As long as the "red flag" for the government isn't our names, religions, ethnic backtgrounds, color, or race, I understand the need to follow up on potentially dangerous patterns of behavior and to assure that all is well.

There is a delicate balance between liberty and security, but if we don't have our liberty, soon we will no longer have any real security either.  Places without liberty end up fearing their own government more than anything else.

Most of the police I know, including FBI agents, are honest people trying to protect and serve.  But because they are honest, and believe in the Constitution and Liberty, they will also understand that we need to keep them honest by assuring that the laws are applied to everyone fairly and without any discrimination based on irrelevant factors.

That is the real America, and the reason so many of us came here: Liberty and Justice for all.  But we need to keep that a reality, and not just a line in the Pledge.

Peace be with you and your family Bass.

And best wishes to all.

John

I'm fighting with whether to just leave it at what I've said or to say a little more.

I'd add that "liberty" has not been denied anyone (yet), that up till now it could be argued this has been either a) an inconvenience or b) an opportunity to educate and change others ... the latter of which is an incredible opportunity for any of us to have (I know, sounds naive of me, right?). 

I hope that change was affected in the hearts and minds of the duo that showed up, and from the little that I know about Bass, I believe that could be the case.  John, you know me well enough to know I say this as a person whose people were persecuted mercilessly just a short few decades ago by a rampant nationalistic mentality.  I don't take the concept of the event lightly.  

I feel it's very important not to cloud the "observance of activity" with the "religions, [ethnicity], color, or race of those who were observed".  I have no doubt in my mind when people see something as beautiful as Bass' full name that some would to think twice about what he's up to - especially based on recent events of the milennia .... but in my heart I hope he would not be persecuted because of this.  I feel like I have to have faith, as an American, that we understand that prejudice is an unproductive blinder, and we wouldn't let names and appearances cloud our judgement of a situation.

Thank you guys for your support.
After all we are all part of the FBI, the Fig Breeders Investigation

Good one Bass :) . Could be Fig Breeders Initiative too. We may be onto something here.

As long as no one calls us Fig Breeding Idiots :-) !

Awww--What do we care what "They" call us.  We love figs and that's all we need to know.

Wouldn't it be funny if the FBI found a bunch of us saying we're the FBI and came around checking us out to see if they can nail us for impersonating the FBI?  Then again, maybe it wouldn't....  But, it might be interesting...  :)

noss

Profiling and ethnic/racial profiling is still very very big in U.S. They may have different words for it to try to make seem like it isn't so, it is! I have lived with it, We still get it from people, in my case it is many  times derrogitory ( gangsters/mafia ect ect) My husband and I are actually fighting through our lawyers on a discrimination case made to him because he is Italian/Catholic, where his fellow employers caused him his job because they didn't want a "dago" working with them, husband defended himself and they punished him, and now we are taking it to the courts. Where you live is a big one for that as this town (not the whole area) is not as accepting of any differences amongst people at all, the tolerance is very low. It was said locally by citizens that if a Mosque was built in this city, they would burn it down! what craziness is that!!! America is a wonderful country, I will always defend it here! but we are not as advanced as many other countries when it comes to many many issues. I feel so sad when an African/American walks through the streets and the words that still come out of peoples mouths, its discraceful! insulting them. It has caused us here to just really only rely on our own community to stay together to protect ourselves and not try as hard as we can to intrude in the majority, it could cause troubles on us, but we will defend each other if it comes down to it. I am glad the country is checking into things to protect us. I am very glad about that, but so much more is going on that is left untouched! Denial gets people nowhere, we can sugar coat and give it different words, but come down, it is the same thing, Issues need to be faced and solved! God Bless U.S.A. and that it is looking into things, I hope one day it will be safe to fly again and when running a nursery and ordering or purchasing fertilizer doesn't cause them to knock on the door. This is the times, but I still want to love and care for people and I don't want it to stop me from being that way. I am fortunate to have met so many wonderful people in U.S.A. from all different backgrounds, they would be welcome at my table anytime, that is one thing about America, everyone is here! its not like the old country where we were pretty much the same, which was great, we all understood each other, but getting to know so many fine people is a nice feeling even if they don't look like me, speak like me or cook like me.  

Maggie, I'm surely not Italian, but I would love to cook with you, sit down and chat with you, or have you over at my house for dinner and a wonderful bottle of valpolicella some day ;)

It's one thing I was forced to learn in a military family:  How can you judge the one next to you because of color, accent or belief if you know you're fighting on the same team?  My dad would have kicked the s*%#! out of me if I showed any sign of prejudice against others as a young man.

I think many of us fig lovers are of like mind, regardless what we look like, sound like or believe in.  I suppose it is omptimistic of me to see that and not give so much value to the bad things we all know exist out there, but .....

Oh how nice Jason! I am sorry to hear you are not Italian, you can't win them all!!!! Lol, that was a joke. I would surely do the same for you, you don't have to be italian to sit at my table, so many love to come to my home because I welcome people and make my home their home, one day I will meet you and many others I am sure. have that drink ready for me thats for sure! Thanks so much you made me feel very good. Any figs friends I have here, even those I may have butt heads with, I am sure if we sat down and set our anger aside, we could become very good friends and they will see I am a very deep hearted person as sure they are too, let by gone be by gone. YOur father sounds like a wonderful man!
I just feel bad for Bass' predicament as I understand this situation very very well and only wish best for him and his family, what bothered my relatives so much was how it impacted us younger children at that time to witness such things as we were young and just wanted to be loved and play with each other as kids do. I don't know of his children if any, but hope they didn't get scared for their father. It hurts younger children. Ciao!