There is an interesting article in Slate from the other day, written by Amy Lieberman, about the growing issue of interior Border Patrol checkpoints and the growing anger from Americans who are forced to regularly encounter them. It's an interesting read that begins with,
"Liberals, libertarians, retirees, and activists protest against immigration patrols far from the border."
Ms. Lieberman expands on this point, showing how the issue of interior checkpoints located up to 100 miles inside the country rather than on a border, cuts across the social spectrum in America:
Parallel anti-checkpoint movements are drawing an odd collection of
bedfellows—conservative ranchers, comfortable retirees, reclusive
libertarians, and liberal activists—who are linked by one basic
contention. Because American citizens can be randomly detained and
searched at interior checkpoints deep inside the United States, the
checkpoints undermine the tenets of a free, democratic society.
My quote in the article is:
There are a few other people like Bressi across the southwest: white,
middle-aged men who keep steady jobs, are American citizens, and feel
secure enough to routinely take a stand against checkpoints.
“I am not politically active,” says Richard Rynearson during a Skype
call from South Korea. "I am a military officer, and I took an oath to defend the Constitution
of the United States against foreign and domestic enemies. When I am deployed I focus on foreign enemies, and when I am here, I focus on the domestic ones.”
Rynearson, a major in the U.S. Air Force, is suing Border Patrol agents in Uvalde County, Texas, following a prolonged detention in 2010 at a checkpoint 67 miles north of the Mexico border. The detention and standoff with a Border Patrol agent landed him disciplinary action at work.
The simpler option for drivers is to comply with all requests.
It's a well written article that is worth a read for those who are not familiar with suspicionless checkpoints forcing themselves upon many innocent Americans.
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