The TSA kraken keeps growing...

Found this via Drudge at www.newschannel5.com:


By Adam Ghassemi
PORTLAND, Tenn. – You're probably used to seeing TSA's signature blue uniforms at the airport, but now agents are hitting the interstates to fight terrorism with Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR).

"Where is a terrorist more apt to be found? Not these days on an airplane more likely on the interstate," said Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons.

Tuesday Tennessee was first to deploy VIPR simultaneously at five weigh stations and two bus stations across the state.

Agents are recruiting truck drivers, like Rudy Gonzales, into the First Observer Highway Security Program to say something if they see something.

"Not only truck drivers, but cars, everybody should be aware of what's going on, on the road," said Gonzales.

It's all meant to urge every driver to call authorities if they see something suspicious.

"Somebody sees something somewhere and we want them to be responsible citizens, report that and let us work it through our processes to abet the concern that they had when they saw something suspicious," said Paul Armes, TSA Federal Security Director for Nashville International Airport.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol checked trucks with drug and bomb sniffing dogs during random inspections.

"The bottom line is this: if you see something suspicious say something about it," Gibbons said Tuesday.

The random inspections really aren't any more thorough normal, according to Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Tracy Trott who says paying attention to details can make a difference. Trott pointed out it was an Oklahoma state trooper who stopped Timothy McVeigh for not having a license plate after the Oklahoma City bombing in the early 1990s.

Tuesday's statewide "VIPR" operation isn't in response to any particular threat, according to officials.

Armes said intelligence indicates law enforcement should focus on the highways as well as the airports.

(End of story, my comments follow.)

I haven't paid much heed to the actions of the TSA, I really don't see me ever flying in an airplane again. There is just no reason for it.

So stories of them groping young children and women in a highly sexual manner disgusted me more than anything else.

Hearing about mothers forced to drink their own breast milk from the bottles it was in to prove it was harmless had me rolling my eyes. But not much more.

Hearing that they'd soon be deployed to the subways of NYC made me yawn. My little farming community northeast of Dallas doesn't even have freight trains passing through it. No biggie. You can't be pissed about everything outrageous, you'll go flat insane. Pick what really jerks your chain and focus ranting on that.

But this one gets my attention NOW because 1) I can see the searches growing beyond trucks at weigh stations to random selection of cars on the highway. 2) I don't trust our government.

Ruby Ridge, David Koresh @ Waco, the stormtrooper tactics to return Elian Gonzalez to Cuba. Do I need to say more?

How soon before we wake up to the degree the government has undermined the Constitution?

Here's a scenario for ya: A fat, middleaged retired sub sailor playing "Mr. Mom" in Texas posts a highly critical rant against "Dear Leader" on his blog. The man is none too bright, his blog is used mainly to blow off steam. Otherwise his suffering bride would cheerfully shoot him for burning her ears with his fussing & fuming.

But he posts the rant and it catches the eye of a government cube ape monitoring the Internet for possible leads to terrorists.

Since the Dept. of Homeland Security believes that anyone who is a veteran or strongly prolife or believes in limited government or supports the exercise of the 2nd Amendment or even is somewhat religious may be a potential right-wing extremist, the cube ape's pointed little ears prick right up after reading our hero's profile.

The cube ape gets all the personal data about the blogger the server carries, notifies the TSA who have the local authorities monitor the man. Shortly thereafter he's stopped on the local road for a "random" check.

Take it from there. If you think nothing will be found and the suspected perp will cheerfully drive away, just Google "Jose Guerena of Tucson, Arizona".