Disband the State Patrol

Buck Asaila and Curt Ellevoid were pulled over by state trooper David Frye for being out of state on Feb. 23. Fry asked to search there possesions, they refused. He spent half an hour repeating his request, using intimidation, browbeating, and a childish semi-lie about a drugdog being on the way to finally get them to submit. Fry's reasons for being suspicious include the fact that Asail and Ellevoid were driving a "gas guzzling SUV" from Wisconsin to Las Vegas instead of flying like upper-middle-class white folks (aka real Americans) are supposed to. Of course, the fact that they were returning from Las Vegas, a place where, horror of horrors, people do whatever they like, was suspicious in and of itself.

"Asiala said he wanted to see Colorado and Utah, but Frye said that answer wasn’t plausible."

Of course not. Colorado and Utah are well-known barren wastelands without any notable scenery or tourist attractions. The only settlements are the dust-covered hamlets of Denver and Salt Lake "City" where one-armed orphans dig through the petrol-soaked earth looking for grubs to fill their swollen bellies. No one in their right mind would ever travel to such hellholes.

It should be beyond debate that Frye's actions were fascistic (Yeah, I went there) and unconstitutional. It should be beyond debate that Asiala and Ellvoid should be immediatly released with the full apologies of the state. Of course, there is no guarantee that this will happen. We live in a part of the country where people actually believe that obedience, respect for authority and, worst of all, reverence for "the law" are American values. A place where people actually believe that every protest is a potential riot, every pot enthusiest or petty thief is a potential murderer, and that criticizing the police for any reason is an act of anarchy. This attitude produces our suicidal choice in political leadership, and they're the ones who pick the judges. I personally consider every day that Asaila and Ellevoid spend in jail to be a bigger personal insult than watching every possesion I own stolen from me in front of my eyes.

If I were dictator for a day, I would cut off all funding from the Nebraska State patrol until they fire David Frye, agree to never search anyone for any narcotic for any reason, and wipe all drug-related investigation units and task forces out of existence. Thier duties will be limited to handing out speeding tickets and wishing people a nice day. The typical Nebraska State Patrolman is undeserving of the honor and respect shown to meter maids, but I do suppose we need to keep the roads safe. I won't crush them completely.

You may wonder.. Arn't I bothered by the thought of thousands of drug-smugglers commiting major felonies on our highways with impunity? No. In fact I welcome it as much as I welcome any other private enterprise. Only children and slaves believe that there is any connection between law and morality. Laws against drugs are unjustified, therefore they do not morally exist.

"If they hadn't been doing anything illegal they wouldn't have gotten caught." True enough. But ignoring for a minute the fact that what they were doing shouldn't be illegal, it is simply naive to fear criminals more than police. Society is not held together by respect for "the law" Society is held-toghether by self-interest. Suspicion of the state and what it can do to you, (Oh yes they can, do you really think it matters that you're doing nothing wrong?)is an intregal part of this self interest. Fell free to disregard your own fourth amendment rights. Feel free to get yourself pulled over specifically to show the nice officer your squeky-clean trunk so he can be impressed by what a good puppy you are. But know this, the source of state-control is fear, fear of those "beneath us" is used to ensure obedience to those "above us." We are trained and morally brow-beaten to cower before terrorists, gang bangers, and child molestors who are usually poor and brown. (And, quite often, imaginary.) so that we turn to the people who can take away our jobs, throw us in jail, or send us to the other side of the world to get blown up for protection.

Take the imaginary weight of upholding common decency off of your back and maybe then you will see who's really going to hurt you.