Decline of freedom...What are you experiencing

[Flyin6]

This overreaching government and propaganda media machine is really growing in the shadow of this Biden freedom killer.

I decided to start a thread where we can share our actual experiences with personal losses of individual freedoms.

Here's mine:

Although I bank primarily with USAA, I have other accounts, one of which is with US Bank. I have a business account there called "Real Man Truck Works and Survival." I use that to pay for all things related to this web site and to gift people during our Christmas and other giveaways.

So I started getting emails from US bank, saying they needed to talk to me about my account. I did not answer, and the phone calls soon followed. I accepted one and while driving started talking to a matter-of-fact young man in the regulatory compliance department.

He explained that I had a business account which was several years old, and was not subject to some recent regulation that had been issued by the feds. He framed this up as a friendly get "get to know our customer" program. He explained that new customers are required to answer a bevy of questions concerning their spending habits and some of their beliefs about various subjects.

Of course I cut him off explaining that the only thing US bank needs to know about me is my name, address, and social security number, and anything else I wish to share to assist with transactions. Well, that just wasn't good enough for him. He insisted that my spending habits were fair game, in his words, "Just to ensure none of my money was being used for bad things." I told him if I wanted to finance a fireworks factory or a tractor engine plant, none of that was any business of his. He did not appreciate the humor. I ended the conversation telling him, he has everything he needs to conduct business, and I will not/never share anything about my life that I do not choose to. He indicated that my answer was not one of those which would be found to be acceptable.

The next day I get another call. This time from the manager of a local US Bank. She tried to explain their new program, but I cut her off. I told her I am not a supporter of communism and neither should she be. I explained my feelings on the matter and she incessantly apologized but pressed. I mentioned that we were done with this conversation and the subject. Then she suggested that I just close my accounts.

My response: I will not close any of my open and functioning accounts. I will wait for you to do so. When you do, the letter you send me will be exhibit 1 of a file that I will personally present to Thomas Massie, my congressman. This is the stuff of encroaching communism and I said something about five combat tours and 30 years of service and some other things like that. She told me that she did not believe in what she was being asked to do.

Just to be clear I stated that the US Government is asking you to spy on one of your customers. I asked her, who exactly gets to decide if how I am spending my money is OK? What if, pray-tell, I donate some of it to a coming Trump presidential run. Does that adjudicator then get to judge me as some radical, possible veteran terrorist trouble maker?? I reprimanded her and stated that when my country called I went to bad places and did hard things. Now that your constitution is crying out from being smothered to death, where are you?? I said, "You are either part of the problem or part of the solution. Do not call me again.

This is all very concerning...

[KensAuto]

Wow.

[Atkinsmatt]

Stay on it. They are reaching.  Surprised they didn't ask if you had been vaccinated.

I went to a meeting yesterday in a corps of engineers office, you know, federal property, and most of the workers weren't wearing masks. When I asked if they were required I was told not if you have been vaccinated followed by the question. I just left my mask on as its none of their business.  It is coming.

[stlaser]

Wow, ‘merica........

[cj7ox]

Stay on it. They are reaching.  Surprised they didn't ask if you had been vaccinated.

I went to a meeting yesterday in a corps of engineers office, you know, federal property, and most of the workers weren't wearing masks. When I asked if they were required I was told not if you have been vaccinated followed by the question. I just left my mask on as its none of their business.  It is coming.

I'm not surprised by this. Current policy at most army facilities is that mask wear is not required in a room where all those present are 2 weeks past their second vaccination. According to that, though, when you refused to answer they should all have donned their masks.

[cj7ox]

Big D, what you experienced is absolutely wrong. You should have asked them to provide a subpoena, or warrant, for that information. I bet that would have shut them up right quick.

[Flyin6]

Big D, what you experienced is absolutely wrong. You should have asked them to provide a subpoena, or warrant, for that information. I bet that would have shut them up right quick.

I haven't fully decided exactly how to pursue this. First, damage or harm needs to take place, playing it out as if it were going to be a law suit.
I have spoken with Congressman Massie, a constitutional libertarian if you will. We see eye to eye. He knows which battle to fight and this may or may not be a big enough fish, so there's that
Second, I can sue if I am damaged. The weight in that argument will lie in proving I was in some way harmed by their actions, should they decide to drop my account. May be a magna-Carta moment. Trying to apply recently passed law to a situation from the past...no workie since, what, the 12th century?
Then there is the court of public opinion, but my platform is not large enough to get the word out where it may start to impact the bank and therefore apply some pressure.
All I know at the time is that this federal directive of recent vintage is 1. Unjust, 2. unconstitutional, and 3. I will not comply.
So we are just in the beginning stages of what may be much-to-do-about-nothing.

I will report if this continues.

[Nate]

just wait till usaa does it, they already tried that with me once.

[cj7ox]

Don, what I'm saying is that, according to my limited knowledge of the law, you cannot be forced to divulge that information without having a court order. And there has to be reasonable cause for that.

[stlaser]

This is side picking time, my suggestion don’t comply if you’re not on their side and stay quiet. You aren’t going to fix a broken system

[Flyin6]

Don, what I'm saying is that, according to my limited knowledge of the law, you cannot be forced to divulge that information without having a court order. And there has to be reasonable cause for that.

I know what you are saying, got it
But
What happens when the adjudicators of the law find different interpretations or come to believe the law is flexible, or...Wrong?
That is what is really going on.
The law doesn't matter if it is not upheld as written
And then, where would we be, exactly?

[Flyin6]

Looking at everything that is going on in our country, I think we are about to arrive at the frontier of freedom once again.
Question is: What are you going to do when you arrive?

[TexasRedNeck]

Looking at everything that is going on in our country, I think we are about to arrive at the frontier of freedom once again.
Question is: What are you going to do when you arrive?

I’m going to airmail it from a long way off......for effect.  Or as a tanker buddy of mine once said.  Sending rounds down range with hate and discontent.


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[RoadRamblerNJ]

They're coming from all sides now.
Not long ago, I had a post Covid19 follow-up visit with my doctor. After asking questions re: my health, living situation, thoughts about what is happening in the country, and, wait for it...do I own a gun?
I said pardon me, you want to know if I own a gun?  Why?  What could that have to do with my health?  He said there are new questions he has to ask since Covid19 began.  I said questions from where?  No answer.  I said doc, I like you but it's none of your business or concern if I do or don't so just mark that one UNK! 
It's coming folks.  They have been chipping away at our freedom and telling us what we have to accept for years.  Got a lot worse recently.  It's in our schools from kindergarten on up.  Stand fast, don't bend and don't fall for the friendly trick questions from your family doctor.  You have rights to your privacy, for a while longer.


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[Flyin6]

They're coming from all sides now.
Not long ago, I had a post Covid19 follow-up visit with my doctor. After asking questions re: my health, living situation, thoughts about what is happening in the country, and, wait for it...do I own a gun?
I said pardon me, you want to know if I own a gun?  Why?  What could that have to do with my health?  He said there are new questions he has to ask since Covid19 began.  I said questions from where?  No answer.  I said doc, I like you but it's none of your business or concern if I do or don't so just mark that one UNK! 
It's coming folks.  They have been chipping away at our freedom and telling us what we have to accept for years.  Got a lot worse recently.  It's in our schools from kindergarten on up.  Stand fast, don't bend and don't fall for the friendly trick questions from your family doctor.  You have rights to your privacy, for a while longer.


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^^^ I Won't!