ClickItStickIt1

"Click it or Ticket," this flippant catch phrase grates on me like bureaucratic fingernails on a government
chalkboard. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has increased its radio and
TV ads with a sad attempt to use humor to soften the blow of a giant liberty-grab known as seatbelt laws. They
admonish drivers that if they don't buckle up Mommy government will take away their allowance.
I literally throw things (soft things so far) at my television set and change the station on the radio when the tax-
funded maternal scolding assaults my ears: "That's a good son, have a cookie," comes the syrupy voice in one
of the ads.
Based on the above, you might guess that my political niche is that of a Libertarian, a staunch conservative, or
an anti-government activist. You"d be close, but more accurately: I'm a, small-(l) libertarian who lists
conservative and is fervently anti-big government. But there is one other thing I am, I'm a police officer. You
know; the guy they intend to use as the collectivists continue to usurp your rights as once free Americans.
Many of my colleagues warn me about speaking out against the current left-wing public policies that have
infected too many political entities across our great nation. A fan of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, I have no
desire to participate in any socialist experiment and inevitable collapse. I have no interest in attaining any of the
lofty positions to which I could aspire within my profession under current conditions. So I'll speak my mind in the
relative security of the bottom rung of the ladder as a veteran street cop.
One caveat is in order: In law enforcement, as opposed to other, especially private sector enterprises, the
"entry level" position of sworn police officer actually defines the profession. One can be quite proud of
remaining a police officer for one's entire career if one so chooses to remain a real cop doing real street-level
police work. After all, it is the street cop who dashes to your aid when you make that 911 call, not the over-
worked detective, and certainly not the make-work laden, desk-bound ladder-climber.
What is sad to me is that so many in law enforcement, particularly in the higher ranks, succumb to the politics of
the left when compelled to conform in order to advance their careers. A once clear-thinking, independent-
minded, liberty-oriented patrol officer too often becomes the liberal politician's administrative sock puppet. The
large agency law enforcement administrator who resists political influence and manipulation and maintains his or
her commitment to limited and constitutionally valid law enforcement is a rare soul indeed.
While I may not agree with officers who choose to use their discretion to pro-actively target offenders of such
manufactured socialistic mandates as seatbelt and helmet laws, I don't actively discourage them from enforcing
these laws either. I will not publicly criticize another officer for enforcing a law, even if it is socialist in nature,
which the general public chooses to tolerate. It is up to liberty-loving people, cops and other citizens alike, to
become activists, fight these laws, and toss them into the trash heap of history along with other evil devices of
socialist construction.
People have to realize that even if a particular law doesn't bother them because they'd choose to wear a helmet
or seatbelt regardless of the mandate, it is the premise upon which the law is based that is far more dangerous.
A premise, by which there is virtually no personal behavior that could not be required, restricted, manipulated, or
prohibited by government in the interest of protecting some leftist-fabricated public burden.
A foundation of socialistic institutions is necessary in order to provide leftist activists and politicians with a, (for
lack of a better term) legitimate argument for abridging your rights. The choices one makes regarding
protecting ones own body, regardless of my opinion as to its prudence, is rightly none of my business in a truly
free society. To paraphrase a First Amendment dictum: I may not agree with your stupidity, but I'll defend your
right to be stupid.
The primary socialistic foundation manufactured by social engineers is the social welfare system, specifically
health care. If you engage in an activity that I deem dangerous, unless I'm your Mom, my opinion on your risk
is irrelevant, or should be, unless I am paying for the consequences should you get hurt.
It's ingenious how the leftists get away with this. They create a system whereby the productive, initially a
majority, are responsible for the medical care of the unproductive, a minority, (out of ostensibly altruistic
motivation) and then they abridge the rights of everyone in the name of looking out for taxpayers. Without a
large social welfare system the left has no other argument except to make a direct attack on individual liberty.
I bristle when I see or hear police administrators, or more unfortunately, police officers embrace socialistic
laws: For your own good. It's been my experience that most street cops would never describe themselves as
socialist or even politically liberal. In fact, in conversation most of the patrol officers, sheriff's deputies, and
state troopers I know express a decidedly conservative or even libertarian bent on most political issues.
On the face of it most officers probably feel that they are enforcing these laws in order to save lives. I'll
concede that some socialistic mandates probably do in fact save lives and reduce injuries (particularly in the
case of seat belts). However, in a free society we must have a different standard in law enforcement. Patrick
Henry aptly provided himself as an example during the founding of this great American experiment in self-
government: It is liberty that Americans prefers to death, not personal safety mandates from the government.
Legitimate law enforcement exists to protect Peter from Paul, not to protect Peter from decisions with regard to
how Peter will protect his own body while engaged in a legal activity. For my liberal friends: Pro-Choice,”if you
will.
More concisely put: We need to recognize when something is none of our business. I've written on this subject
many times. In one public response to my position as a cop against socialist laws a writer referred to my
courage as a police officer speaking out in such a way. Courage? Has it come to this? An American has to
have courage to speak out for liberty in America?

CLICK IT OR TICKET--STICK IT!
AmericanDaily.com June 2005

STEVE POMPER

AUTHOR

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