Had dinner with some family last night and got this story about a good friend of theirs:
Law abiding good guy goes to downtown L.A. a few months ago to witness the “Occupy L.A.” protest silliness. He just wanted to see it first hand, mind you, he was NOT a participant. While he was there a bunch of LAPD officers rounded up him and a bunch of other spectators and asked for ID. They handed their IDs over and a few minutes later their IDs were handed back to them and they were asked to leave the area, which they all did.
Fast forward a few months and our good guy spectator finishes his vocational school program, graduates with honors and applies for a license to operate in his chosen field. The licensing board denies his license on the grounds that he is on a “Federal Terrorist Watch List”. Investigation revealed that he has been labeled a sympathizer with the “Occupy L.A.” folks even though he doesn’t even know any of them. Apparently it is enough to just be in the vicinity of a peaceful protest for us to be labeled as “terrorists”. This man cannot get his license to do his job, he cannot fly on any airline, he cannot purchase any firearm, and I don’t know what other rights or privileges he has lost. His crime: Watching a non-violent protest from a distance.
He is appealing this travesty of justice, but so far getting nowhere. I will add details as I get more. I’m trying to reach our witch hunt victim to talk to him directly.
This is how it happens folks. They are not going to come door to door and try to confiscate our weapons. We will be labeled “terrorists” with no trial, no charges, no knowledge of it, and our rights will be stripped in the name of “National Security”. Had this guy not applied for his business license, he still would not even know he was on a “Terrorist Watch List”. I can’t begin to explain how incredulous and furious I am about this. Our government and it’s enforcers are now operating WAY outside the law and WAY beyond the scope of their allowed powers. The list of legal and constitutional violations here is astounding and disgusting. I fear the America that some of us still think we are living in is already gone… I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore, Toto…
But I am told repeatedly that flying is not a right so I guess he shouldn’t really complain, and if you need a license to do something that is also a privilege. He doesn’t have the right to work in that career.
Eric Holder started publically talking about wanting to add the no fly list to the NICS checks for guns in 2009, and people like Feinstein have also talked about it.
This is the way the government operates now. No due process, no rights, and if you want to do fun stuff like work, fly or buy a gun you have to call big sis and get our master’s approval first.
Thats another reason for not giving your name or ID to L/E’s unless your being officially detain and that cause is disclosed to you. If I was just viewing or walking in the general area of a public protest I would have refused and just kept walking.
But on the other hand it may not be the wisest choice to be in the area of a major civil unrest/protest just to see whats happening as the tale of this gentleman should prove that dumb shit can and will happen.
What about all the “journalists” who go and sympathize with those loonies for real?
Bet they are not added to the lists. And what about the loonies themselves? Did the cops go through the camps and get all their ids and add them to the lists?
I have believed for years that one should keep a low profile, staying out of all these political fads for lack of a better term.
Now I’m convinced I was right all along.
But this is all just tinfoil hat stuff, right? :sarcastic:
Nobody connected with our government would put somebody on a terrorist watch list just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nah, couldn’t happen. Not in Amerika. :rolleyes:
this is crazy… my father worked very close to where the hippies in t the Occupy NYC group where squatting… he could be a terrorist now for all we know…
His first mistake was he went to watch the silliness of the “Occupy” crap. When I was growing up in a third-world country during a period of violent civil unrest, a college basketball player decided to play hooky just so he can watch the protests. These protests usually end in clashes between the pro-Communist protestors (mostly students) and the Government.
When they started firing upon the protestor (which was also expected) a (possibly errant) 7.62 round went through his hand and into his thigh. Somewhere along the way, as they loaded him into an ambulance, they “misplaced” the fingers that were shot off along with his watch, ring and wallet. So much for playing basketball - he has walked with a limp since.
It is so easy to get swept up with all those groups just by being around them. It is a guarantee that anyone who was around those protests were videotapes regardless of what they were doing.
His second mistake is as PA PATRIOT stated. Unless you are being detained, arrested or is going through a LEGAL Checkpoint (IE: Sobriety Checkpoint for DUI) there is absolutely no reason to give anyone your ID or your name.
What he was doing was very different from getting pulled over for a traffic violation of entering a restricted area. I hope he gets his name cleared.
ADDED: Has he thought about sending a well-written and factual letter to his Congressman and Senators? It couldn’t hurt.
Depends on the situation. They have to have a valid reason for asking for it. When they ask you for your ID it is a form of detention and they must have Reasonable Suspicion (at the very least) to do so.
“The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.”
-Ayn Rand
And SHAME and BULSHIT on anyone who would suggest that it is somehow his fault for going to watch one of these protests. I wouldn’t care if he was the fucking ring leader, rights should not be denied without due process, period.
And SHAME and BULSHIT on anyone who would suggest that it is somehow his fault for going to watch one of these protests. I wouldn’t care if he was the fucking ring leader, rights should not be denied without due process, period.
Thank you. This is America regardless what our Imperious Leaders think
I remember telling people almost 20 years ago, maybe even 25 that we would end up fighting terrorists at some point in the near future. Most people thought I was nuts and wondered why I even was considering the possibility of such a thing. Why it only happened in the mid-east right?
I also remember telling people even further back that at some point in the history of the US, there would be two groups of people. Those in law enforcement (police, prison guards, lawyers, government officials, sheriffs, prison wardens, etc.) and criminals (everyone else). Most thought I was even crazier to suggest such a thing.
It’s becoming big business to grind people up in the legal system…
For those of us who are a little “thin” in our knowledge of the law - does anyone have a good, reputable link to a site that describes your rights when confronted by LEOs, what you can and cannot do, etc., etc.??? TIA - john
Not to discredit the OP…but I throw a flag on this story. I think that perhaps his friends are misinformed or something else is going on. First of all…local cops dont people on the terrorist watch list. Second…holding his identification card for a few moments…then returning it because he was in proximity of a demonstration is not enough to put one on a terrorist watch list. Finally…if this were true then there wold be tons of stories about people on watch lists.
What information did the “Investigation” reveal that puts this back to the protest? Perhaps he shares a name with someone on the list…or perhaps the story is not even true.
“I’m conducting an investigation so I need to see your ID…”
No…
You’re interfering with my investigation…
*Gets frisked and cuffed and doesn’t like it…
You’re under arrest for resisting arrest…
WTF?
Or obstructing, delaying a peace officer, etc. Or I think you may be about to commit a crime… If you don’t ID yourself you can expect to be arrested.
It happens. Hiibel ring a bell? Larry Hiibel was charged with “willfully resist[ing], delay[ing], or obstruct[ing] a public officer in discharging or attempting to discharge any legal duty of his office.”
Strange, I thought this administration, Soros, SEIU, etc…backed the Occupy movement, publicly, at least initially…it seems things have changed. Sorry about your friend.
It is a bit sketchy but they also did just put someone on that list for talking bad about the government. He was stranded in Hawaii with no way to get home for a week.