Is America becoming a police state?

[freddy4888]

Today, as I was taking my wife to work, I received a call on my cell phone. I don't normally answer the phone when I'm driving but I was expecting a call from my doctor so I took the call, 100 yards up the road was a police check point. March 1st, New Jersey changed the law that using your cell phone while driving is now a primary offense. I agree with the new law but not the method of catching violators. When I see a police check point, it really pisses me off, so when the cop told me to pull over I lost it, I started screaming at them, so needless to say I received a ticket instead of a warning. The moral to my story is: I get extremely angry when I see police check points because it seems to me this country is slowly moving toward a police state and little by little our freedoms are being stripped from us by the govt. I don't know what to do about it but we as citizens need to wake up before it is too late.

[teshannon]

When it comes to stopping drivers using their cell phones they can put up all the check points they want. But yes, you do need to be polite when stopped.
What did it cost you?

[uspirate]

uhmm you think? back in 1980 or so (during the iran hostage crisis) i was in history class, 10th grade. my teacher was a football coach and vietnam vet and he stated some words i'll never forget. his words were " the communistic societies (USSR at the time) are gaining more freedom everyday while the democratic countries are becoming more communistic"

HEY Coach! 29 years later, you're still right!

[PBzeer]

I see a lot of the increase in enforcement as being revenue generation.

[chucklesR]

Police states are generally started by governments who want to take freedom as a method of control, or to protect citizens. Sometimes it backfires.

In this case it's to protect citizens from themselves.
As PB said, it's revenue generation - but they way these things become law is because of idiots driving around with a cell phone stuck in their ear causing accidents.

I think the more appropriate thing to do is give a ticket for driving while impaired (DWI) in those cases.

I personally can not imagine a situation where yelling or being rude to a police officer is helpful; and I'd not do it.

[uspirate]

in view of the Police State thread. ever think of how many laws you break everyday? and how much do you think the Government could make off of us if we were caught? as PBZEER stated about government revenue. I'm guilty daily!
speeding
failure to use turn signal
no seatbelt
failure to fully stop
ashes out of car window
following too close
cell phone usage
failure to cleanup after your dog
etc. etc.
I think they could bust us for just about anything nowdays if they wanted too. Scary thought.
edit: i dont own a pet! or do all of these just an example!

[LarryandSusanMacDonald]

With all of the laws on the books, it's impossible not to break some - there are some which, if you obey one, you break another. No wonder a greater percentage of U.S. citizens are incarcerated than any other country.

[freddy4888]

I realize screaming at cops is not a good thing to do, but when you really need a cop they are never around because it's easier to bust the balls of law abiding citizens by playing gestopo at the side of the road. By the way, the town I live in only has 8 cops, 6 of them were tied up at the check point, no wonder you can't find one when you need one.

[Cruisingdad]

Originally Posted by freddy4888

Today, as I was taking my wife to work, I received a call on my cell phone. I don't normally answer the phone when I'm driving but I was expecting a call from my doctor so I took the call, 100 yards up the road was a police check point. March 1st, New Jersey changed the law that using your cell phone while driving is now a primary offense. I agree with the new law but not the method of catching violators. When I see a police check point, it really pisses me off, so when the cop told me to pull over I lost it, I started screaming at them, so needless to say I received a ticket instead of a warning. The moral to my story is: I get extremely angry when I see police check points because it seems to me this country is slowly moving toward a police state and little by little our freedoms are being stripped from us by the govt. I don't know what to do about it but we as citizens need to wake up before it is too late.

Now that is not scary. That is still manned by "people". People make the decisions, right or wrong. Let me tell you what IS scary:

All the cameras, on every intersection. And in Texas (Garland, especially) when you run a red light, they MAIL YOU THE TICKET. Now what if you ran it because you could not stop? What if your bumper just barely makes it over and it was rally a "yellow" light? WHat if it was an emergency (life/death)? Or my favorite: what if it was not even you driving?? Makes no difference. You still got the ticket and the record.

Every light, every corner, every bridge, every highway... look up cuz Uncle Sam is watching. Uncle Sam CAN watch you from almost any corner of the earth. You can stand on the top of any mountain and HE can see you from space. Seems like I recall a few months back a sailboat dissapearing in SF Bay. They had the military run all the images for the time he was gone and found him!!! Any place, anywhere... they can see you and they can listen. That power in the wrong hands really is scary, because the days of a man being able to put up a reasonable fight against 'his country gone bad' are over... esp in the US where you can be killed by a bomb from a plane you will never see, that has no pilot, and only a man playing a really advanced PS3 many miles away. 100+ years ago.... maybe even 50 years ago, a man (or a society) could put up something of a reasonable fight for their beliefs. But, those days are gone. Your (your being the civilian population) only option is to 'vote and hope' that those with power follow the rules you have set for them. Those rules will be tested one day, and likely have already. Don't think for a second that there are not people in this country (or any country) that feel THEY know what is best for you and your family and intend to implement their beliefs on you. In essence, isn't that the seat belt law or the helmet law?

None of the George Bush crap... he is NOT a dictator. Now, serious question, ever asked yourself what would happen if America really was taken over in a coup? The day you/we believe as citizens that it cannot happen to us is the day it WILL happen.

So there... my deep thought for the day. Back to the Bulldogs thread I think.

- CD

[chucklesR]

CD,
Having worked some of those projects I think I can say, um, no.
They are not watching you.

You aren't worth the effort.

Trust me on that one. Nice tan lines on your wife tho (wink wink nudge nudge)