The Gestapo tactics of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies is getting way out of hand. How often have we heard about SWAT teams raiding the wrong house? Often there is much property damage and some case of the nome owners dogs being killed. In most cases, the families that were wrong have to sue to recover damages. We also now know that our federal government is routinely spying on us (NSA scandal) and the IRS is being used to intimidate those who have different political views from the current administration. It seems that every agency in the federal government nw has their employees armed and the government has bought billions of rounds of hollow-point ammunition. Intimidation seems to be modus operandi of our governments today. They seem to want the citizenry to be cowed and afraid of their governments.
The latest example to make the news occurred in the thriving metropolis of Chicken, Alaska; population 17. Fox News reports that on August 19, 2013, a task force of ten state and federal law enforcement agencies descended on a small gold mine in this tiny town, They were in full body armor and were armed to the teeth.
So, what terrible crime did these agencies believe these hardened miners were involved in? Were they suspected of being terrorists with plans to overthrow the United States Government? Were they suspected of illegal gun running or trafficking in illegal drugs? The article reports that one Senate staffer close to the matter (Sen. Murkowski?) said the raid
…was conducted as such because of information received from the Alaska State Troopers about rampant “drug and human trafficking” in the area, the Alaska Dispatch reports.
However, the task force denies this was the reason. So, who organized this raid and why? Well, it was those friendly folks at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The EPA said this action was not a “raid”.
“The ongoing investigation conducted by the AK Environmental Crimes Task Force — consisting of EPA, ADEC, USFWS, ADFG, BLM, Coast Guard, FBI, Alaska State Troopers, NOAA, & US Park Service — did not result in a raid,” the statement read. “The Task Force members involved in the investigation during the week of August 19, 2013, were EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division & Bureau of Land Management’s Office of Law Enforcement & Security, in cooperation with ADEC’s Environmental Crimes Unit.”
The investigation was into possible violations of the Clean Water Act, according to the EPA. The officers were part of the Alaska Environmental Crimes Task Force and visited the outpost near the Canadian border during the third week of August to investigate water discharges into rivers, streams, lakes and oceans.
Oh, my! Possible violations of the Clean Water Act. Well, no wonder they came in full body armor and armed to the teeth. Pffffffffffffffft!
Your humble observer of the asylum we all have to live in, is a Metallurgical Engineer by education. My entire career was spent in the mining industry. I have dealt with inspectors from state and federal EPA since their inception in the 1970’s. Yes, they would often show up a the mine site unannounced. In every case, they showed up as a force of one unarmed inspector. I never once felt they were trying to intimidate me or my staff. They had a job to do and I understood that. Our dealings were always cordial and professional. But times have change and not for the better, I fear.
EPA law enforcement officers, according to the statement, are not only authorized but required to carry firearms to safely and effectively perform their jobs.
“This may include the arrest of offenders and the protection of public safety,” the statement continued. “Environmental law enforcement, like other forms of law enforcement, always involves the potential for physical, even armed, confrontation.”
Really? That wasn’t the case for forty years. What has changed? G.W. Bush and his unpatriotic Patriot Act is what has changed. Day by day America is inching closer to becoming a police state. If Americans don’t express their outrage in the voting booths, it is only going to get worse.
Well, that’s what I’m thinking. What are your thoughts?
Asylum Watch 
Environmental law enforcement? Environmental crimes? Time to put tin foil over my head so the government can’t charge me with thought crimes.
Oh, it won’t be long before they will be hunting us down for what we are thinking.
We had the same experience as you in our family business. We had many inspections, unannounced, and for the most part respectful. But never intimidating. We hear more and more of these stories. We can only hope obummer goes one bridge to far and we can impeach him. Of course then we have clueless Biden.
I could live with clueless Biden for couple of years.
when in the course of human affairs…time for a revolution.
It’s past time, Norma. Are there enough Americans left?
It was less than 30 percent of the population the first time arounf.
Reblogged this on Carpenter's Cabin.
Thank you, Steve.