I periodically provide mind-blowing examples of individuals who have their lives turned upside down by evil bureaucrats.
You may think “evil” is too strong a word, but it sticks in my mind after perusing these examples of abusive actions by the federal government.
- A story of vicious IRS persecution.
- Two stories of innocent people who were victimized by the idiotic Drug War.
- A video about how the EPA tried – and fortunately failed – to destroy a family.
- A story about the Justice Department’s discriminatory attack on a hapless homeowner.
Now we have a George Will column that will get you very angry. At least if you’re a good person.
Will starts by describing the federal bureaucracy’s attack on an innocent woman for a non-crime.
…our unhinged government, with an obsession like that of Melville’s Ahab, has crippled Nancy Black’s scientific career, cost her more than $100,000 in legal fees — so far — and might sentence her to 20 years in prison. This Kafkaesque burlesque of law enforcement began when someone whistled. Black, 50, a marine biologist who also captains a whale-watching ship, was with some watchers in Monterey Bay in 2005 when a member of her crew whistled at the humpback that had approached her boat, hoping to entice the whale to linger. Back on land, another of her employees called the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to ask if the whistling constituted “harassment” of a marine mammal, which is an “environmental crime.” NOAA requested a video of the episode, which Black sent after editing it slightly to highlight the whistling. NOAA found no harassment — but got her indicted for editing the tape, calling this a “material false statement” to federal investigators, which is a felony under the 1863 False Claims Act, intended to punish suppliers defrauding the government during the Civil War.
But it gets worse, because the federal jack-boots then raided her office (I don’t even know what “jack-boots” are, but they signify government thuggery, and that’s definitely a good description of what happened).
…after this bizarre charge — that she lied about the interaction with the humpback that produced no charges — more than a dozen federal agents, led by one from NOAA, raided her home. They removed her scientific photos, business files and computers.
This unfortunate woman has also been charged with another non-crime.
She has also been charged with the crime of feeding killer whales when she and two aides were in a dinghy observing them feeding on strips of blubber torn from their prey — a gray whale. To facilitate photographing the killers’ feeding habits, she cut a hole in one of the floating slabs of blubber and, through the hole, attached a rope to stabilize the slab while a camera on a pole recorded the whales’ underwater eating. So she is charged with “feeding” killer whales that were already feeding on a gray whale they had killed. She could more plausibly be accused of interfering with the feeding.
As an aside, Will notes that the NOAA bureaucrats have little regard for the Constitution.
Six years ago, NOAA agents, who evidently consider the First Amendment a dispensable nuisance, told Black’s scientific colleagues not to talk to her and to inform them if they were contacted by her or her lawyers. Since then she has not spoken with one of her best friends.
Most important, he concludes with the key point about how all of us are threatened by Leviathan.
In 1980, federal statutes specified 3,000 criminal offenses; by 2007, 4,450. They continue to multiply. Often, as in Black’s case, they are untethered from the common-law tradition ofmens rea, which holds that a crime must involve a criminal intent — a guilty mind. Legions of government lawyers inundate targets like Black with discovery demands, producing financial burdens that compel the innocent to surrender in order to survive. The protracted and pointless tormenting of Black illustrates the thesis of Harvey Silverglate’s invaluable 2009 book, “Three Felonies a Day: How the Feds Target the Innocent.” Silverglate, a civil liberties lawyer in Boston, chillingly demonstrates how the mad proliferation of federal criminal laws — which often are too vague to give fair notice of what behavior is proscribed or prescribed — means that “our normal daily activities expose us to potential prosecution at the whim of a government official.” Such laws, which enable government zealots to accuse almost anyone of committing three felonies in a day, do not just enable government misconduct, they incite prosecutors to intimidate decent people who never had culpable intentions. And to inflict punishments without crimes. …The more Americans learn about their government’s abuse of criminal law for capricious bullying, the more likely they are to recoil in a libertarian direction and put Leviathan on a short leash.
Utterly disgusting. As Glenn Reynolds periodically suggests, “tar, feathers” would be an appropriate way of dealing with these hyenas.
By the way, government thuggery is not limited to the crowd in Washington.
- If you have a soul, you will be outraged by this example of a local government abusing poor people.
- If you have decency, you will be disgusted by this example of a state government persecuting someone who didn’t commit a crime.
- If you believe in basic rights, you will be horrified by this example of a foreign government seeking to outlaw political dissent and free speech.
P.S. For the second time, I feel compelled to apologize to Hyenas. They’re part of the natural ecosystem. Thuggish bureaucrats, by contrast, are a malignant and artificial force.
[…] On several occasions, I’ve shared horror stories of government brutality and asserted that all decent people should be libertarians. […]
[…] Nancy Black […]
[…] Nancy Black […]
[…] I’m a libertarian, of course, as are all decent and humane people. […]
[…] Nancy Black […]
[…] On several occasions, I’ve shared horror stories of government brutality and asserted that all decent people should be libertarians. […]
[…] me, just ask Andy Johnson, Anthony Smelley, the Hammond family, Charlie Engle, Tammy Cooper, Nancy Black, Russ Caswell, Jacques Wajsfelner, Jeff Councelller, Eric Garner, Martha Boneta, Corey […]
[…] The broader lesson is that it’s a good idea to have fewer laws. And the laws that do exist should be designed to protect people from external aggression. Especially given the horror stories that are produced by the alternative approach. […]
[…] do Andy Johnson, Anthony Smelley, the Hammond family, Charlie Engle, Tammy Cooper, Nancy Black, Russ Caswell, Jacques Wajsfelner, Jeff Councelller, Eric Garner, Martha Boneta, James Slatic, […]
[…] do Andy Johnson, Anthony Smelley, the Hammond family, Charlie Engle, Tammy Cooper, Nancy Black, Russ Caswell, Jacques Wajsfelner, Jeff Councelller, Eric Garner, Martha Boneta, James Slatic, […]
[…] ask people like Andy Johnson, Anthony Smelley, the Hammond family, Charlie Engle, Tammy Cooper, Nancy Black, Russ Caswell, Jacques Wajsfelner, Jeff Councelller, Eric Garner, Martha Boneta, Carole Hinders, […]
[…] would also include people like Andy Johnson, Anthony Smelley, Charlie Engle, Tammy Cooper, Nancy Black, Russ Caswell, Jacques Wajsfelner, Jeff Councelller, Eric Garner, Martha Boneta, Carole Hinders, […]
[…] P.S. Keep in mind we already have the federal bagpipe police, the federal pond police, and the federal don’t-whistle-at-whales police. […]
[…] P.S. Keep in mind we already have the federal bagpipe police, the federal pond police, and the federal don’t-whistle-at-whales police. […]
[…] Charter members would include Andy Johnson, Anthony Smelley, Charlie Engle, Tammy Cooper, Nancy Black, Russ Caswell, Jacques Wajsfelner, Jeff Councelller, Eric Garner, Martha Boneta, Carole […]
Why are these despicable government bullies not named in these articles?
A little shame might go a long way towards changing their minds.
[…] to government, just check out how Andy Johnson, Anthony Smelley, Charlie Engle, Tammy Cooper, Nancy Black, Russ Caswell, Jacques Wajsfelner, Jeff Councelller, Eric Garner, Martha Boneta, Carole Hinders, […]
[…] to government, just check out how Andy Johnson, Anthony Smelley, Charlie Engle, Tammy Cooper, Nancy Black, Russ Caswell, Jacques Wajsfelner, Jeff Councelller, Eric Garner, Martha Boneta, Carole Hinders, […]
[…] to send a woman to jail because someone whistled at a […]
[…] federal government threatening to imprison a woman for whistling at a […]
And this is why so many federal agencies need to be ELIMINATED or severely restricted in their scope.
NOAA also brought us the Gibson guitar persecution
There is a crime called undue harassment. In most of these cases, that’s just what it is. Where a law is no longer serviceable, it is no longer the law. “Man wasn’t made for the law, but law for the man.” Where a law no longer benefits society, it can only serve to be of detriment. Frivolous prosecution defeats the purpose of government. Government is not to put burdens on people. It is to take burdens off people. Reputation alone is grounds to terminate any bureau.
[…] federal government threatening to imprison a woman for whistling at a […]
[…] federal government threatening to imprison a woman for whistling at a […]
[…] federal government threatening to imprison a woman for whistling at a […]
What kind of jurisdictional issues are here? You bring up constitutionality and the NOAA is obviously a federal organization, and I realize that they claim some sort of jurisdiction while she is asea. Was it because of the flag her vessel sailed under?
Jackboot: a combat boot designed for marching, rising to at least mid-calf, with no laces, typically a leather sole with hobnails, and heel irons.
My rubber wellingtons would probably qualify if they were made out of leather instead of rubber.
[…] to send a woman to jail because someone whistled at a […]
[…] to send a woman to jail because someone whistled at a […]
[…] to send a woman to jail because someone whistled at a […]
[…] to send a woman to jail because someone whistled at a […]
[…] to send a woman to jail because someone whistled at a […]
[…] to send a woman to jail because someone whistled at a […]
[…] to send a woman to jail because someone whistled at a […]
[…] to send a woman to jail because someone whistled at a […]
Obtain and read “Unintended Consequences” by author John Ross. Although out-of-print and a little pricey, it is still available on ebay and amazon. It is a good read and offers solutions to our out-of-control government. The book combines fictional characters with accurate historical information and is a how-to book on “getting things done”.
Sellers of this book were harassed by ATF and other government agents. It seems that these government agents were not too keen on the book’s premise.
[…] to send a woman to jail because someone whistled at a […]
The NOAA recently ordered 46,000 rounds of .40-caliber with hollow-point bullets. This follows the order of 450 million rounds of hollow-point ammo by the Department of Homeland Security. That’s a lot of firepower.
[…] to send a woman to jail because someone whistled at a […]
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Jack-Boot or Jackboot:
1. (Military / Arms & Armour (excluding Firearms)) an all-leather military boot, extending up to or above the knee
2.
a. arbitrary, cruel, and authoritarian rule or behaviour
b. (as modifier) jackboot tactics
jackbooted adj
The Nazis were famous for the Jackboot!!
[…] Read This Horrifying George Will Column and You Will – if You Have any Decency – Become a Libert…. Share this:TwitterFacebookLinkedInStumbleUponEmailPrintLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. This entry was posted in Government collapse, Government corruption, Government Intrusion, Government Spending, Government Waste and tagged NOAA by michaelacummings. Bookmark the permalink. […]
[…] wouldn’t be Weekend Reading without a link from Dan Mitchell. So read this. Seriously, if you only click one link on this post, make it this […]
Rational thinking again falls by the wayside.
[…] Read This Horrifying George Will Column and You Will – if You Have any Decency – Become a Liber… […]
[…] full column is here, a few key graphs below (the original George Will column is here): I periodically provide […]
These people in the government ought to hope for Romney, because the spend-to-collapse paradigm of the current syndicate will not leave many places to hide when they pull the ladders up and the just-doing-my-jobbers find that they are solidly under the bus. Didn’t work too well for the folks that were guarding the concentration camps in Germany. The folks upset at the coming worthlessness of the dollar and the powerlessness of the current political crew to do anything will find folks to vent their anger on. (Hint: look up Jacobins)
Just for your benefit Dan, a “jack” boot is what might be worn by a low ranking member of the military. The type of crude, slip on hobnail boots issued to enlistees of the German army during WWI or WWII would qualify. Not to be confused with a polished fitted gentleman’s boot of an officer.
In short, it’s the footwear of a brutish thug.
This is happening everywhere at all levels. There was an incident with a woman who bred and kept show rabbits who got persecuted because a local pet rabbit advocacy group called the animal cruelty people on her. Nothing she did was wrong if you keep and breed rabbits as stock animals, but she lost around $25,000-$30,000 in stock by the time she was finally vindicated and the rabbit breeding for 4H and meat and other purposes in her state was extremely damaged by the time it was done. People were intimidated which was, of course, the pet rabbit peoples’ purpose.
My husband sees it at the corporate level too. When he started just over a decade ago. The inspectors used to be people who had worked in the industry and had some idea how it worked. Now, government purposefully hires people who have no idea how industry operates and take an automatically adversarial approach. This leads to things that are imposed in an arbitrary and idiotic fashion. A recent inspection took a mere dislike to the aesthetic look of a product and accused it of being caused by something that the company produced on-site data proving it absolutely could not be. Nevertheless, the inspectors refused to believe it and imposed a new course of costly and time consuming testing to prove that the non-issue is really a non-issue.
This sort of thing is going on everywhere at every level of society and business thanks to Leviathan. We definitely need to starve the beast because this is what bored bureaucrats get up. This is also our own fault in part. We’re the ones who start to cry “There outta be a law!” every time something happens. It’s my corollary to Reagan’s “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
The same thing goes for Health Care insurance. Doctors order defensive tests to cover their butts against frivilous law suits. See new majorityagenda.com and wordsmatter2012.com.
These unelected beuraweenies have to have somebody to prosecute or it looks like they are not doing their job.
So people like Black are just job security to them.
The more convictions, the more hours logged on a case, all lead to more promotions and advancement in their field.
The guilt or innocence of the victims is not considered for even one second.
Its common knowledge now that IRS agents HAVE to have a quota of audits and convictions or they will not be promoted.
If all you have is a hammer, everything (or everybody) starts to look like a nail.
Anyone else see why the Founders left us with a Second Amendment?
Public hanging; the only thing that will satisfy!
[…] Read This Horrifying George Will Column and You Will – if You Have any Decency – Become a Libert… […]
Sharon
I think that you are not correct. The Administration IS Marxist. They use the 1984 text as an Ops manual. Considering that the DOJ cleared the DOJ in the New lack Panther voter harrassment case, there is no longer any real justice.
Rope. Tree. Bureaucrat. Some assembly required.
Yes this makes me sick. This poor women attacked and her career all but stopped because of this old out dated rule. This is the true Obama trying at every turn to force control on all aspects of everyone’s life. This goverment is turning marxist right before our eyes and congress and senate are worthless to do anything about it. Doom comes to mind.