Banking regulations put forth by the Patriot Act, and other “safety acts” that follow have long been a huge frustration of mine. But this week, it all came home for me. I have been concerned that all of my money is in “one place.” Since that time, I have been taking money in cash. I have not gone over the $10,000 threshold that flags the IRS, but I still caused a RED FLAG to fly.
I received a letter from my bank where I have been banking for over 17 years, telling me that if I did not comply with their questioning I would have my account closed.
It’s the Minority Report. Guilty until proven innocent? That’s what the man on the phone with the bank told me. I was guilty until I explained myself. Of course, the fact that I am a U.S. Citizen and have committed NO CRIME does not matter. They just do not like how it “looks” and so they want to know what I am doing with my money. This seems like the law is in direct violation of my Fourth Amendment. Granted nothing was searched or seized, but I was questioned, and it is really no ones business. I realize I still have the freedom to leave their bank, and even have the freedom to use no bank at all, but there are conveniences to being tied to the grid, lets face it.
However, what did they think I was doing? Starting a militia, peddling drugs, or selling something illegal like… raw milk? Some suspicious activity I’m sure. Well I’m not., and just because I’m a 9.12er, and have gone to Tea Party rallies, own a pocket Constitution, and have Americana home décor doesn’t make me a domestic terrorist.
This caused me to realize the thing that is missing from our society the most is, plain old living. No one wants to allow us to just live, make mistakes, and grow.
I thought about Franklin’s famous quote, “Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
After 9.11, we gave up many liberties with the Patriot Act, and similar acts that followed.
So, here we are, living in a world where we are being protected by every expert known to man. We have financial experts at the Federal Reserve. We have Medical Experts that know that government health care is the only safe way to insure our country. We have Department of Education experts in Washington, D.C. that know what the people of Utah (and everywhere else) should be teaching, we have Legislators, and Congressmen who think they have risen above the masses, and are now qualified to legislate the redistribution of wealth because Americans won’t do it themselves.
ENOUGH! We do not need any more experts. This country was established so that men could govern themselves. Yes, at times we fail to be responsible in our duties, but if we have natural consequence (or Natural Law) occur, we will pick ourselves up, we will pick our neighbors up, and we will be able to rise to the occasion. This is the first principle of liberty. “The only reliable basis for sound government and just human relations is natural law.”
Experts need to remove themselves from our lives, and let the people get back to living, growing, and becoming the men and women that our God intended us to be … loving, giving stewards of this great land.
Moreover, we should still be innocent until proven guilty.
The S.T.A.R. Forum 