“Are you just anti-government or are you anti-police too?”
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By: Shane Radliff [social title=”” subtitle=”” link=”www.facebook.com/LUAtruth” icon=”fa-facebook”]
August 12th, 2015
Introduction
Even before I became a free market anarchist (that is, a voluntaryist), I despised the “bluecoats”. Although, when I became an anarchist and acknowledged the true purpose of this institution, my focus shifted. I came to the realization that the local police extortionists are just another deadly symptom of this violent, monopolistic entity, known as the State, and all security culture measures must be utilized to avoid any encounters with these violent thugs.
Before these past 30 days, I hadn’t had any interaction with the cops for over 2 years, but this last month has been a completely different story. In July, I had an encounter with one of these police extortionists, because of an expired registration. This past weekend, I was pulled over again, and the reason for the traffic stop is something I had never heard before, and will surely never hear again.
It’s Time to Remove the Bumper Stickers…
For those of you that haven’t kept up with the new articles on the LUA site, or aren’t following us on Facebook, I attended the Midwest Peace and Liberty Fest III this past weekend in Delton, Michigan and it was certainly a great time.
But, before our arrival to the festival, a man in a costume with a sense of grandeur thought it would be fun to put my passenger and I in an involuntary, coercive, potentially violent situation, for an honestly ridiculous reason; let’s just say, anarchists and libertarians who call them police extortionists don’t call them that for nothing.
It was Saturday morning at about 12:30am and we were on our way to the hotel in Kalamazoo and all was well. I was introducing my passenger to Larken Rose; more specifically, the audio excerpt from The Iron Web, where President Grant gives an honestly chilling speech.
All of a sudden, an SUV started hauling ass up behind us, and the lights came on. As with last month’s encounter, I held the same sentiment: “What in the fuck am I being pulled over for? I’m going 70 miles per hour, I know my registration is renewed, what could this possibly be for?”
Officer Friendly got out of the car and walked up, and asked us how we were doing (I had already told my passenger to remain silent). I inquired about the nature of the detention.
He responded with, “Did you see how close you were to that semi when you returned to the right lane? You have to be careful, I saw him tap his brakes.”
I responded with, “Sir, I gave him plenty of room.”
He fired back with, “Well, Michigan State law says that you have to leave a foot for every 10mph you’re traveling. You were only seven car lengths ahead, when you should have been ten.”
I was traveling at 70mph, the speed limit, which is confirmed by the fact that he didn’t write me a ticket for speeding. At that time, I didn’t even consider the math, but I got another confirmation that only people with low IQ’s are hired as police officers.
He then asked for my license and proof of insurance, and I handed it to him.
“So, where are you two traveling tonight?” he inquired.
As I have been practicing in my police interrogation role-playing exercises, I told him that I didn’t have to answer that question.
“Oh, you’re one of those guys huh? Are you just anti-government or anti-police too?” Officer Friendly fired back. That was clearly profiling, and I’m not even quite sure why. I have three bumper stickers on my car: an End the Fed one, a Liberty Under Attack one, and a Don’t Tread on Me one: none saying that I hate the police or the government (although, I definitely do).
Again, I didn’t answer, and he went back to his car to issue me the citation for “improper lane usage.”
Officer Friendly came back to the car and said, “Here’s your citation. I’m supposed to take your license as bond, but since you’re from Illinois, I’ll do you a favor and let you keep it. You don’t have to attend a court hearing and it won’t show up on your record in Illinois, but you do have to pay the fine online within 10 days. I’m an officer of the local sheriff’s office, recognized by the state of Michigan. I’m not the Feds, the Feds are your enemy. I’m not.”
I asked him if I was free to go, and I was.
Let’s recap. This “bluecoat” responded with arrogance when I invoked my right to remain silent and then at the end of the encounter, he claimed that he was not my enemy. Additionally, the reason I was extorted $100 was because I returned to the right hand lane when I was seven car lengths in front of the semi, rather than ten.
I was cited for a civil infraction in the Michigan Vehicle Code, Section 257.642(1). From reading the section, it seems like most of this is up to the judgement of the police extortionist, and there is no reference to the “10 feet for every mile-per-hour”, as claimed by the cop.
Additionally, the extortionist profiled me for some unknown reason. My bumper stickers don’t say “Fuck the police”, or “Abolish government”; nothing near that level. I don’t think he even had time to read my bumper stickers, so it must have just been because I didn’t bow down to his magic costume like most other motorists probably do.
Initially, I was a little pissed off, as most would be, but it wasn’t even because of the fine. I despise the fact that anyone could imagine themselves to have more rights than any other human being, but it’s something us anarchists and libertarians will have to deal with, until the myth of “authority” is abolished from the minds of man.
Luckily, I was able to make it to the life-changing Midwest Peace and Liberty Fest, and as soon as I arrived, any semblance of authority left for a couple of truly free days and the thought of the encounter vanished along with it.
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