I’m writing to state my unease with Senate Bill 87 which allows
police to stop motorists, with no probable cause, to see if
seatbelts are being worn. This is another example patently bad
legislation and flies in the face of the 4th Amendment of
the U.S. Constitution. Unfortunately, it’s always risky for any
politician to voice concern over law enforcement regarding
reasonable limits to benefits, new equipment, and/or expanding
power. In Alaska, doing so often brings the label “soft on crime”
coupled with the wrath of the Alaska PSEA. This type of
legislation often gets further than it should for that same reason.
It’s distressing when fear-mongering fans the flames of bad
legislation like SB 87 and causes needless bond proposals/excessive
budgets to be passed at the expense of schools, parks, libraries,
and youth & seniors programs. Additionally, “fear spending” places
a heavy burden on communities which in turn must sustain salaries,
benefits, and other operating costs-which generally exceed those in
the private sector. I get nauseous looking at the size of my
property tax bill and how it’s allocated.
Should police be respected and paid fairly? Of course! I have 4
close relatives who are law enforcement officers. Hence, I’m
acutely aware of the challenges they face. Yet, it seems reason has
gone out the window when it comes to expanding law enforcement’s
powers as well as operating costs in Alaska. I have first hand
experience. As an aircraft mechanic for nearly 25 years, I often
work late into the night. On two occasions, while driving home from
Anchorage International Airport to Peters Creek, I was pulled over
by police. Once, in the middle of winter, for a “dirty license
plate” (which coincidentally was clearly visible) and the second
time is anyone’s guess. I don’t have long hair or drive a vehicle
that might garner extra attention. I’m just a father of six (nearly
all grown), USAF veteran, who is active in his community (coaching
sports, etc.). But the officers allegedly had “probable cause” to
pull me over. Although I was not cited in either instance (likely
because I had done nothing wrong) my concerns were heightened
because I knew they were just “fishing” for something else for which
to cite me (Perhaps I’d had one beer after work and would fail the
ridiculously low ABT standard). I’m troubled because having
lived/traveled in 25+ countries (including Russia for two years and
a recent 30 day assignment to Beijing, China) allowed for some
interesting observations. It’s relevant to mention this because in
all the years of traveling around the world, in and out of
“totalitarian” states, I’ve seen how personal liberty has been
disregarded and undermined for convenience/profit…and too much of it
was here...in my own country!
It’s not being un-American when I say tactics used to interfere with
individual liberties (in some of the countries I’ve visited) are
identical to those we see evolving in our own. The rhetoric to
justify those tactics is also virtually identical. “We’re doing
this for your
safety”, “It protects the children”, and “Our streets will be safer”
are perennial favorites. When I hear those phrases, it sends up a
red flag. Thanks, but I prefer to shoulder responsibility for my
own safety. Creating more laws creates more criminals...it
is that simple. As
Winston Churchill once said, “Create 10,000 laws and you destroy all
respect for the law”. For example: In Russia, many refer to the
police as “mooser” meaning “garbage”. This has as much to do with
the practice of pulling folks over (for no probable cause) then
digging to find some infraction to receive a bribe, write a ticket,
or both (I experienced it first hand on two occasions). The Chinese
have guards/police/PLA on virtually every corner in Beijing. Sure,
I felt “safe” but at what cost? Are we destined to have a nation
with police on every corner, detaining anyone they wish, with no
probable cause? A nation where a citizen’s every expenditure and
movement is tracked? The folks who wrote the U.S. Constitution had
a problem with that scenario, yet SB 87 is another step in that very
direction. We can only wonder what Senator Bunde was thinking when
sponsoring this legislation. I surmise he either wants to ignore
the U.S. Constitution or find another revenue stream for the
city/state…creating more criminals… to pay more fines!
And while on my “soap box”, the sad state of air travel must be
mentioned. Frankly, if I resided Outside, I’d never fly
domestically again! Rather, I’d take an extra day or two and drive
(as many other Americans are doing) in order to avoid the security
“gauntlet” and high airfares driven, in part, by the excessive
security. Never mind no U.S. Aircraft had been hijacked with any
weapon of consequence for 10-20 years preceding 9/11(the old modus
operandi was the bluffing gun or bomb). Never mind the tactics used
by the 9/11 hijackers involved box cutters (which were legal to
carry onboard an aircraft at that time) or that acts such as five
passengers colluding and making a fictitious bomb threat (both used
on 9/11)…are STILL undetectable! Instead of looking at the problem
in a pragmatic and reasonable manner, the Congress and Justice
Department proceeded to rubber stamp laws undermining or eliminating
liberties for which countless Americans fought and died. Never mind
the TSA has, to date, failed to catch one terrorist but
has managed to
confiscate millions of dollars worth of “weapons” (such as nail
clippers and Leatherman tools) from law-abiding Americans…and let’s
not forget the additional red ink TSA adds to the federal budget.
Face it, we’re treated little better than criminals when forced to
endure pat down searches, shoe removal, and the restriction of free
speech-if any adamant complaint is made. Just have a spat with a
flight attendant about the dismal customer service the airlines now
provide. You’ll be yanked from a flight and charged with the
“terrorist” act of interfering with a flight crew, ending up on the
“no-fly” list. In fact one can end up on that list having done
absolutely nothing! One Alaskan had to have Senator Stevens
intervene because there is no recourse to have an errant name
removed…scary. Thankfully, these things never happened to me;
however I have witnessed what happened to others. One finds out
pretty quickly the price for standing up for individual rights can
be pretty steep…missed flights, interrogation, more “extreme”
searches, name added to “lists”. Coincidentally, while flying
internationally I’ve never been subjected to the level of violation
to “personal items and space” in ANY other country, to the
degree as U.S airports.
This letter has gone on long enough. My message to you is: There
are more than enough laws on the books to keep communities safe and
help law enforcement do their jobs. Let’s work on more pressing
problems such as fixing our broken educational system so the next
generation can better prepare for competition in a global economy.
An added benefit would be reduction of many social problems
stemming from the limited opportunities to which poor education
often leads. Alas, we’re building more prisons and hiring
additional police to arrest those who continually “slip through the
cracks”. I’ll save the observations made on those aspects of my
travels for another time. Believe me, many Americans are in for a
“wake-up” when the last protective barriers come down and the global
economy has an even more significant impact of our lives.
The message above and other services are provided free of charge through the
generous support of donated staff time and monetary contributions. If
you agree with our project please consider a donation in one form or another.
Alaska Voters Organization, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation and in
most cases your donations of cash or in kind are 100% tax deductible.
Secure electronic transfers
from your bank account or credit card are available using the PayPal
button above. If you prefer to send a check, bank
draft, or money order, please make them payable to the Alaska Voters
Organization; and mail to PO Box 3293; Kenai, Alaska;
99611-3293.
Please
contact our office with
any questions or comments.
Return to Editorial Index Page
