"Are you all US citizens?"
"Where are you going?
and after I said Alpine he asked:
"To get groceries?"
I said yes and we were allowed to go on.
However, We noticed a bunch of new stuff on the other side of 118 evidently there to monitor south bound traffic? On the way back I got my camera out to take photos of all the equipment, but my camera potted out so that took care of that. Best I can do is the drawing below that shows something like we saw as well as my memory serves me.
There were a series of high intensity halogen lights and a number of weird looking stuff on poles facing south east. Some actually resembled cameras and some didn't. I don't remember how many there were, but there were several. Behind all of that it had to be a control and power station in a trailer. Lights were flashing on the back of the trailer.
Perhaps a radiation detector was used to see if any weapons of mass destruction were headed south to blow up Mexico?
Perhaps infrared cameras to detect illegal aliens in trunks being smuggled back south across the border to Mexico?
Perhaps none of the above and they were used for something totally different reason? (Possibly more sinister uses?)
Anyway... The trip was enjoyable, but I ran in to trouble with a Radio Shack employ when I went in there looking for one of the new Magic Jacks that can be plugged in to the WiFi modem and don't have to be hooked up to a computer. I asked the woman if they had them and she flat out told me NO. I asked her if they had any of the NetTalk Duos and she said she didn't even know what that was.
Now when we get back down here Dave asked me what I thought about the new Magic Jacks and he had been in the same store after I was there had found them. He thought I didn't buy one because of the price so didn't even mention finding them before we got back down here.
All I can say about all of this is they need to get rid of that employ and get someone that knows what they have in that store!
Maybe that employ thot u shouldn't have got thru that check point,,,lol. Now, what does that Magic Jack do when u plug it into a modem? I'm lost. Just curious.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it's weird David - very weird! Bunch of stuff not making much sense.
ReplyDeleteSince I live in Colorado, and am not near a border, does this check point always exist? Are there more? Didn't realize things were that bad down south.
ReplyDeleteTnT, A Magic Jack is a USB device you can plug in to one of the USB ports on your computer. When the computer is running a MS Windows based operating system and connected to DSL (The internet) then you can connect a phone to the Magic Jack and use it as a normal phone. (Long Distance is free though) er... actually costs $19.?? a year for unlimited LD.
ReplyDeleteProblem with the old Magic Jacks is that the computer has to be on to use the phone. With the new ones they plug in to your DSL modem and the phone can be used even if the computer is turned off. More or less making it a full time phone with free long distance.
Another problem with the old ones is that they only work on MS windows based computers and mine runs under Linux so the only way I can use the MJ is to boot up under windows.
The new ones cure both problems.
Dani, would be nice to know what all of that stuff really does???
repsychallblues, Yes there are check points all along the Mexican border on highways going to and from Mexico.. I think the same goes on the Canadian border?
ReplyDeleteThings are not near as bad as the government is letting on. In my opinion its more to keep US citizens in than keep the bad guys out.
Here is still an even more dangerous law that is likely to go in to effect before long. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/12/senate-military-detention/
That would allow the military to lockup US citizens some politician decides is a terrorist whether they are or not. No trial needed the military can just lock up the citizen and keep them locked up as long as they like. This is clearly against the constitution of the United States.
I'm having second thoughts about buying land in that area. I can see myself getting into one big shootout with those criminals with the DHS for violating my rights.
ReplyDeleteYou do not have to talk to those federal agents or answer their questions. They are violating your forth amendment rights and your right to travel. That is a public roadway and they are impeding traffic. File complaints with the Sheriff's department.
You need to organize a bunch of residents and drive through the check point with horns blasting. Turn around and do it for an hour or so once a week. Also when traffic is heavy have "breakdowns" of your cars to block traffic. Harass the harassers.
2 Dogs, I think we've been down this road before so I'll let you try that if and when you move down here.
ReplyDeleteTffnguy
ReplyDeleteAll that electronic garbage the BP has is to measure how tall you are. Mexico is looking for more Mexican Midget Wrestlers. Its really hard to find decent fighting Midgets, so the Mexican Goverment set up a recruiting program over here with the BP.
If your recruited you can free beer and travel all around in Mexico. I hear the women over there dig midget men too.
No Comment'O
ReplyDeleteTell the 2 dogs guy that when you live within so many miles of the U.S. border you don't have any rights, and there's nothing you can do about it.
ReplyDeleteThat radar stuff is there to sterilize the southbound Mexicans.
Those cameras take a picture of your license plates. When you cross the border into Mexico they snap a picture of your plates at the toll booth.
ReplyDeleteWhen you come back into the US they snap a picture of your plates again right before you get to an agent thus can tell how long you have been in Mexico. I know because I have been asked by agents before:
What was the purpose of your trip to Mexico?
How long were you there? When I answered he said "that checks out".
They also share this information with other agencies as well as with insurance companies.
ReplyDeleteSome guy from out of town drove to Acuna and his dad followed him in his own vehicle. When he returned to wherever he was from he filed an insurance claim saying his truck was stolen in Mexico.
They used the records from these cameras and the time line from the cameras did not jibe with what he declared in his report nor did he mention his father was also in Mexico at the same time. They were both charged with insurance fraud.
He didn't go to Mexico, Turdlingua is actually south of the border patrol checkpoint, so every time you go to Alpine you have to go thru it.
ReplyDeleteBudkid you do have rights and will continue to have them as long as you are willing to defend those rights.
ReplyDeleteIf they are allowed they will take any and all of our rights.
They can search it and or strip it if you allow it to happen. Your car/truck has the same Texas laws protecting you and your property as your home in Texas. The Texas Castle Law gives you the right to defend your property with force from a criminal act and what they are doing is criminal.
ReplyDeleteYou need to organize, take cameras and tape their criminal activity. Refuse anything that violates your rights. Find some news sources friendly to your cause.
The DHS/BP have been sued and they have lost in Arizona.
Budweiserkid - I know he did not go into Mexico, I am very familiar with Terlingua. Only mentioned what they use the cameras for in the border crossings as an example of what they could be used for in the BP checkpoint inside the US.
ReplyDeleteGoing to San Antonio on highway 90-E we have a BP checkpoint and last September I noticed that they had also installed these cameras that you mention to monitor vehicular traffic going south.
Only thing that came to mind is that they are comparing license plate records to see how long each vehicle was away and/or how many times they crossed the BP checkpoint. Guess Big Brother is watching us....
2 Dogs - you just do not understand what it is like to live along the border. Read the links Tffnguy has posted. Border Patrol can do anything they like. If I tried what you suggested I would be in jail so fast it makes my head spin.
ReplyDeleteI still find it interesting that they asked you where you were going, and "...to get groceries?". We go through this border check point every time we go to Terlingua, and all they've ever asked is "Is everyone in there a U.S. citizen?" They're not really supposed to ask you where you are going, or what for. As a U.S. citizen, you have a right to go about your business with no questions or interference by the police. I would do some polite inquiries via my us congress person or senator. They might be able to get to the bottom of it quicker. Sitting in the line at the border check point is definitely NOT the place to question any thing they do. They have the authority to detain anyone for any reason they see fit. Making polite inquiries from behind bars doesn't have quite the same effect as a concerned citizen making polite inquiries from the safety and comfort of their own home.
ReplyDeleteThey ask questions to see how you respond. They really don't care about the info you give them, other than "are you a U.S. citizen"...they are watching how you respond to questions, body language, etc. They could care less where you are going or if you are shopping for groceries.
ReplyDeleteThey are looking for people who are nervous, who look suspicious, or are trying to hide something...i.e. drugs, illegals, etc.
For crying out loud....we just answer their questions and move on. Like David said, people who live on the border have to get along with these people. Personally, I'm not going to waste my time trying to prove my constitutional rights, if I can get thru the border check by being respectful and moving on...
My daddy always said that you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar...
Terry
I won't argue the point of whether they can do this or that. I'll leave that up to people who think they can prevent them from doing it. Anymore if I make it through by answering a couple of questions then I think I had a good trip.
ReplyDeleteProblem is that once they decide to harass you by searching the vehicle and your person then you are a little apprehensive when you go through other times (Which could cause a problem of them misreading your apprehension)
Also you have to understand that they are no longer just border patrol officers they are also home land security agents which gives them considerably more power and some let it go to their heads.
Next time eat a can of brazil nuts and a bunch of bananas before you go up the road. That will load your body down with enough trace radioactivity to set off a geiger counter.
ReplyDeleteIf they yank you out of your vehicle - you will know they are really looking for.
Correction: 'what they are really looking for.'
ReplyDeleteI always tried to crack a joke with them, you know they get bored. If they get to know you they're not that hard to deal with.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarification, Terry. I agree with what you say.
ReplyDeleteMatt, I'm not real fond of bananas so I'll pass on that.
ReplyDeleteBkid, I've done that a time or two myself, but seems like things have changed and they seem to have different people there all the time now.
Allen, anymore what they can or are not supposed to ask doesn't mean much. They do ask and do get away with it. It isn't worth the hassle not to answer their questions.