Baptist Pastor vs. Border Patrol

By Kellene Bishop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUzd7G875Hc

This video of Steve Anderson is just over 8 minutes long. The contents of it are disturbing to me from a standpoint of freedom, but even more disturbing to me are the comments of ignorant fools in response to this video. Lest any more of you should grossly err in your judgment of this situation, allow me to enlighten you.

The time to stand up for your rights is ANY and EVERY time they are being violated.

One person on YouTube commented that this person should not have “taken the law into his own hands.” Sorry folks. The law is FOR the people, not issued in hopes that power-drunken agents such as these will honor it. It is for ALL of the people. It is your DUTY to know what the laws are and push back. For too long the overwhelming majority has been apathetic to their rights under the laws, and this is exactly why such atrocities of law have occurred in this situation. Do you naively believe that only the military is empowered to support and sustain our Constitutional rights? How is that fair that our soldiers have to lose their lives to defend our freedoms, but every citizen in this country doesn’t have to do their part as well? As insignificant as this act may seem to others in the nation, in my opinion there is virtue and righteousness in affirming our rights under all circumstances.

Another ignoramus commented that “from what he was able to find out, this guy isn’t a very good person.” Others accused him of being a “know-it-all” and a pompous @$$, etc. Guess what, folks? The rights of the U.S. Constitution are ensured for all people, including someone who may come across to some as a jerk. That’s why some personalities are permitted to grace your television sets and radio stations. There is no U.S. law which states you must comply nicely when your rights are or are not being violated. There is no requirement that you speak softly, etc. So whether you support the personality traits of this person is completely unimportant. As an American, his rights are his rights regardless.

As the result of his FIRST Amendment right (which is not a coincidence that such a right is in the first position of all outlined rights in our Constitution) this individual has the right to free speech. Thus anything he may have said which would make a person angry is unacceptable grounds for the actions of these so-called agents.

Several foolish posters commented that “all this guy had to do was answer the questions.” Again. They are wrong. If a police officer comes to your door and begins asking you questions, you are under NO obligation to answer such questions. Answering questions by law enforcement is not a requirement. In fact, in accordance to the Fifth Amendment, we have the right to not say ANYTHING which may incriminate us. Even the Miranda Rights reaffirm such. Not answering questions does not negate any of your other rights under the U.S. Constitution.

Another fool posted a supposition that Congress has granted the Border Patrol broad authority of search and seizures. Guess what. I don’t care if the President himself gave the Border Patrol agents permission to behave this way, it’s illegal! Pure and simple. No law can be passed in this country which is at odds with the U.S. Constitution. The only way that this act could be made “legal” is if there was a Constitutional Amendment fully ratified. Congress also recently passed an enormous bill without even reading it. Does that make it right or legal? No. It’s malpractice. And such a foolish comment flies in the face of all of those who have died so that we may now possess those rights. Until I see a Congressman who will pay the “uttermost farthing” to protect my rights as did our Founding Fathers, then such a Congressman does not receive any honorable attentions from me. Too many of our Americans today are sheep. They feel that simply because the President declares something, or the Congressmen say it and then sign it, that it’s law. Sorry folks. All laws MUST be in alignment with the U.S. Constitution. New laws can specify, clarify, and even give consequences for violating the laws and rights of the U.S. Constitution, but they cannot circumvent or violate them.

Then there are the masses of individuals who would judge this person because he’s a Baptist Pastor. He’s accused of being difficult by being non-compliant. Boy howdy am I ever GRATEFUL for my non-compliant Founding Fathers, as well as my non-compliant Savior who did NOT “save” the Jews based on their short-sighted expectations and demands. Too many individuals wrongly presume that as a Baptist pastor, he should be a mouse and comply. Sorry, you’d be wrong again to presume such. This guy did not spew foul language at these agents. He did not “get in the way” of their tazers and metal batons. These “agents” made a choice to act in the manner in which they did. As such, Jesus would condemn them, not the person upon whom they acted. It’s alarming to me just how many folks believe that standing up for your Constitutional rights is an act of deviance in the Christian world—especially in light of the fact that God inspired the men who served as our Founding Fathers of this nation. God is fully invested in our rights being upheld in this nation.

The fact that the dog was brought into this as grounds for the search is laughable as well, since the Fourth Amendment requires that probable cause be established by “oath or affirmation.” Clearly Fido didn’t say anything. He was merely used as a pawn for their designs. Isn’t it ironic that law ENFORCEMENT officials don’t care much for a person who actually helps them understand the laws of which they are to enforce? Case in point, if a 31-year-old man has sex with a 14-year-old girl, even if it’s consensual, it’s illegal. Coinciding with that, even if the American people are willing to have their rights raped and pillaged “consensually” it’s still illegal and in direct violation of our Bill of Rights. Even honest citizens with nothing to hide are violated whenever we consent to the erosion of our rights and liberty.

Another aspect of this incident is the excessive force. Hmmm… how many drug traffickers have made it across the border without their windows bashed in, or having been cut, tazed, and battered? Even if this guy WAS a drug dealer, they are NOT permitted to treat him as such. That’s right. Even if he was verbally belligerent, had a couple of kids and some drugs in the back of the car, the Border Patrol are not permitted to handle the situation the way they did. This constitutes “unreasonable search.” But hey, it’s not unreasonable seizure because they found NOTHING. (Although, due to the damage they inflicted on the vehicle, they did in fact illegally “seize” this man’s car.)

This person is rumored to have had a “run-in” with Border Patrol previously in which he also refused to answer their questions. However, posting a video on YouTube complaining about your previous treatment with Border Patrol does not give an “agent” free reign to violate your Constitutional rights. Plain and simple, Folks.

While it may take a while to get this all sorted out, anytime a person legally defends their rights of this nation, they have my wholehearted support. I may not agree with their personality traits, their religion, or their other beliefs, but they are indeed correct in asserting those rights.

Bottom line, if you will not stand up for the Constitution, who will?

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.
You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Tea Party USA—The Story is the Story

Over 2,000 tea parties were held throughout the U.S. on April 15, over 700 of them in major cities. By all estimates there were overwhelming numbers of attendees at these events, highlighting it as a marked moment in history. Even in light of all of the other movements (such as the Vietnam War, civil rights, women’s right to vote, etc.) which have all notably marked our history, this is the first time that everyday citizens have rallied in such record numbers. Even more significant is that the majority of those who attended these Tea Parties had never attended a rally previously. That’s right. These were not paid ACLU or ACORN advocates orchestrating a fake grassroots movement. These were everyday Americans, leaving the comfort of their security, even some taking time off from work, to finally let their voices be heard. Thousands came out in spite of severe inclement weather. But that’s not the story. The story is the story.

On April 15th and all day yesterday, no major newspaper or mainstream news station (non-cable) covered this story with any more time or emphasis than they would have a basement flooding in a person’s home. Network news didn’t cover it, except that NBC personally, on a 3rd grade level, attacked the folks who showed up for such events. Not so surprising was CNN represented by a female reporter who was blatantly prosecutorial throughout the course of her “interviewing” of Tea Party attendees. THIS was the story in spite of the fact that this act of so many, even novices, gathering in protest of their government was a truly historical day.

And yet how were the acts of these modern-day Patriots portrayed? With scoffs, and “intellectual” scorns. Their intelligence was insulted. Their education was questioned. Even their virtue and parental capabilities were slandered. Not by a few, but by the mainstream media. Does anybody wonder why an “Us vs. Them” mentality has begun to manifest itself in our America? Better yet, does anyone wonder why newspapers are now begging for a bailout? Pelosi has the audacity to call these historical efforts “astroturf” contrived by the wealthy. Really? Raise your hand if you were compensated one penny to protest at a Tea Party. Better yet, raise your hand if it actually COST you money to be there.

As honest, law-abiding, tax-paying citizens took to the streets to make their rationale voices heard, the cowardly sheep stayed at work on their computers posting anonymous comments as to the caliber of the individuals doing so. One person commented on the “lack of education” of those who would take such proactive actions. I ask you—you, who cowers in your cubicle to mock those who stand—just how much education does one need in order to understand that they are being raped and pillaged? They don’t need to have an understanding of the constitution to know that they’ve got more bills than they have money right now. They don’t need a PhD to understand that they’ve been laid off of their jobs. And are you aware, Oh Stupid One, that the majority of the millions of Americans who laid the groundwork of this United States only had the education equivalent of our present fourth grade level?

Was the Boston Tea Party of 1773 merely “astroturf,” Pelosi? In my patriotic, fed up opinion, those who would deride the genuine efforts of April 15th are indeed the enemy of our freedoms. Regardless of what position they hold, what power they wield, or how much money they make, they are the no different than those who opposed the original Boston Tea Party of 1773, favoring instead the mythical power and influence of the tyrannical King George.

Remember this—Tyrants and Traitors of Our Freedom—when the day comes that you find yourself void of the freedoms which you’ve come to take for granted, yea, even that day when the very freedom which permits you to mock and scorn in the name of journalism is eliminated, don’t ask me to defend you, for I will truly “know you not.” Instead I will be focused and fighting solely for those who have a deep-seeded virtue of Freedom within them.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.
You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

The U.S. Constitution—An Inconvenient Document

By Kellene Bishop

Our U.S. Constitution. When I hear those words I swell up with pride and a sense of reverenced awe to realize that men from such diverse backgrounds and beliefs could have come up with such an inspired document. Yes, it is not perfect in light of the many unprecedented ails that our country experiences today, but I firmly believe that it is a heavenly inspired document. Just as the parting of the Red Sea, so did God cut through the clutter of biases, prejudices, and paradigms of those rather ordinary men to come together and create a guiding document that attempted to express and ensure universal fairness and a nation of true freedom. Sadly, today that document is condemned by the very persons who take an oath to uphold it as irrelevant, archaic, and outdated.

Many believe that to recognize our nation as unique is narcissistic and prideful. It simply is not. The fact that our nation was founded on the principles of true freedom—to act according to our own conscience so long as such actions did not tread on the freedoms of others—was based on the recognition of the true value of human life. As such this nation was indeed the first and still is the most unique nation in the world. No other nation has ever attempted to convey such freedoms to its citizens. No other nation has ever believed enough in its citizens to acknowledge that such freedoms even belonged to its citizens. The United States of America attempted to do that which had never been done before; to believe that a people would choose good over bad if permitted to make decisions for themselves, and as such to prosper in the pursuit of life, liberty, the pursuit of property, and happiness. This belief was so fundamental to the birth of our nation that the millions of those who toiled and plowed for such a standard gave their lives in the selfless sacrifice of time, money, and even blood to seal their belief of such a notion.

Have the history books ever mentioned any other document which has inspired such consistent goodness, sacrifice, and virtue before which influenced so many? When it was first created, was there evidence of any evil intent to have tyrannical power of the people of this nation? Even if the Constitution had conveyed a desire for power over the people at the time, it could not be enforced upon a people who were passionately ready for the responsibilities of freedom. They could fathom nothing less at that time and they would accept nothing less.

Today however, many attempt to dismiss the merits of the Constitution, not because its doctrines are faulty, but because such doctrines are seriously inconvenient to the duplicitous and tyrannical desires of those who are expected to uphold it.

For example, it wasn’t convenient for President G. W. Bush to wait until “probable cause” was evident prior to him taking down a suspected terrorist. So he simply created various acts to eliminate such needs so long as the government agents were willing to “claim” that their investigations “may” benefit the results of a terrorist investigation.

The government was greatly inconvenienced by not being able to spend as much as they wanted to. And according to the Constitution’s requirement of taxation WITH proper representation they were handcuffed. So, “inconvenience be damned”, they claimed to have ratified an amendment that enabled them to tax the citizens of this nation egregiously. (They never did ratify such an amendment, but they sure do like to pretend they did in hopes that we won’t pick up on it.)

Certain political parties are shackled with the merits of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, so they seek to create another bill, ironically called the “Fairness Doctrine” in an effort to eliminate those who would dare express any opposing views of the government with any semblance of influence.

And so it continues…

Unfortunately, the people as a whole are starting to get wise. Their freedoms are starting to be seriously inconvenienced by a government that was supposed to working FOR them for no other purpose than to uphold and protect the U.S. Constitution. Essentially, this inconvenient document is the ONLY thing that ensures our government officials even have a job! So the only way they can get around this is to attempt, with the help of the complacent media, to appropriately color that which is good, bad, and that which is truly bad, good. They are attempting to usurp the foundations of this country by completely ignoring the laws of the Constitution. Our government officials are also looking to other nations in hopes to uphold their decisions based on the improper popular decisions of foreign nations who never entertained our value system. (That’s like a doctor wanting to get surgical advice from a mortician.) “Well, the French courts ruled this way, so let’s try that,” or, “The U.N. seems to think like this, so let’s do that.”

Sadly, the U.S. Constitution has clearly become inconvenient to those who value freedom as well. We work all day, everyday to pay our taxes so that those we’ve elected to office take care of ensuring such freedoms, only to find that these stewards of the people have been asleep on the job. And they’ve slept through some of the most critical legislation in the history of our nation, to the point that they couldn’t even be bothered to read most of this legislation. So now, not only do we have to work to pay our government to do their jobs and provide for our own families, we have to take what precious time we have left to make our voices heard, let them know that we are indeed monitoring them, and in some instances, even doing their job for them. (see CNN article here) Talk about an inconvenience, right?

This nation was indeed founded on that which is good. It IS indeed unique—unique in that we were formed for the purpose of giving true freedom to the people, and empower the people to hire government officials to work for them to aid in ensuring such freedoms are upheld. I agree, it isn’t convenient to have to make decisions for ourselves and not have everything dictated to us. And it’s not convenient to have to take time to get educated about issues and candidates. But it’s our freedom to do so just as much as it’s our freedom to fail in doing so. While the constitution may be an inconvenient document for both good and evil causes, only a proactive inconvenience will ensure that it stands for that which we truly want. Freedom.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.
You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.