Jack wrote this in February, 2006:
Good afternoon blogsters:
One of the ways I keep up on world events and amuse myself when I’m alone in an eating establishment without a book involves eavesdropping. I gaze at the food, a picture on the wall, something outdoors through the plate glass, and I listen to conversations at the nearby tables.
It’s curiosity, as much as anything else. And mostly I lose interest quickly because so often the talk is about some sports event, concert, or a television show. But sometimes it’s pay dirt.
Today I was doing the listening routine to the goings on among several BDU clad people of both sexes, all toting large-bore automatic pistols in holsters hanging from their waists.
Turned out these folks were part of a conference between Federal and State Homeland Security forces (whatever that might be). I’d never seen that particular uniform combination, nor the patches and medallions, so I listened as closely as I dared without drawing attention to myself.
The eating establishment is on San Felipe Tribal Lands. Maybe that’s why the conversation drifted in that direction.
Fed: “Do you have any issues dealing with any of the tribes.”
NM State: “You wouldn’t believe it. Everything’s an issue.”
And so on in detail involving a lot of ‘issues’ a person born in 1943 (me), would never have believed could ever be discussed by government employees as though they should be part of any reality here. The attitude was clearly that the tribes were being irresponsible in reluctance and obstruction of the aims of Homeland Security.
The topic broadened in a while.
NM State: “I think a lot of people just don’t understand what we’re doing. They don’t realize how dangerous things are for them.”
Fed: “That’s a problem all over the country. I was in Phoenix a few weeks ago . . ., etc”
That NM Homeland Security lady all dressed up with a gun and nowhere to go was wrong.
I believe most people understand perfectly well what they’re doing and have an inkling of why they’re doing it. It isn’t a lack of understanding that makes me smile and cheer inside, knowing the tribes, at least, are dragging their feet.
I think people are beginning to ‘realize how dangerous things are for them’, to the extent that dangers actually exist in this hostile reality we’ve chosen for ourselves. But at least a part of the ‘danger’ people feel involves a new kind of policeman who thinks the US Constitution is obstructionist.
They just don’t know yet what needs to be done about it.
Jack
So Far From Heaven 