.

Yes, Costco.

Amazing, but true.

BTW, great website!

Dan S.

Good article. Keep writing about this subject. Freedom from das homeland security is critical. We have to loudly boycott these travesties of liberty. Stop flying to start, don't go into a court building, then don't allow them to start putting these abuses in train stations, bus stations, etc.

John E.

First, just so you know. I don't fly. My family is all within 3 days driving distance and anyway I hate to travel. In the current atmosphere, I would hesitate to fly anywhere, as I have a somewhat volatile temper, and 40 years training in martial arts. I fear I would clock some TSA pervert and end up in jail forever as a terrorist suspect. So, I'm as guilty of cowardice as the everyone else. Still.

I seem to remember that Nelson Mandela spent umteen years in jail for his opposition to apartheid; that our founders risked, quite literally their lives and fortunes in a similar disagreement with the powers that were. My greatest hero right now is the Amish guy who sells me raw dairy and who also risks, quite literally his freedom, his property and maybe even his life in so doing.

But on the TSA issue, I see all these articles on LR about the outrageous TSA transgressions. But I see no one, not one who is willing to do what I, female, age 64 with limited testosterone hesitate to do: Bring a knee to the groin of one of these goons, and take the consequence, which will, indeed be very unpleasant. Or perhaps start shouting at his fellow inmates to just overrun their assholenesses? Or maybe, for those who follow Ghandi (who I do admire), get a bunch of folks together with signs to picket the humiliation lines? Or start a complete boycott on flying.

There is none of the above!!!! Nada. Nicht. Nichevo. With the exception of that wonderful pilot who said FU to TSA and to his job, no one is standing up to these people.

My God, what have we become?

Keep writing. Maybe some kid will get inspired (revolutionaries are always young) and start unraveling this awful system we have spawned.

Best wishes,

Vilma O.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has worked with abused men and women for years. The use of the pat down and full body scanners is traumatic not only for people who have been previously sexually victimized but for all persons. We have spent years teaching people about personal space and how to say no to unsolicited sexual advances and now our government is saying that we have to give consent for ourselves and our children to be physically and sexually molested in order to fly? This makes no sense and is a terrible violation to the emotional health of every person in our country. It is even detrimental to the people who say they are fine with it because it gives them the opportunity to be fondled; it is encouraging their sexual fantasies and acting out.
I have children and there is no way that I will subject them to doses of radiation or to the physical and sexual molestation of the TSA perverts. When my youngest daughter was 10 a TSA agent in the PHX airport ordered her behind a screen where HE was going to do a physical patdown. When I protested he became threatening and I raised my voice telling him there was no way he was taking my daughter behind a screen without my being present. His female supervisor then came over and demanded of ME as to what was going on. When I told her, she became angry at him and said "you know better than that!" It could just as easily gone the other way with my daughter violated and me in handcuffs. This is wrong, wrong, wrong. Please help to get these searches eliminated.

Clair H.

Mr. Rutherford,

Thank you for publishing the letters from women who were abused by TSA agents at lewrockwell.com. It is important that these stories get out, and that these machines be removed and the patdowns cease.

You may be interested on what I've written on my blog on the matter here:

http://samablog.robsama.com/?tag=tsa

Keep up the good fight.

All the best,

-Rob S.

The bible says do not pass by evil hide from it. 36 years ago; to fly back home I was required to tear off the gift wrapping of a music coffee grinder to my son. I have never entered an airport since. I would not enter one now at the end of a gun

M.

Dear JohnW,

Thank you for your article on the TSA measures. Thank you for naming names of bad government officials. And, thank you for telling people's stories.

There is an excellent youtube with a woman saying that she had a panic attack thinking about the search.

http://www.youtube.com/user/snowbigdeal08#p/u/6/7Ra3ov1mEZE

(She is asking Jet Blue for help. The important thing to me is what she expressed.)

-Kimberly W.

Hi John

you need a live web site where people can report anyone who works for the TSA and were they live so their neighbours can find out about them.

If I had a child porn freak living next door I would want to do something about it.

get people to report everything.

shine the light on them.

Kevin D.

HAHAHAHAHA! These people are getting what they deserve for being asleep their entire lives. Now they are pissed off but still do not know what the real problem is or what to do about it. The real problem is a government they let get too big. In this particular instance it's an aviation biz that's been sucking on the government tit for as long as it could get something. Airline companies and the public at large sold their souls for government airports, air traffic controllers and all that goes with it a long time ago. Now they are getting the jackboot that always goes with anything federal. Serves 'em right! It is unfortuante that they are so goddam dumb they won't learn a thing from this.

I would like to protest this invasion of privacy, but how?

I have fallen and I can't get up.

What are my rights? Do I even have any?

No! Gone a long time ago because you and your ilk weren't paying attention. It took someone with his hand in your crotch to finally wake your sorry ass up and now you're so stupid you don't know what to do.

W.

Dear Mr. Whitehead,

Bruce Schneier, a genuine security expert, has written several times about the war on terrorism morphing into a war on different.

There's a new front in that war - naked body scanners. The TSA trains their screeners to look for "anomalies." Not weapons, or bomb parts, but anything different. So now you can be questioned, groped, assaulted, harassed, even arrested, not because you did anything different, but because under your clothes you look different.

See
http://www.backwoodshome.com/blogs/ClaireWolfe/2010/11/05/tsa-porno-scanners-what-theyre-really-looking-for/

Best regards,

Steve

Dear Sir,

I would like to know why people continue to fly? If they would just refuse to fly, wouldn't the airlines then be forced to make some changes? There are a couple of trips my wife and I have quietly decided not to take because of the invasive, ridiculous scans or pat downs, but apparently I am in the minute minority. Your thoughts?

Gary H.

John: It would be interesting to do a little research on TSA hiring procedures. From watching videos of people being molested by TSA employees, it seems that most of them are uneducated, fat, black, white, Hispanic men and women. Give a person with limited education and in the lower class of the working group and you will have a group of people that will do anything that you want because they do not want to lose their jobs. I’s work for the TSA an u gonna do as I sae or I’s gonna arrest u. The TSA employees are NOT middle class Americans. They are the lower class of the working group that do not want to lose their jobs, so they will abuse their power and make life miserable for the rest of us.

tom

Mr. Whitehead, I would bet the farm that somewhere within the hollowed hall of America's security state there is an ever enlarging collection of images of notable people and celebrities as well as that of the underachieving masses who possess interesting physical attributes. And of course for the TSA foot soldiers who are so inclined, there would be images of the underaged. America's decent is proving to be rapid, the impact will be very unpleasant.

Regards,
Dennis C.

Hi,

I would like to share the following comments with you (and others who may visit your web site), but please share the following ANONYMOUSLY if you elect to post it on your website or otherwise reshare my remarks.

Enhanced Screening and How We Finally Lost the War on Terror
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Law enforcement can only succeed with the help of the public, whether we're talking about arresting violent street criminals or preventing terrorism. Law enforcement just can't do it on their own, and I am *highly* supportive of law enforcement. However, given what I'm hearing reported about the new "enhanced" screening at airports, I think we've finally LOST the war on terror.

What Bin Laden couldn't do to us, we're now doing to ourselves.

The purpose of terrorism is to terrorize, but what many may not know is that most terror actually has specific objectives: terrorist acts are meant to challenge the perception that the authorities are in control, and to _provoke_official_overreaction_. Terrorists actions, in almost every case, really aren't very significant from a big picture point of view, even if they can be terribly tragic if they happen to directly involve you or to a loved one.

For terrorists to really succeed, they need the amplification and pressure that the media provides, AND they need to convince the authorities to impose increasingly draconian and ultimately unconscienable "countermeasures" in an effort to "control" or respond to the attacks that may be taking place.

Once terrorists succeed in getting the authorities to completely overreact, the terrorists have won.
You've leveraged the virtually limitless power of the state to oppress and intimidate its own population, destroying what you are theoretically striving to protect.

I think we've passed that point when it comes to screenings at our airports.

If you're like many and regularly read the NY Times, don't miss:

"Opt Out of a Body Scan? Then Brace Yourself,"
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/02/business/02road.html

However, I'd suggest instead that you see the video "TSA Fondles Women and Children Refusing Airport Naked Body Scanners" at http://www.infowars.com/tsa-fondles-women-and-children-refusing-airport-naked-body-scanners/

Truly, I urge you, take a minute to view the video linked from that site.

Five key points:

1) ENHANCED SCREENING SHOULD ALWAYS BE DONE BY A PERSON OF THE SAME GENDER, IN PRIVATE, WITH THE TRAVELER HAVING THE OPTION OF HAVING A SUPERVISOR OF THE SAME GENDER PRESENT OR A VIDEO RECORD OF THE SCREENING THEY'VE RECEIVED.

There should NEVER be TSA agents of the opposite gender doing hands-on physical screenings -- what idiot decided to allow male screeners to grab the breasts and genitals of females and children? I see a sudden uptick in sex offenders all competing for these jobs ("Hey Charlie, guess what? Now they PAY ME to grope women and children all day long. Is this sweet or what, huh?")

These screenings should be done in private, and the person being screened should have the option to request that a TSA supervisor be present, or the option of having a private video record of the screening that they received so that if a screener *does* engage in inappropriate contact there will be a documented record of that fact.

2) CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS NOTICE OF RIGHT TO OPT-OUT IS MISSING.

Travellers should be notified that they have the right to opt-out of being irradiated. Currently that right is not clearly explained to travellers. I know we're being told that this irradiation is safe, but do you remember when we were also told that fluoroscopic foot shoe measuring devices were also "safe"? In truth, we really just don't know, and empirically won't know for years. We do know that highly respected university professors have expressed serious concerns about the safety and health consequeneces of the "enhanced screening" devices -- see, for example:
http://www.npr.org/assets/news/2010/05/17/concern.pdf

It is unconscienable that TSA is not providing clear and conspicuous notice of flyers right to opt out.
If we can be given painstaking instructions on how to load our tiny travel size bottles of shampoo and mouthwash into zip lock bags, surely TSA can also let us know something as fundamental as "you have a right to request alternative screening procedures."

3) EXERCISING THE RIGHT TO OPT-OUT IS NOT JUSTIFICATION FOR HUMILATING OR INTIMIDATING A TRAVELER.

If a traveller does ask to opt out of being irradiated, he or she still deserves to be treated with respect. At a minimum, that means NOT screaming "WE'VE GOT AN OPT-OUT" as if exercising that option is kin to asking to be publicly humiliated. (I believe that sort of shouted announcement is being done in an effort to discourage others from also opting out)

4) WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT ULTIMATELY THIS NEW MEASURE WILL BE INEFFECTIVE.

What's the plan when terrorists go from what they've already tried to secreting explosives in their body cavities? What's the plan then, eh?

Will TSA then whip out vaginal speculums and anal probes? Or what if a terrorist opts to have explosives implanted below their skin? (Imagine terrorist liposuction: suck a kilo of fat from a tubby terrorist, and replace that mising fat with a kilo of plastic explosive instead).

Or let's reason about this just a little more. If someone's a terrorist, they can *tell* what airports have the "enhanced scanners" and which ones don't. These things are NOT small.
They're readily visible.

So assuming the terrorist has at least the IQ of a turnip, and they wanted to avoid having a concealed IED detected, don't you think that they just *might* go to one of the OTHER airports that DOESN'T have these scanners deployed?

5) THERE ARE LESS INTRUSIVE AND MORE EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES WHICH COULD BE USED INSTEAD.

If the worry is that people will conceal explosives on their person, there is non-invasive technology to detect
that: air "puffer" machines that can sample air from the person being screened, using that non-invasive method to detect traces of explosives. This is a well proven and accepted method that's been around for a long time. THAT'S what SHOULD be getting deployed if the worry is that people will smuggle on "underwear bombs," not the use of radiation devices or intrusive/punitive searches.

Heck, if it comes right down to it, let people opt to strip naked for visual inspection by a screener of the same gender, rather than having the Hobson's choice of being irradiated or physically molested.

6) TSA SHOULD MAKE IT EASY FOR FLIERS TO FILE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ENHANCED SCREENING, AND THEY SHOULD POST PUBLIC QUARTERLY SUMMARIES OF THOSE COMPLAINTS BROKEN DOWN BY AIRPORT AND GENDER

The public deserves to know if there are problems with the enhanced screening procedures, particularly at particular airports, or for particular genders. Requiring quarterly reporting would accomplish that goal.

Let me also mention that I believe that this new policy disproportionately impacts three particularly vulnerable groups:

1) Children

For those of you who are parents, I look forward to hearing how you plan to explain to your children, including pre-kindergarten age children, why its okay for random strangers to grab their genitals
*sometimes,* but not the rest of the time. Anywhere except at our airports, this sort of conduct would be grounds for arresting the perpetrator for criminal sexual molestation. (And the alternative, allowing unseen parties to take naked pictures of your children via the radiation screening devices, would amount to tolerating the creation of child pornography in any other
circumstance)

Some things are objectively wrong regardless of who's doing them, or why they're being done. This is an example of that.

2) Victims of prior sexual abuse

I would also ask you for just one small moment to put yourself in the shoes of travellers who are victims of previous sexual assaults. The process that's now being rolled out amounts to revictimizing those who have already suffered tremendously, and this is going to accomplish *nothing* except to discourage Americans from flying (and boy, now THERE'S something that will help our already struggling transportation industry).

3) Those who've had disfiguring surgery

I would also suggest that people consider those who may have had radical mastectomies or other disfiguring surgeries. In many cases that sort of thing leaves long term emotional scars. You're now asking those victims to set aside their right to privacy, their basic right to human dignity, to be intrusively screened. I can just imagine how breast cancer survivor gel implants will end up getting scrutinized, for example.

Bottom line:

I think that law enforcement risks destroying the popular support that they rely on by rolling out measures that go way too far. The "Total Information Awareness"
program was one example of that
sort of thing, and it is clear to me that this is another.

The time has come for ALL of us to say, "You know what? Enough is enough." We've entered a very dark period for our country, and this is the sort of thing that's going to end up CREATING new domestic radicals rather than preventing international terrorism. I think that's a very perilous course for our country to steer, and I urge the administration to rescind this policy or to deploy non-invasive "puffer" machines if they have an ongoing concern about passenger safety as a result of new emerging threats.

Thank you for considering these thoughts, and best of luck working to roll back this unconscienable abuse of our constitutional rights.

The 2010 Elections: Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing

2010-11-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

Great article. I am reminded of one of Schaeffers books on Western Civ. He wrote of the two supreme values of personal peace and affluence. And how the left and right would simply be roads to the same end. This outburst today is generated from fear of losing our two supreme values. We are much like Eli sons in the Bible...we have all the symbols and conontation-words that point to our original values. But our hearts are not spurred on by those values. We let the original system slip away from us. Fight a 10 year war without feel ing the impact? The government doesn't have to consult us on the matter as long as they cut our taxes and cut us some checks? (bread and circuses). Whether the wars are right or wrong...the process is clearly wrong. Then the constitution...they all trample it. Why not? The values that once supported it have all but crumbled. How to get through? How, when every other guy is busy showing his buddy 'the new awesome app' he just downloaded to his iphone. I used to listen to the old guys when I was a kid. They were cranky old men comparing us to Rome all the time. They had NO IDEA how close they were to seeing it. I am 43 and now made prematurily cranky.

Mark G.

Mr Whitehead,

I think you are so right--however, I am refusing to quit hoping for God's merciful spiritual awakening of our nation. It is true that without apathy and seeking after the things of the world to the point of being ignorant of freedoms being lost, our nation would not be in this state. Though I've been as involved as possible (and more than ever) in politics (though the tea party movement), I've done relatively little. I've only so much energy and time. My husband tells me that had I spent the time praying that I spent working with tea party etc that I would have accomplished more. Could be, but only prayer could be a cop out, too. Hard to find the balance. I've learned more about govt than I think I've ever known. I'll continue to work with our local tea party to work for changes at the state and national level. The tea party is not going away--though many will leave most of the work to a few. Had I been in charge it would have died before it started!! The hours invested! But if the Lord fails to send a revival to the church all the work in the world will not save our nation. Indeed, only Our God can save us. Thanks for your thoughts. But pray and continue to help us win back our nation. We must not give up 'till Jesus comes.

Blessings
Lynne S.

Thanks for allowing me to learn so much about what's going on in Washington. However, I would like to offer some constructive criticism.

While your newsletters are extremely informing, I find that (as a friend I forwarded the newsletter to said) that "it's good, but everything is doom and gloom". Please continue to inform, but remember that God is really in charge, not us. We should be praying for our country and our leaders every day and I sometimes fail to remember this.

I realize that being so involved in the political scene would bring most anyone down; but while I wish to be informed, I do not wish to be left with such a negative outlook. Please remember (and remind us) that there is always hope. Help us see positive changes which have taken place. Our vote can and does make some difference.

Sincerely,
Charlotte B.

I often feel to old and unimpowered to do anything about the theft of our country but Mr. Whitehead's column in the Pearland journal give me hope that someone out there is listening.
I donate to the Heritage Society, Ron Paul, and Hillman.
I am solicited by CAWG and others but feel that what little I can give does nothing.
We mus end the welfare state somehow but it looks hopeless. The ACLU has taken God out of our government. I cry for my grandchildren and greatgrand children, try to instill our Constitution as written by our founding fathers.

But we are hung with a congress that is power mad and have no interest in restoring our constitutional laws and will not challange the President. I had hopes for Newt Gingrich in '94 but that congress out spent the Democrats.

I will follow your website for awhile and see if you have anything going.

Robert B.

The Shadows of Our Subconscious: Ten Frightening Movies

2010-11-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

i agree with most of your choices about scary movies, but THE SHINING, please, FATAL ATTRACTION was much more frightening.

chris p.

Michael Roberts: One Man Against the Surveillance State

2010-10-28T08:20:00.000-07:00