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The noose around Washington, D.C.’s neck
continues to tighten, with no clear way to remove it. Behind the scenes,
there is undoubtedly a rising sense of panic. That’s bad. The last
thing you want is panicky people operating the far-reaching power levers of
the state.
But if push does come to shove, history teaches us, the government
will not hesitate to clamp down on its subjects by whatever means necessary
to preserve itself. And the best way to mute
resistance is to prepare citizens ahead of time for escalating levels of
police control. An enhanced law enforcement presence must be accepted as the
new normal. But rest assured, it’s “for
our own good.”
That disclaimer has been used to hoodwink decent folk forever. But the
truth is, what’s really up is the application
of the time-tested political axiom that the more fearful people are, the
easier they are to control. We’ve seen this principle at work for
years. Politicians continually pass more intrusive laws; and police take
increasing liberties with our rights, content that the courts will back them
up… which they have done, as spineless judges hand them larger and
larger cartes blanche to act however
they please. The first ten amendments to the Constitution have been largely
gutted. The things the Founders cared most passionately about have been
tossed into the dustbin.
We’re told: that our homes are no longer safe from no-knock
entries, and warrants be damned (precisely the abuse that most riled the
revolutionary colonists); that we should rat out our neighbors at the first
sign that something is “amiss,” just as in any communist state
you care to mention; and that it should be regarded as okay that warrants of
all kinds are commonly served by gangs of helmeted thugs, covered with body
armor and toting a dizzying array of lethal weapons.
Readers of a certain age will remember when the police were called
peace officers, as their job was primarily to maintain the peace. Who’s
heard that quaint term lately? No, now they are law enforcement officers, and
they are at war with a widening swath of the citizenry. And the targets of
overwhelming force are not just murderers and rapists and armed robbers. SWAT
teams are routinely dispatched to deal with bickering spouses, zoned-out pot
smokers, parking ticket violators, and those delinquent in loan payments.
Make no mistake about it: Authorities around the country have gotten
the message from Washington that a complaisant populace is required. And
they’re dutifully applying the heat. It may seem odd that they’re
going after ever less-violent people, but it makes perfect sense. It’s
in the government’s interest to suggest that all of us are potential
suspects.
Take, for instance, the case of Rawesome
Foods in California, a private buying club dedicated to bringing the most
wholesome, natural food products to its members. Does that sound like a
criminal conspiracy? It did to local and federal officials, who staged a joint SWAT-style raid on
the club last week. Without a warrant, officers entered the storefront,
seized cash, destroyed inventory, and jailed the club’s founder.
But if those in power are really serious about creating a docile
population, there is absolutely no better way to go about it than
criminalizing children. Yes, children.
No, I’m not talking about SWAT raids here. But in a way, this is
even more insidious, because the effort is directed at teaching kids at an
early age that Big Brother is always watching and that you’d better be
sure you obey the letter of every law (as if anyone could possibly know what
they all are) or you’re in for trouble with the Man.
This has been – and I swear I am not making this up – the
summer of the lemonade-stand bust. Yep, children’s lemonade stands have
been closed down in states all over the country, including California,
Oregon, and Texas – and even, astonishingly, in such bedrock,
sensible-values American heartland states as Wisconsin and Iowa.
The latest of these important police actions came in small-town
Georgia, where the local cops advised the kids in question that they had to
cease and desist from selling their lemonade until they forked over $50 a day
for a business license. Watch this news report
only if you have a strong stomach and your outrage button is not easily
pushed.
That video is instructive in oh so many wonderful ways.
First, take a good look at the head cop as she explains their actions.
“The law is the law” is about as close as you can get to “I
was only following orders.” Squint your eyes a
little. She’d look perfect decked out in SS lightning bolts,
wouldn’t she?
Next, consider the little girl who says, “… but we had to
listen to the cops.” She’s learned her lesson.
Then there’s mom. We’re sure that if she were one of our
readers that stand would’ve been up and running the next day, and every
day until the police were forced to take those kids to court over this. But
not here. This mom is backing away from the issue, saying, “I’m
trying to teach my kids good, and I don’t
think it’ll teach ‘em good if I keep on
an’ on with this.” Right, the lesson wasn’t only for the
children.
Finally, in addition to instilling fear of authority in our most impressionable
citizens, there’s an added kicker to this incident. What better way to
kill the entrepreneurial spirit in its cradle and set us up for the day when
we all work for the state?
Question: What’s the point when we finally announce that
we’re not going to take it any more? If that
point isn’t when they go after our kids, then there isn’t one.
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