Yes, we are quickly becoming a police state. We have taken a KNEE-JERK reaction to the terrible events of 9-11 and allowed them to quickly take away many of our basic freedoms. If we are not careful, we will wake up one morning and find ourselves in a modern day NAZI Germany.

There are everyday examples of how POLICE POWERS and the people who wield them are becoming more DEMANDING and CONTROLLING every day. Also many of them seem to think of themselves as ELITIST class or such. I would like to remind all Law Enforcement officers of the old saying they used to adhere to of "TO PROTECT & TO SERVE" while they may think they are protecting us, they are certainly NOT serving us. I am reminded of the old joke, MILITARY INTELLIGENCE are two words that do not go together. It seems that way now with the Para-Military state we are evolving into. We need to use MORE INTELLIGENCE in preventing terrorism and crime. Not just hasseling people for ID's and such.

It is delicate balance between feeling free and feeling safe. Often my feeling safe means I must restrict your freedoms, or have my freedoms restricted, in order to feel safe.

The fun thing about the United States is that there still is balance between freedom and safety.

In China, there is whole lot of safety. Those with unsafe ideas are re-educated. A lot of safety, very little freedom.

Here, we seem to worry about this group of people who believe so strongly that they are willing to die for it.

How can I feel safe if I do not hassle you for ID?

Please do not criticize the cops on the beat to much. They are following orders, under paid and under appreciated.

The magic bullet we both have to change the system is called a vote, and our opinion. Which we can freely express, well at least until really makes someone else mad.

You are not alone in your observation. I share it as well. Here is what recommend for you over the X mas break. Read and learn, if you have not already, read the Naphtha9 Reading list.

1984 by Orwell, and after than Animal Farm, and Burmese Days.

Brave New World by Huxley

Then read Sarte and Camus, give it a chaser of the Russians, Tolstoy, Gogol, and "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich"

Then try to reconcile that our good friends in Saudi Arabia are about to remove the eye of an Indian National as court imposed punishment. I am so glad that we are bringing that kind of freedom to that neck of the woods.

I guess they must be worried about domestic terrorists.

If I was a person from New Orleans, and talked all I could talk to any one who was willing to pretend to listen, and then I was on the street, because my house and my job got knocked off by a hurricane. I might get angry to burn some stuff down.

So smile at the cop that asks for ID on the train or bus. He is protecting you by searching you. If you are not guilty, why worry.

Or say no. And keep saying no, particularly if you have nothing to fear. But you might get shot. Because this brand of freedom the men with guns are selling, is no freedom at all. Your freedom is only as good as you can pay for it.

We will not be Nazi. A Nazi citizen put up with being a Nazi because it meant if you were a Nazi, every one else was not. The Not's could be rounded up and killed. Like Indians.

This country is not Nazi. If we were, well, we would be the greatest threat to any person in Iraq. If a Nazi America invaded Iraq we would be killing them much faster.

Please use the term totalitarian where you have used Nazi.

If it makes you mad, work to make change. Your ideas are here for the world to read.

From your comments, it appears that you are part of the Police state that is slowly taking over our country. Freedom & the rights we have fought for & won over the last 200+ years should not and can not be given up so freely as you would wish. One of our problems is we are too much of a bleeding heart society for everyone else. If you read other articles here, you will notice how we are so quick to give rights & freedoms to ILLEGAL's that are in our country. This is one of our MAJOR PROBLEMS. We need to stem this tide of problems at its source. But as i mentioned, we are being stymied in this by foreign govts and others. If we would just start to get a little hard-nosed on these people, maybe they would get the message. If you were found to be a illegal immigrant, you will be deported within 48hrs PERIOD. No amnesty or other long drawn out drama. You say well what about this or that. Well they need to know that if they BREAK THE LAW, they are gone. And coming here without permission is breaking the law. Illegals should be held to a lesser standard than our own citizens. Take for example AIRPORT SECURITY. If we would just confirm you are a US CITIZEN, why should we screen you as hard as we should a person say from IRAN, IRAQ or some other muslim country. These people, if they are here LEGALLY, should not expect the same freedoms as our citizens. They are GUESTS and should know they may have to submit to certain things for the privilege if being here. Dont like it, well dont let the door hit you in the rear end I say. What the problem is, we are forcing our INNOCENT CITIZENS to pay the price because of FOREIGN IMMIGRANTS, and ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS that wish to do us harm. I dont care to pay that price & I know others do not also. But we dont mind and would encourage these FOREIGNERS to prove constantly they are are here LEGALLY & dont mean us no harm.

But back to your view. What worries me also is the fact that LAW ENFORCEMENT wants to use this to increase their OWN POWERS & CONTROL. I have read those books & you should go back & think about this. What happens when one day we wake up & find out that POLICE & LAW ENFORCEMENT can totally control us. Tell us when & where we can go & not go without any other authority. I had a friend who was out late one night looking at homes listed as FOR-SALE. He was pulled over for NO REASON other than LAW ENFORCEMENT thought he was out of place. Fortunately he had his ATTORNEY with him. She didnt identify herself until later after the Officer told him "he had to leave the area and not return or else he would be arrested." After his attorney identified herself, well the officer changed his stance. You see, he just wanted to be CONTROLLING. Once he realized he was WRONG & was in trouble, he changed. Unfortunately we all cant carry around a attorney as we may need to. So this just shows how LAW ENFORCEMENT is abusing their power. While I will agree there are some GOOD LAW ENFORCEMENT officers, there are also a lot of news stories about ROGUE OFFICERS abusing their power.

"Freedom & the rights we have fought for & won over the last 200+ years should not and can not be given up so freely"

You are right! It takes the cooperation of three branches of government to do that. The Congress to write and vote the Patriot Act into law, the Executive Branch, A.K.A the President to sign it, and the Judicial Branch to uphold it as Constitional.

I am trying to grasp how your no nonesense policy on immigration flows smoothly into your arguement over the abuse of police power by the goverment.

It would seem that in order to find out who is here Illegally or not the police would need to do a lot of random documentation checks.

About your friend who was "pulled over for NO REASON other than LAW ENFORCEMENT thought he was out of place."

That seems to be completly reasonable grounds to be stopped and questioned. Before becoming an advocate for the "police state", I knew some folks that were also in the habit of driving around neighborhoods late at night. Only they were not trawling a neighborhood looking at "For Sale" signs, they were looking for "For Steal" signs. The officer was doing a bang up job of proactive policing by stopping and challenging.

Check out good old Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

He could be stopped and questioned because he was acting "out of place" by lurking around a neighborhood late at night. It was a reasonable search, the "you will be arrested part", probably bull meant to scare him off.

Further more, why was your friend driving around in the middle of night with his attorney looking for houses? What did she bill that service under?(I jest)

"If you read other articles here, you will notice how we are so quick to give rights & freedoms to ILLEGAL's that are in our country. This is one of our MAJOR PROBLEMS" I disagree.

It is one of the best things about the United States. It took us a while to come to this enlightned way of thinking and we are still trying to move ever forward. Am I wrong to believe that back 200 years ago, that the Freedom of 1776 generally meant white land owner?
However, the Constitution starts off with "We the people" Not, we the citizens, possibly because even though the social order of the time did not allow it, they said that it was "self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--" That the founding were not out to only grant them citizens, or landowners, or just men but to the people. Meaning humans inside the borders of the United States or not, that is why we have Supreme Court...

"What worries me also is the fact that LAW ENFORCEMENT wants to use this to increase their OWN POWERS & CONTROL." It worries me too. Power tends to do something, it's on the tip of my tongue... Corrupt, that is it! I am sure our nation much more watched than we believe we are. And if we are not yet, we will be. The state will always have the power, it is our duty a citizens to see it is not abused, which has happened often in the history of the US. Luckily, the free press which exists a voice and watch dog for the people. From the Alien and Sedition Act back in the Adam's Administration, Teapot Dome, Watergate, Contragrate, Whitewater, BJGate, (The Lewinski thing) to now the Plumegate and the War. And we also guys like Allen and others who sponser places like to freely discuss and disagree about ideas, or gather together in indignation of injustice or corruption.

You have really read all those dead Russians? I am impressed.

"Tell us when & where we can go & not go without any other authority" They already do, try to go to get a tan in Cuba!

Right back atcha!

You know, one problem with all of this is the balancing act we must all do. Every act has consequences, and treating people-groups as second class will eventually come around to bite you.

It's so easy to paint with a broad brush. One of the toughest things to realize is that within every group of "X" there are always those who exist on the tails of the bell curve.

I would agree with you if you were to put forth a statement that the vast majority (to the edge of exclusivity) of terrorism seems to be purported by Middle Eastern males. However, their numbers are statistically miniscule to those in the Middle East who would like to see the terrorism end.

To simply antagonize groups of people based on where they live would seem to me to be counterproductive.

Maybe, on the other hand, if you just assume that all your terrorists are Arabs from Iran or Iraq you'll never be wrong. I mean, everyone knows there's no such thing as a white female suicide bomber is there?

With respect to Naptha, I can vouch for him. He's not part of any police state--at least no police state I can think of!