Not a chance. Read here, how the basic rights of Americans are trampled by our lovely federal government and its minions.
Don't get me wrong. I know we live in a world with people who have no morality whatsoever. I realize that people walk among us who are completely willing to steal your property, bash you head in, and blow up tens or hundreds of strangers --- all in the name of what they take to be either their right or their duty.
So, yes, I believe we do need laws. And sad to say, we will also need law enforcers --- police. But we do not need TSA agents who are filled with certainty about their authority to violate the rights our Constitution guarantees.
If you read the account I point to above, perhaps you will agree with me that whatever TSA agents were involved, and whatever FBI agents were involved, should themselves be sanctioned. Perhaps you will agree with me that Aaron Tobey should be compensated --- with dollars levied as fines against the individuals who violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights.
Or, perhaps you will disagree. Perhaps you, like so many others, believe it is both right and necessary that TSA agents and FBI agents violate the Constitution. As far as I can tell from available accounts, Mr. Tobey did not try to compel anyone to do anything at all. He did not lie, cheat, steal, murder, rape, bash, smack, deceive with intent to defraud, or anything even remotely like compelling another to his will. It was the TSA and FBI that did the compelling, utterly without warrant.
Mr. Tobey behaved morally; the government agents involved in the incident behaved immorally. I would think differently about the whole deal, had Mr. Tobey initiated any kind of immoral act whatsoever. Resistance to repel compulsion from another is not immoral. It is initiation of compulsion that is immoral.
Wait, you say. What does any of this have to do with a blog about economics? Compulsion is compulsion, regardless of what government says is it's high and noble motive. We are all compelled daily by our governments in all manner of matters economic. Economic compulsion is also immoral. Incidents like Mr. Tobey's seem to be cut from different cloth, but they are not.
Don't get me wrong. I know we live in a world with people who have no morality whatsoever. I realize that people walk among us who are completely willing to steal your property, bash you head in, and blow up tens or hundreds of strangers --- all in the name of what they take to be either their right or their duty.
So, yes, I believe we do need laws. And sad to say, we will also need law enforcers --- police. But we do not need TSA agents who are filled with certainty about their authority to violate the rights our Constitution guarantees.
If you read the account I point to above, perhaps you will agree with me that whatever TSA agents were involved, and whatever FBI agents were involved, should themselves be sanctioned. Perhaps you will agree with me that Aaron Tobey should be compensated --- with dollars levied as fines against the individuals who violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights.
Or, perhaps you will disagree. Perhaps you, like so many others, believe it is both right and necessary that TSA agents and FBI agents violate the Constitution. As far as I can tell from available accounts, Mr. Tobey did not try to compel anyone to do anything at all. He did not lie, cheat, steal, murder, rape, bash, smack, deceive with intent to defraud, or anything even remotely like compelling another to his will. It was the TSA and FBI that did the compelling, utterly without warrant.
Mr. Tobey behaved morally; the government agents involved in the incident behaved immorally. I would think differently about the whole deal, had Mr. Tobey initiated any kind of immoral act whatsoever. Resistance to repel compulsion from another is not immoral. It is initiation of compulsion that is immoral.
Wait, you say. What does any of this have to do with a blog about economics? Compulsion is compulsion, regardless of what government says is it's high and noble motive. We are all compelled daily by our governments in all manner of matters economic. Economic compulsion is also immoral. Incidents like Mr. Tobey's seem to be cut from different cloth, but they are not.
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