My comments about this wouldn't be acceptable for this board

[peternap]

 

By Adam Ghassemi

PORTLAND, Tenn. – You're probably use to seeing TSA's signature blue uniforms at the airport, but now agents are hitting the interstates to fight terrorism with Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR).

"Where is a terrorist more apt to be found? Not these days on an airplane more likely on the interstate," said Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons.

Tuesday Tennessee was first to deploy VIPR simultaneously at five weigh stations and two bus stations across the state.

Agents are recruiting truck drivers, like Rudy Gonzales, into the First Observer Highway Security Program to say something if they see something.

"Not only truck drivers, but cars, everybody should be aware of what's going on, on the road," said Gonzales.

It's all meant to urge every driver to call authorities if they see something suspicious.

"Somebody sees something somewhere and we want them to be responsible citizens, report that and let us work it through our processes to abet the concern that they had when they saw something suspicious," said Paul Armes, TSA Federal Security Director for Nashville International Airport.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol checked trucks with drug and bomb sniffing dogs during random inspections.

"The bottom line is this: if you see something suspicious say something about it," Gibbons said Tuesday.

The random inspections really aren't any more thorough normal, according to Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Tracy Trott who says paying attention to details can make a difference. Trott pointed out it was an Oklahoma state trooper who stopped Timothy McVay for not having a license plate after the Oklahoma City bombing in the early 1990s.

Tuesday's statewide "VIPR" operation isn't in response to any particular threat, according to officials.

Armes said intelligence indicates law enforcement should focus on the highways as well as the airports.

Email: aghassemi@newschannel5.com
Facebook: facebook.com/NC5AdamGhassemi
Twitter: twitter.com/NC5_AGhassemi

[NM_Shooter]

I have a friend who is a gifted artist, and a entrepreneur.  He paints, sculpts, makes molds and specializes in military reproductions. 

A couple of things he has done : He built 1:1 scale models of Fat Man and Little Boy for the Los Alamos Nuclear museum.  He also built 1:1 models of former Soviet nuclear warhead security lockers. 

Here is an example of his work.  Keep in mind that he operates from photos, makes scale sketches, and casts all the "hardware" prior to painting and assembly :

http://clubhyper.com/reference/fatmanba_1.htm

http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/littleboydba_1.htm

I helped him finish the lockers.  They were for training exercises on Kirtland AFB here in ABQ.  When we were done, we loaded them up on my cargo trailer and drove them to the base.  As we were approaching the security gate, I was wondering if anyone at the gate would know what these were.  He was proud to hear that a Russian general on tour of KAFB stopped dead in his tracks when he caught a glimpse of the lockers, and demanded to know where they were acquired.

He recently had an opportunity to bid on work... he was to acquire, and restore / rebuild some ASRAAM missiles.  There were 6 or 8 static displays that had fallen into poor aesthetic condition and he was bidding on collecting them, salvaging parts from the lot, and rebuilding and repainting them to look factory fresh for a museum. 

He needed a way to transport them from NM to TX. 

I volunteered my services and my trailer.  My plan was to build a wooden rack upon which I could stack these missiles, and to drive them to his house on my open trailer.

Can you imagine what sort of road trip that would have been?   I wonder what TSA would have thought.......   

[ScottA]

I doubt they would have said anything to you shooter. TSA is to busy feeling people crotches to notice any missles on a trailer. The America we thought we grew up in is long gone folks. We now live in a world where laws have no meaning since the law is what they say it is on any given day. If the law doesn't apply to everyone it applies to no one.

[muldoon]

This is from 3 days ago.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel from Air Force arrested by TSA for saying the 4th amendment of the constitution while being searched. 

I have about the same comments about this news as I do about the article peternap posted.  They would not be acceptable to this board. 

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/18/1027775/-TSA-Arrests-Me-for-Using-the-Fourth-Amendment-as-a-Weapon-%28Tales-from-the-Edge-of-a-Revolution-2

[PapaBear]

I've been reading a lot recently about the Constitution, rights, law, and the like.  It's appauling how far we've departed from our founding father's intentions.  State rights and personal rights are being trampled left and right and most don't even know it, or care. 

That being said, I'd like to play devil's advocate for a moment.  What if TSA wasn't a federal organization?  Does that change anything?  What if it was State administerd?  What if it was a privately funded and trained security force?  Do the airlines have the right to protect their property from destructive individuals? 

As for the VIPR thing, as far as I understand (I'm no scholar) Tennessee us within their rights as a State to put something like that into effect.  I haven't read their constitution, but does it contain any language that would preclude their instituting this system?

PapaBear

[Squirl]

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Clause 1 Fourteenth Amendment.

It wouldn't matter if it was a state government.  The fourteenth amendment established all protections in the constitution of searches would apply to the states. "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States"
The states can put anything they want in their constitution, it can't impede on the bill of rights.  This was in response the end of the civil war.  Most confederate states had laws for slavery or against people of other races and religions.  This established states can't violate the human rights outlined in the bill of rights.

[Sassy]

Both those stories make my blood boil    Our country is in a sorry state 

[rick91351]

Seems as if the TSA is morphing into a secret police.

My dad 96  year old said something to me the other day when he was in the hospital it all most shocked me.  Some one said to him,  "If you need something let me know."  Dad waited for them to leave looked over at me and said.  "JUST LET ME KNOW SOUNDS LIKE JUST TELL THE GESTAPO!"

True dad was sort of out of it.  But what would trigger that?  When his short term memory is almost gone he did wait for them to leave and told me that.  Sounds like 96 year old men are better tuned in than people that spoon feed themselves on Simpsons and Family Guy.         

[Sassy]

Now it looks like New Orleans has passed a law forbidding use of cash in certain transactions...

http://www.brasschecktv.com/videos/money-madness/new-louisana-law-bans-cash-transactions.html

[Native_NM]

Now it looks like New Orleans has passed a law forbidding use of cash in certain transactions...

http://www.brasschecktv.com/videos/money-madness/new-louisana-law-bans-cash-transactions.html

Last time I checked every bill was stamped "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private"  The law is not constitutional. 

[Sassy]

haven't you noticed yet, the politicians & many others in power don't care if something is "Constitutional" or not...

[Gingerbreadman]

Trott pointed out it was an Oklahoma state trooper who stopped Timothy McVay for not having a license plate after the Oklahoma City bombing in the early 1990s.

Sooo..report every vehicle missing a license plate to DHS. Got it.

[peternap]

PopaBear, are you in North Carolina?

[PapaBear]

Peter, check your PMs.

Squirl, good stuff.  Thank for the clarification. 

All,
So, TSA administered by the federal government is unconstitutional.  TSA administered by the State is also unconstitutional via the 14th Amendment.  What about if it's run privately?  Does an airline have a right to protect its assets from attack?  Does an airport have a right to offer a security service at its facility as a service to airlines?  For the sake of arguement, let's say that they do.  Then who gets to say how invasive the search can be? 

Just to be clear I'm asking these things because I enjoy the thought exercise, not because I'm trying to rile anybody up.

PapaBear

[Squirl]

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and Warrants shall not be issued, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

When traveling on a private airline and a person is on private property (airport) and has no requirement by the government forcing that person to be there, I would expect a different standard of search.

When on a public road, the standard against searches by the government goes up.

There is a clause "unreasonable searches" that is subject to interpretation.

[Native_NM]

You might be surprised at who owns the airspace....or thinks they do. 

[peternap]

You might be surprised at who owns the airspace....or thinks they do. 

My Latin is abhorrent but the term is A coelo usque ad centrum.

[Windpower]

Ron Paul on the TSA

http://12160.info/video/ron-paul-s-texas-straight-talk-10-24-11-tsa-highway-searches

[muldoon]

I guess my comments on this one cannot be shared either .. 

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-03-21/html/2011-6473.htm
http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/24/justice-dept-proposes-lying-hiding-existence-of-records-under-new-foia-rule


A proposed revision to Freedom of Information Act rules would allow federal agencies to lie to citizens and reporters seeking certain records, telling them the records don't exist.

The Justice Department has proposed the change as part of a large revision of FOIA rules for federal agencies. Specifically, the rule would direct government agencies who are denying a request under an established FOIA exemption to "respond to the request as if the excluded records did not exist," rather than citing the relevant exemption.

The proposed rule has alarmed government transparency advocates across the political spectrum, who've called it "Orwellian" and say it will "twist" public access to government.

The draft FOIA revisions were first published in March, but the Justice Department re-opened comment submissions in September after several open-government groups raised objections. A Justice Department spokesperson said the agency is committed to public input and transparency, which is why it re-opened public comments on the rule — an unusual step in the process.


[/quote]

[rick91351]

Orwellian indeed.  So goes Obama and his transparent government.  Double speak to the max.  Sad shades of 1984 and Animal Farm all rolled in to one.   

[Native_NM]

When they ask you about your Swiss account or the account in the Caymans, just tell them the records don't exist.  If it is good enough for them, it should be good enough for the people.