We often forget that the power wielded by government exists only because there are those willing to carry out its orders. The “Government” is not an Artificial Intelligence that exists in a science fiction movie. Rather it comprises real people who have the choice to either follow or refuse an order. In wake of the 1832 Supreme Court case, Worcester v. Georgia, presided over by Chief Justice John Marshall, President Andrew Jackson is famously rumored to have stated, “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it.” Knowing the Supreme Court had no army, police or agents to enforce their decisions, the implication was clear.

A law passed by Congress, signed by the President, and upheld by the courts will never be carried out or enforced unless there are men with badges and with guns willing to comply. It is important we remember this when we reflect on laws that are passed, directives that are issued and agencies that infringe on our civil liberties. Just one such example of such an agency is the Transportation Security Administration or TSA.

Campaign for Liberty regularly holds conferences and events to energize our members and educate those new to the ideals of liberty. From the sale of tickets, books, t-shirts, and generous donations, a weekend of excitement often finds Campaign for Liberty with money to transport back to headquarters. In my responsibilities as Director of Development I often find myself tasked with carrying this money. On one occasion, things got interesting.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 6:15 pm and is filed under Essays, Events, Field Reports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.