I left Ann Arbor yesterday and tonight I am in Laramie, Wyoming. Considering my past record-setting drives across the country, that’s moving pretty damn slowly. I got pulled over in Omaha for absolutely nothing except the crime of not wanting to be pulled over (which means I stayed at that stupid town’s 60 mph limit, which seemed to actually draw the attention of the corrupt local cops). The guy (an obvious drug cop in an SUV canine unit) followed me for some time and made me nervous as hell before finally turning on the lights, and as my biggest fear was that he would shoot my dog for defending the car (precisely why I am so paranoid about being pulled over), I begged him over the barking to let me get out of the car, which fortunately he did. (Maybe he understands a little bit about dogs!) He made me sit in the front seat of the police car and asked me endless questions (as if he was trying to figure me out), and during the ritual he would repeat the same questions (obviously to determine whether I would change my story). Finally he gave me a warning (to stay in my lane, even though I had not left it). It was an incredibly creepy experience, and I am glad the dog didn’t get shot, because he was defending the car by lunging at the glass. Defending me, that poor noble creature. A wonderful dog, if unsuited for the modern age. He would die for me without hesitation, and that is an enormous responsibility for me.
Insisting on my “rights” could have pissed off the cop and meant the death of my dog. In quotes because the War On Drugs is nothing but a War On the Fourth Amendment, with courts, liberals, conservatives, and media in full accord. Police can basically do whatever they want with impunity. (Bastards. I like to rant, but obviously my ranting is ineffectual*.)
Anyway a couple of tunes stood out along the drive.
And this unreleased gem:
Home is where I wanna be right now!
I’m getting too old for long road trips.
* I hate experiencing the police state firsthand. Figures it would be in an urban area, where “white privilege” is not only waning, but is increasingly fueling a perverse sort of quota.
Comments
7 responses to “On the road in Laramie”
“Insisting on my “rights” could have pissed off the cop and meant the death of my dog.”
Or you. I frequently drive to the Chicago area from Denver, with CO plates on my car. I’ve been reading irritating stories about gung-ho “peace officers” pulling over CO plated cars just because my state legalized marijuana. I haven’t been pulled over yet, but frankly when you’re in the middle of BF Nebraska or Iowa or Illinois, what are your sane options? Men with guns and attitude vs. me…there’s no contest. They win, I lose, and hopefully it’s just my 4th Am. rights I lose.
I can’t help but think that cops are afraid of legalized pot from a job security standpoint. Fewer drug laws = fewer cops, and they’re out to punish citizens from states that have the temerity to reduce demand for their services.
“Figures it would be in an urban area…”
I will happily drive a hundred miles out of my way to avoid interstates or cities of any size.
As for Chicago, I even go so far as to drive around the entire state of Illinois if at all possible.
CR,
I doubt the cops are thinking so strategically. They probably just figure that maybe drivers with a CO plate will have forgotten to leave the stash at home, and they’ll get to impound the car.
It’s about the cash. It’s the same kind of carp that gun owners have had to put up with for ages.
Why would that cop have concluded that a white guy who appeared to be around 60 years old was a potential big time criminal? Until I get some explanation about what set him off, I would conclude that some cops must not be very bright.
Gringo, Eric’s dog is a large Pit Bull Terrier. The cop profiled. They do it around here regularly, even stopping and harassing people walking their dogs.
I seriously doubt the officer could have observed my dog while I was driving.
But I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to imagine police department directives telling officers to strive for racial “balance” in traffic pullovers. I am a good statistic.
http://www.aclunebraska.org/index.php/police-conduct/183-johnson-family-sues-omaha-police-alleging-excessive-force
“The ACLU reports that they have received multiple complaints in recent years alleging police misconduct and racially biased practices from officers in Omaha.”
If it wasn’t for the damned drug war, it would not be happening. Pulling over a bunch of older white males (to counterbalance the young black males) is pretty good bureaucratic cover, if you think about it…
After all, the TSA specializes in similar tactics. To demonstrate they are “fair” of course.
Eric,
I have family in Omaha and the family has significant connections. We would have done everything possible to help you had it gone farther than it did.