I, a U.S. citizen, was arrested by a U.S. Border Patrol Agent today

Originally posted by 27jd

Originally posted by dragonridr
Border patrol agants have always had this power its not a conspiracy and for gods sakes they let you know where there going to be how stupid are you?

I'm not arguing that I made great choices but i'm an adult and that's my business,

...you chose to travel on public highways with dope - so, its NOT just your biz... its everyone's biz, just like its everyone biz when a drunk drives on our highways...

They've always had the checkpoints, but they were NEVER concerned with American citizens, now they are targeting American citizens.

...not true... american citizens have never been above suspicion and have been busted for smuggling contraband, illegal immigrants, weapons, stolen children... back in the 90s, most mules were white females with small children...

Again, educate yourself, the border patrol is tasked with stopping illegal immigration,

...wrong, again... the border patrol has had checkpoints in place from cali to texas for decades and they do more than just check for illegal immigrants... everyone that has a fully functional brain and lives in border states knows this... i've had my vehicle searched many times... no biggie - just another brake check...

Originally posted by 27jd
You're right, I'm not interested in a bunch of people who aren't content tending their own lives, to lecture me about mine. Plus, "THE REAL REASON" I got busted is NOT something we can discuss on this website.

...(1) - i think you're misrepresenting the rules... my interpretation is that the rules discourage posters who want to brag about their illegal drug use... if thats not correct, i'm sure a moderator will let me know...

...(2) - when you put your personal biz out there for folks to read about, you dont get to dictate how they reply...

And I live in Glendale, not Yuma. I am right in the middle of that a-hole Arpaio's county.

...and you carry dope on the highways of maricopa county... wow, thats beyond stupid!...

Basically the OP broke the law, got caught and is now crying how he was treated illegally.

Typical response from a habitual criminal.

You wasn't arrested, you was detained. You cannot be arrested and five minutes later they let you go as if nothing happened. They detained you while they searched your car, fined you and then sent you on your way.

Be a man and own up to your responsibilities and pay your fine.

Originally posted by Annee
Oh OK.

Its only been in the last month it seems to have gone to extreme - in my opinion.

Seems as if they must have gotten a grant or something. Plus they just finished that new check point in the mountains.

I have yet to be asked to show ID - but I do carry my passport at all times now.

When it goes as far as - you have to file travel papers before driving - - that might do it for me.

You know, your post struck a nerve with me. Everyone has the "point of no return" thing in their heads. I think the reason we are in the mess we're in today is that most people change it fairly frequently. It really does seem to be getting worse and worse these days with all the rights revocations. It's kinda scary, as a point of fact.

Ok first of all let me state I do not use drugs, and rarely even drink. This is to show my opinion is unbiased.

Now having stated that my point is that the OP is absolutely correct in what he is making the point thereof. When citizens of the Uited States start allowing for justifications of violations of the Constitution, you are inviting the occurance of bigger ones. It becomes the same instance of what happened with the U.S. Patriot Act. Sure it seems like a great law on the surface, but has eroded a way into our person liberties and has given them the opportunity to grow far beyond the initial meaning of what it was created for. They are Federal BP agents who have been deputized to infringe on the constitutional rights of known American Citizens. So what happens now if they start deputizing all federal agents in all states to create checkpoints everywhere and stopping citizens on every road and highway? What happens when they just start pulling random subjects and questioning them on "suspicion" holding them for 48 hours? The founding fathers put guards against everything they saw had become enhanced problems in their troubles with Britain because they knew of the potential hazards that come from allowing them to invade our civil liberties.

I'm sure the Federal Reserve Act seemed like a good honest move by people in 1913 to help keep the economy in check, even though we lost the right to print our own currency. The Patriot Act seemed great to help keep extra checks on terrorist activities, even though now they have computers set up to monitor anybody's personal conversations and just pop in and tear your house apart without a warrant (much as the British did to the colonies). So when you give them a foot into your personal rights that was before guaranteed by the Constitution created by those who had witnessed the tyranny when creating the document, you cannot expect things to get easier. They always get worse.

There is no justifying acts like these because they always get worse. That's why we are in the mess we are in today in our country because people justify things because they do not take into account hidden motives. These are rights that your ancestors and others died for so that we could have a land of the free, free from the tyranny of a powerful government. It always starts out as a seemingly innocent reasoning, and always progresses. Like boiling a frog. You start them out in a pot of water gradually increasing the heat so they do not notice until it is to late and they are cooked.





[edit on 5-8-2009 by prepare4it777]

Originally posted by 27jd
First, I would like to say that I do not wish this thread to be a discussion about drug use, and will not post any details as not to violate the T & C.

[edit on 4-8-2009 by 27jd]

Yup.

Had you at hello.

Change your title.

It is misleading to say you were arrested when you were only briefly detained for 5 minutes.

I live on the outskirts of london, every friday evening the police wait at the gates of stations exiting london with sniffer dogs. Its a great way to get their figures up and make a bit more money in the process. It's a cynical tactic, I imagine your border police operate along the same premise

reply to post by jd140


What you and several posters don't yet understand is that a criminal has rights too.

You do not give up your citizenship by committing a crime. The constitution is not void if you chose to commit a crime.

In our society the biggest danger is the persausiveness of the following two sentences.

If you have done nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about.

It's for your own good and/or safety.

Thanks to the OP for confirming yet again what a dismal place America is fast becoming. I might add with the full consent and support of most Americans.

Originally posted by jd140
You wasn't arrested, you was detained. You cannot be arrested and five minutes later they let you go as if nothing happened. They detained you while they searched your car, fined you and then sent you on your way.

You government cheerleading fools piping in here did NOT read the article I linked to, i WAS arrested, read my rights, given a generic ticket that EVERYBODY is given as to STREAMLINE THE PROCESS, because SO MANY otherwise good citizens returning from vacation are searched. They were bringing in a new citizen to search as I was leaving. I was not given some break, and I WILL fight it based on my rights under the constitution, because it was an illegal search and siezure.

Originally posted by Cool Breeze
It is misleading to say you were arrested when you were only briefly detained for 5 minutes.

Again, I WAS arrested, read my rights, and given a ticket. I still have to appear in court way the hell in Yuma to pay it, and i WILL fight it.



[edit on 5-8-2009 by 27jd]

Originally posted by Wyn Hawks
...(1) - i think you're misrepresenting the rules... my interpretation is that the rules discourage posters who want to brag about their illegal drug use... if thats not correct, i'm sure a moderator will let me know...

No, it was the bragging that led to us not being able to discuss it AT ALL on this site. I'm well aware of the T & C here, apparently you are not. The mods aren't going to jump in unless we break the rules, so don't count on them "letting you know", they will just close the thread once ANY personal use gets discussed.

...you chose to travel on public highways with dope - so, its NOT just your biz... its everyone's biz, just like its everyone biz when a drunk drives on our highways...

I wasn't driving under the influence, and everything was packed away in my suitcase. It is NOT everyone's biz, don't even try to make the lame comparison between a drunk driver, and somebody traveling back from vacation on the beach who aren't into drinking, but want to relax. Like I said, you are probably a drinker, heavily judging by what a dick you seem to be.

...wrong, again... the border patrol has had checkpoints in place from cali to texas for decades and they do more than just check for illegal immigrants... everyone that has a fully functional brain and lives in border states knows this... i've had my vehicle searched many times... no biggie - just another brake check...

YOU'RE wrong again, but you aren't interested in reading that this article to see that it is new, cuz it doesn't matter to you, yet.

Mary, the oldest of the group, was driving. She didn't sweat the traffic stop as her car rolled up. She'd been through this same movable checkpoint along the stretch of I-8 East before and had never had a problem.

This time, something was different. She noticed that the checkpoint seemed better staffed than usual. One green-shirted agent manned a small, white booth while others milled about near tents, office-trailers, and patrol cars. Another agent walked a dog, which held its snout high as it sniffed along a line of slowing vehicles.

Until they take guns away, which is something you judgemental, can't mind your own business folks constantly rail about, and how they will have to pry them from your cold dead hands. Funny, how your personal biases cause you to not care about our BASIC rights in this country, until they take YOURS away. You've let them know you're gonna be a good little citizen though, so i'm sure they won't worry if they ever come to search your home for illegal guns.



[edit on 5-8-2009 by 27jd]

[edit on 5-8-2009 by 27jd]

reply to post by prepare4it777


Thank you for understanding the point I was trying to make. I know it's impossible for many in this country to look past their personal biases, and respect basic human rights involving victimless crimes meant to do nothing more than generate revenue, while destroying the lives of average people in the process of fattening the pockets of those at the top. This IS a violation of the 4th amendment of our constitution, the 2nd is next.

Originally posted by zerbot565
but dont blame the dog ,blame the person on the other side of the leech.

The dog was just being a dog. It's a fun game to them, they get to play with a toy for a few seconds everytime they signal a car, that's their reward. I wish my pets were that happy playing with a toy for a few seconds as a reward for being good, they expect food, spoiled i guess. They really don't feed them well though, they do look skinny, although i'm sure there's some reasoning for it.

Originally posted by Wyn Hawks
...27jd - you dont want anyone to address THE REAL REASON you got busted and prefer that responders jump on your bandwagon and make it all about the big bad border patrol... tsk, tsk, tsk...

...loss of freedom/rights is not the case in your case, imo...

...the border patrol were doing their job... you willfully broke the law... they confiscated your dope and gave you a ticket... pay your ticket - you deserved it... dont waste taxpayers money on a court battle - not to mention the money you're gonna have to cough up to pay a lawyer to represent you (unless you're gonna represent yourself and, considering your inability to take responsibility for a situation that you created, i wouldnt advise that)...

...you got off easy and you're whining... it couldve been much worse, since your county backs up to maricopa county, the home of the infamous joe arpaio... clean up, grow up, smarten up...

I find this to be a really interesting post. I see all kinds of Americans on this site asking how they let their constitution get away on them. Here ya' go...perfect example. Was it Spiro Agnew who said "Justice is incidental to law and order"?

You've got these folks who ignore the abuse of power and tell you to suck it up. Same here in Canada...the courts threw out a large coc aine case because the cops had no probable cause. People went nuts...but the truth is that search and seizure laws control the level of police abuse...if and only if...they are backed up by the courts.

A little bit of reefer going interstate does not warrant the suspension of civil rights, and never forget that police powers are granted them by us. When they start calling the shots, we're sunk as a free society.

Doesn't matter to me what you got popped with...that was illegal search and seizure and kudos to you for taking it to court. I'd maybe contact a local law school and fish for attorneys, though.

reply to post by 27jd


Sorry to hear that you have become a target of the new state police, I hope they stay in the west and never move to the east.

The last time I was in the west was in the early nineties, the only thing they used to look for and the only thing they ask at check points was if you had any fruits or seeds in your possession.



Incredible that we have come a long way and is for the worst.

But if enough citizens doesn't protest nothing will be done, that is one of the reasons our nation is getting in the state that is right now.

I hope I will never have to visit the west again even when I enjoy the 3 years I spend in 29 palms.

reply to post by JohnnyCanuck


Thank you. You hit the nail on the head. Like I said before, if they made assault rifles illegal, and decided to go door to door to search, these very same government cheerleaders would be on here threatening to kill anybody who was trying to violate their constitutional rights. It only matters when it affects them, which it will and there will be nothing they can do no matter how tough they pretend to be online, and they will have allowed it to happen. This is new at these checkpoints, they NEVER used to hassle citizens, until Bush granted them the power to do so. But now we have a president who isn't as beholden to the right, so the 2nd amendment is will likely be next on the chopping block, IMO.

But right now, we have border patrol agents searching and routinely arresting US citizens DEEP inside our borders, not returning from mexico, but returning from California, like an assembly line.

Of note, i know that dragonrider and jd140 are US soldiers. Everybody should read with interest their replies and how they seem to believe that the constitution they swore to defend only applies to perfect citizens. That to me is VERY ineresting...like the Green Day song asks, do you know your enemy?

reply to post by marg6043


Thanks for the support marg. You're right, they used to ask (not the border patrol, they ask that at the weigh stations (those folks aren't armed law enforcement) if you had fruit or seeds to stop fruit flies that arent native to California from coming in and destroying their citrus. The BP checkpoints were SOLELY to stop illegal human traffic, and secondarily to bust the drug smuggling BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, not small amounts for personal use carried by citizens, they weren't remotely interested in that until now.

[edit on 5-8-2009 by 27jd]

www.youtube.com...

Hi there - I think the point is being arbitrarily stopped anywhere on the highway by 'border' patrol and questioned and searched. The above video shows they really expect you to answer them whether or not its constitutional or warranted.

The following one is alex jones at a ferry stop on a vacation that clearly shows what's happening....

www.youtube.com...



[edit on 5-8-2009 by kshaund]

reply to post by kshaund


Wow, now I see how I should have handled that situation. Oh well, live and learn I guess, now i'll have to pay a lawyer to get this thrown out, which it will be. I've already found a firm that is very familiar with this particular checkpoint. I wonder though, if that man could have just driven away if they had a dog that signaled his car. Anyway, thanks for the link.