Duncan Frissell[SMTP:frissell@panix.com]

So far the massive crackdown by the Feds that has stripped me of my civil liberties hasn't managed to do much. They have to work a bit harder.

I'm back to not showing ID to get into work just like before the war.

The states where I choose not to obtain a drivers license have upped their ID requirements for initial license applications but I already have one and don't patronize them in any case. They still let foreigners drive with foreign licenses so I will become a foreigner if they get too uppity.

Flight delays only slightly worse than usual (particularly since I mostly fly internationally and have always shown my passport). Domestic flight ID fascism is 6 years old this August so no change there.

As far as we know, only a little more than 1000 detained out of a pop of 270 megs. I was expecting that we would at least make WWII levels -- 200,000+ out of a population of 132 megs. I guess there could be a few more internees but they'd be tough to hide. Too many others would note their absence.

I thinks the Feds are just to wimpy to indulge in actual oppression these days. At least on a wholesale basis.

Maybe I'm wrong but I need more evidence first.

-- Posted by Duncan Frissell to The Technoptimist at 7/20/2002 9:06:27 PM

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Well, the other possible interpretation is that the Feds are not black-at-heart, Big Brother, neo Stalinist fascist JBTs pouncing on any opportunity to make confetti of the Bill of Rights; but rather are actually trying to respond to 9/11 with a minimal impact on US Citizens. ...but of course, that would be an unpopular interpretation on this mailing list. -------- The truth probably lies somewhere in between. Peter Trei