Make Our Job Easier Infringing on Your Rights

[VMI77]

But while you're at it, better have them vote for either completely open borders, or a completely sealed border. The checkpoints are a stopgap measure designed to catch some of the spill-through from our leaky border.

It might surprise a lot of folks, but Border Patrol Agents, by and large, tend to be conservatives, Constitutionalists, and libertarians. The checkpoints have been held to be Constitutional with strict guidelines, and that question, "Are you an American citizen?" is the be-all and end-all of them. Without it, the Border Patrol checkpoints would NOT be Constitutional, and you would not be able to find the agents to staff them, at least not from the current employee base.

The part in red I don't agree with. I don't believe the stops are even intended to catch illegal immigrants: they're drug stops, and the alien pretense is just the excuse used to pretend they're Constitutional. I also don't agree that a SC decision makes something that isn't Constitutional, Constitutional. For instance, when The One adds another leftist or two to the court and they rule that the 2nd Amendment doesn't apply to individuals, that won't make gun confiscation Constitutional because the Constitution still says in plain English what it says, regardless of how a bunch of liars choose to construe the language to serve their agenda.

The country is filled with millions of illegal immigrants. I see no evidence that these stops have any effect whatsoever on illegal immigration. Washington does everything it can to encourage illegal immigration including giving illegals special treatment and granting amnesty. There is no evidence of any serious attempt to stop illegal immigration. Sending a few thousand people back to Mexico while granting amnesty to millions is just theater. All sent back will come back knowing that they too will eventually get amnesty. This isn't the fault of the BP agents --but the reality is their hands are tied by DC and they are not allowed to properly do the job they signed up for.

The part in green I mostly agree with, except as I've already commented about the purpose and Constitutionality of these checkpoints.

[VMI77]

I may annoy or anger people by saying this, but I had to say it.

I started watching that video... the truck driver is an idiot. The BP checkpoints are there for one reason, and one reason only - to catch illegal aliens. Yes, you see the dogs there, but court precedent holds that it is an -immigration- checkpoint, not a drug checkpoint, warrant-checking point, or any other reason. There IS no "papers please" there unless you aren't an American citizen. Pulling up, ignoring the one simple question - "Are you an American citizen" - and repeatedly saying "Am I free to go?" is sheer cussedness, and looking for a fight. This guy -wanted- a confrontation. He -wanted- to irritate the agent. He succeeded, but seemed disappointed that he could not get the agents to misbehave. I'd bet he would've been inordinately pleased to get bodily hauled out of his rig, pepper-sprayed, tased, and then given some "stick time," because then he could have shown everyone how evil the Border Patrol is, and played up his supposed victimhood. And then he makes the whole thing a classic example of Godwin's Law, and references the Nazis.

I am not defending the checkpoints, merely pointing out that they have been held to be Constitutional, within certain specific guidelines. If you don't like them, then have your legislators vote to get rid of them. But while you're at it, better have them vote for either completely open borders, or a completely sealed border. The checkpoints are a stopgap measure designed to catch some of the spill-through from our leaky border.

But until then, until the reason for the checkpoints is obviated and made null and void, don't try to pick fights with the agents. It is a waste of your time, and a waste of theirs. Anyone who comes through and pulls this garbage is not being "patriotic," they are being stupid. Make their jobs easier; pressure your congress-critters into fixing things so we don't need the checkpoints to catch the bleed-through from the border. Believe me, they'd like nothing better. They don't like 'em either.

It might surprise a lot of folks, but Border Patrol Agents, by and large, tend to be conservatives, Constitutionalists, and libertarians. The checkpoints have been held to be Constitutional with strict guidelines, and that question, "Are you an American citizen?" is the be-all and end-all of them. Without it, the Border Patrol checkpoints would NOT be Constitutional, and you would not be able to find the agents to staff them, at least not from the current employee base.

So my message to the videographer and all those who posted similar videos is this: Grow up. Learn what is and isn't actually held to be Constitutional. Learn what those checkpoints are actually there for. Learn that minor inconvenience to you does not make you a victim of civil rights violations, nor does it justify trying to pick a fight with the "pig" you're currently trying to provoke. Learn what fights are worth fighting, and who the real people to fight are. Grow up, get off your cross, use the wood to make a bridge, and get over yourself.

I guess I might have a dismissive attitude because I agree with most all you had to say.

Your not giving up any of your "rights" by answering a simple question. They aren't asking you to kiss them.

While I don't like having to stop at the checkpoints.......it would make me madder to be behind a..........like this and wasting more of my time.

It's not the question that violates your rights, it's the stop itself. I have a right to travel freely, without interference, unless I give reason for a LEO to believe I've done something illegal. In principle there is no difference between being stopped at one of these check points and having a cop pull you over for no reason and ask you if you've broken any laws today. The checkpoints are allowed on the nonsensical pretense that they are the same thing as stopping and checking on people crossing an international border. When I'm in Sarita, Texas, I'm not crossing an international border.