There’s justifiable pride in being an American citizen: America is an extraordinary place, a free, beautiful republic. There are countless reasons to be proud of being a citizen, so many reasons to love the American way of life.
Unfortunately, the encroachment of government regulations is so considerable that federal officials often assert authority that they do not have under the law. In doing so, they undermine the liberties and right to which all American citizens are entitled as citizens.
Reason has an example of this erosion in a post entitled, ‘I’m Not Going to Be Interrogated As a Pre-Condition of Re-Entering My Own Country’.
American citizen Paul Lukacs tried to return to America, from China, and was met with this question, from a passport control officer: “Why were you in China?” Lukacs told her that it was none of her business, and then said, “I’m not going to be interrogated as a pre-condition of re-entering my own country.”
Lukacs was right, of course, and after being detained for about half an hour he federal officials allowed him to go on his way. He should have been allowed — under the law — to go on his way without detention. The men and women paid as passport control officers, should not be a law unto themselves, simply declaring what they law is, and doing so while ignorant of actual law.
More and more photographers find themselves challenged, too, and told that they cannot take pictures in public places, must turn over their cameras, or find that government agencies are encouraging citizens to report lawful photography as though it were a crime.
Citizens don’t deserve diminished citizenship, and so these infringements on the rights and liberties of citizenship should be challenged. It’s often difficult and time-consuming, but a task worth undertaking.