America IS a Police State.
America isn’t on the verge of becoming a police state, it is a police state. I’m about to go live there for the next 2 years and I already working there full time and my travels there are becoming more and more unnerving. And it is not Orwellian like everyone would have thought but more a Heinleinian state.
In my previous post about Airport Security I bemoaned the Orwellian repetitiveness of PA warning messages telling us that the current threat level was constantly being raised to Orange. Click Here to read it. But now this week I noticed something new in the PA Warning that completely bewildered me into a state of fear, fear of what America had become.
The improved message now states that if you make “inappropriate comments or make jokes about airport security” it will lead to your arrest.
Other than the fact that this goes completely against freedom of expression, I wondered something because that’s a pretty vague statement.
- What constitutes an inappropriate comment about airport security?
- What constitutes a joke about airport security?
- Who decides when the line is crossed?
- Does a stern face constitute an inappropriate comment?
With taser-trigger-happy-paranoid security guards walking around everywhere, endless PA announcements about airport security, terror threats like we were living through WWIII everyone pretty much stays quiet like good little lambs. We just want to get on our planes, eat our expensive and awful pizza slices and be on our merry way. But on top of it we have to see ads by the airport on how it is spending millions upon millions adding cameras and surveillance systems “for your security”
As a Canadian, and my fellow Canadians I’ve spoken with agree with me, I wonder how Americans could possibly stand to be treated like their freedoms had be thrown out the window. How can Americans stand for this? Tell me. Do you think that ridding yourselves of freedom and letting yourself be monitored by your government for a false sense of security is worth it?
Each time I visit airports, I feel like I’m visiting some kind of cliché sci-fi Police State Verhoven parody movie and yet it is chillingly real. But it won’t end with the airports, like all industries, it’ll spread everywhere and before you know it, America will be under its very own version of the Taliban, where derogation from the prescribed rules of conduct will lead its citizens to punishment and shunning and all types of retarded barbaric behaviours America says it is fighting over there so it wont have to fight over here.
I agree with Jon Stewart when he says that we should institute the draft, just to get people involved in politics again. Right now, you are having your rights and freedoms stripped away from you and you were asked politely to do so and you agreed because you were afraid. Well 7 years have gone by; time to get over it and take back what is yours.
Most Americans don’t take the plane, they stay in there little shelters lives.
The ones that do pass thru airports and have to deal with this repression, are the ones who want to change something… hopefully…
I’ve just started to avoid the states completely… it’s just not worth the trouble anymore… which is a real shame.
Good luck with your move. You can always come home, when you’ve had enough…
Vanou, I’ve been avoiding the states for years now!
For example, going to Oz in 2004 I decided to go through Vancouver-Singapore-Sydney instead of the MUCH cheaper LA-Honolulu-Sydney. 
Made me feel good to not support the USA.
Dave, you’re going to live there?!
WHy??? 
I’m going because it’s a great work opportunity, because it’ll be an adventure, because despite all it’s fucked up issues America has some great things going for it. Besides once Obama gets elected things will change
I find all of this scary, honestly. It doesn’t make me want to go over there… :-S
But anyhow, I really wish you have a nice time there, be careful, and come back to us in one piece!
xoxox
This is The Office of Homeland Security. We’re onto you and we’re watching you. Don’t even think of trying to bring in any of your radical Canuckistan ideas.
This is The Office of Homeland Security. We’re onto you and we’re watching you.
I live just off the Left Coast of the united States, on the Pacific Plate. You used to be able to see the united States from here; now I’m not sure what it is.
Most folx in the uS travel by plane and they think nothing of it… literally. They go, they sit, they walk through the lines and suffer the indignities of cattle led to slaughter. They show their ID, get frisked, x-rayed, bomb proofed. They’re careful what they say and they don’t wear t-shirts with verboten words on them.
They comply. Just like everywhere else.
I have to say, I agree with you on how this country is getting ridiculous. I see it everyday on the news and in the papers. I live in Chicago, and only fly every few years. The airports are one thing that is getting overly secured. Sad to say, everyone is getting so damn nervous about everything these days, I fear what it is going to be like when my kids are teenagers.
I do hope once G.W. is gone, things will change, but I don;t see it in the near future.
And to all the commentors, you make it sound like the US is a horrible place to live, it is not at all. sure, everyone may hate us right now, but there is no urban warfare going on here, not yet anyway. Our president may be a dumbass, that we can;t change now, but soon he will be gone. The US has many wonderful things to see and do, but the state of fear in this country is blinding everyone from seeing the beauty.
I really don’t care that people avoid the US, that is their choice.
Slinger, I agree. Americans are the friendliest bunch and I can only wish that when Obama is in office things will change. I’m happy to work here, but somethings need to change and it’ll take US citizen involvement for it to happen. Like V says, people shouldn’t fear their government, the government should fear its people.
Hey, Happy BDay again sweety!
All the best to you, my dear wisdom friend!
Luv! xoxox
Yeah, I agree. The problem is, our jackass leader thinks he is above everybody and he can do no wrong. It really is sad that we elected him to another term. But that is in the past now, and we need to look forward. I really do think Obama can win this, I don’t believe the US is ready for a woman president. Not being sexist, I just think we are not ready.
I think the US is ready for a woman president, just not Clinton. I prefer Obama.
America is run by evil,self-serving, bigoted, murderous scum who would love to process everyone through the prison system.
They divide us up by race or ethinicty in order to keep us under control.
The real war should be against the rich politicians who get others to do their dirty work (drone cops).
Cops will do whatever their handlers tell them to, such as in Nazi Germany. “just doing my job” is a cop-out response made by those who don’t care about doing what’s just, you are a suspect and potential enemy to them.
The secret police forces will kill you and your family plus they’ll get a medal for it all after they’ve set you up.
Cops and their masters are the enemy of freedom everywhere. They are not your freinds nor do they give an ish about “protecting” you.
To serve themselves and protect their own, this is what the sides of pig cars should say, it’s the truth.
Keep in mind, the notice does not limit the venue of inappropriate comments and jokes as grounds for arrest to the airport. I’m just saying . . .