"I rejoice that America has resisted. Three millions of people, so dead to all the feelings of liberty, as voluntarily to submit to be slaves, would have been fit instruments to make slaves of the rest." - William Pitt the Elder, Speech to the House of Commons, 1741
I was going through some "old stuff" [aka memories] in some old boxes and discovered a document that I want to share with you, my reader. It was technically known as a "Movement Order," but it was commonly called a "Flag Order" by all of us serving in West Berlin because of the prominent American Flag. (Posted at the bottom of the page)
"West Berlin" ... that name sounds like such an alien term more than 20 years after the fall of Communist East Germany. Indeed there is a generation that is entering adulthood that probably knows little if anything about the Cold War much less the importance of the Allied Occupation of Berlin. Under the "Quadripartite Agreements" following World War II, Berlin was divided into Four Sectors: The American, British, French and the Soviet. Situated 110 Miles inside of East Germany [referred to then as the "German Democratic Republic," in "diplomatic-speak"]. The Three Allied [free] Sectors of [West] Berlin became known as "The Outpost of Freedom" in the Cold War.
It was in West Berlin that President Harry Truman took a stand against Stalin's Plans for Soviet Expansionism in 1948. The Soviets decided that Allied Sectors of Berlin were a thorn in the side of his Sovietization of East Germany. Free Berlin allowed refugees to stream into the city and eventual movement to free countries in Europe and the Americas. Free Berlin allowed the US, Britain and France to monitor and listen to, and photograph Soviet activities, movements and their transformation and militarization of East Berlin into the capital city of their puppet regime in East Germany. So it was there that the Soviets tried to force the Western Allies out of the city. The Soviets closed all access to Berlin, demanded that the Western Powers leave, and accept that Berlin was the "new" Soviet East German capital. The Western Allies' response was the "Berlin Airlift." Trying to force the Russian's hand on the ground corridors was considered but rejected. Importantly, the Soviets had allowed for [overlooked] Air Corridors giving the Western Allies free access to Berlin.
The Americans and their Allies instead decided to resupply Berlin by airlifting vital supplies to the Allies as well as to the German People [now virtually trapped in their own city]. The Berlin Airlift kept Berlin alive from June 1948 until June 1949. Thousands of aircraft from America, Canada, Britain and France transported thousands of tons of food, fuel, personnel, and military supplies daily. This included food and fuel for the German citizenry. Stalin backed down after a year. But the Soviets focused on, and persisted in committing, every possible annoyance to the Western Allies and the German Citizenry. This eventually resulted in an infamous Wall ["die Mauer"] being built that divided the city complete with: Guard towers, armed Border Police, barbed wire, minefields [death zones] and three limited access points. These Checkpoints: Alpha and Bravo provided for ground corridor access to West Germany from Berlin to Helmstedt, West Germany. Checkpoint Charlie controlled access into East Berlin for the Western Allies.
Over the years, paperwork, complexity, and increased restrictions characterized the movement of Americans, Allies and Berlin Residents through the ground and air corridors to move from West Berlin to West Germany or elsewhere. Any American coming into or leaving out of Berlin through one of the Ground Corridors [excepting Checkpoint Charlie] had to have valid "Flag Orders," even if you were a family member and were not in the military forces. The American "Flag Order" was written in with English, French and Russian subtitles and required signature of the Commanding General and official stamps. If you took the official American, French, or German Trains as well as if you drove the American Corridor to Helmstedt, you were required to present your flag orders to a surly and curt Soviet Guard sitting behind in a booth with one-way glass and to the American MP Checkpoints. If you drove to West Germany, you were not allowed to stop. Your auto had to be in great condition and full of fuel. Breaking down in East Germany was cause for detention by East German Polizei, a mandatory and detailed debriefing at Checkpoint Alpha and Bravo, and possible disciplinary action by your Chain of Command ... especially if the breakdown was due to negligence. Also if you did not make it to the prescribed checkpoint within a prescribed period of time there was likewise serious trouble.
Having a Top Secret Clearance made travel far more cumbersome and complicated. It involved greater sensitivity to risks. Likewise, debriefings were mandatory and in more detail than for personnel with lesser clearances. For those with sensitive jobs, Berlin could become a kind of prison for the balance of a three year assignment. I used to joke that it was easier for me to get into East Berlin to do my job than it was to get to West Germany! It was certainly an infringement upon the kind of freedoms of movement and activity to which Americans are accustomed. When I returned from my tour as a Foreign Area Officer in July 1985, I kissed the tarmac at Kennedy Airport when we de-planed to take the bus to the Main Terminal. When I left Berlin for the last time in June 1985, I thought that the fall of Communism was coming, but probably ten to fifteen years away. I never thought that it would begin crumbling by 1989. I hoped at the time that I would never see such evil again. Yet, here we are, in 2012 a mere twenty-three years later, and our freedoms are imperiled once more.
This time the external enemy is just as evil. There is no Islamic Wall, no armed guards in guard towers separating him from us. There are no minefield death zones. The fear of a terror he brings causes many to cry, "Make us safe from terrorists!" Fair enough. A Government should protect its people. But now my friends, there grows an even more insidious enemy. It is the enemy of freedom. This enemy says, "If you will just bear with us and go through this inspection point, we will make things better." It is the enemy that says, "We are sorry to inconvenience you, but we must ask you to remove your shoes, your belt, and all metal and jewelry from your body and walk through this scanner." It is the enemy that says, "We are sorry to inform you that you cannot take that bottle of water with you beyond this point. Also, you may not carry any liquids, crèmes, or aerosols any larger tan "x" ounces on this aircraft." It is the enemy that says, "Sorry folks, you must walk through this body scanner to determine whether we must do a body cavity search or a pat-down if we spot abnormalities." It is an enemy from among us with an inadequate background check, who deliberately touches little old ladies and small children inappropriately. It is a TSA guard who is instructed to detain a very recognizable United States Senator from catching an official flight. This is because Senator Rand Paul asserts his 4th Amendment Right against an unreasonable search and a physical body pat-down. "Look Senator, I don't care if you are George Washington, You must submit to this search or you are not going anywhere." Does Homeland Security really have this power? ... by what and who's authority?
Americans! Do you really think you are free? More and more, your Freedom of Speech, Assembly and Worship is assaulted violated to protect some atheist, some religionist, some fascist or some other totalitarian entity who and your is threatened by you oppositional ideas or concepts. What about that? Are their ideas, that restrict your Rights allowable under our Bill of Rights? Who is threatening whom here? Your Freedom to Keep and Bear Arms is dangerously under siege. Operation Gun Walker: "Fast and Furious." is all about the illegal set-up of gun dealers so as to restrict or eliminate your right to buy, keep, and use a firearm. This unconstitutional Executive Branch operation is a grievous assault on your freedom Obama, Clinton and Holder. An unborn baby does not have the Right to be Born. What does this say to America's vital and essential founding ideals of Life, Liberty, and Property [Pursuit of Happiness]?" The States are under siege by an overgrown and power hungry Central Government that ignores the Tenth Amendment which was established so as to Protect Each State's Sovereignty, as one of Fifty Independent Republican Governments with in our Union. There is even discussion with in many circles about indefinite detention of citizens by the military, a de facto the suspension of habeus corpus. This contemplated use of the military forces by the President is also a direct violation of posse comitatus. It would be a despicable act of tyranny. Yet how many would say, "They are only doing what they have to do. It is for our own good and safety." Re-read the grievances against King George in the Declaration of Independence. Re-read "The Federalist" and "The Anti-Federalist, it's all in there.
Each day, month and year that go by seem to herald yet another small infringement upon our being and our freedoms. This is what Barack Obama's "Fundamental Transformation of America" is all about. It is an alien ideology. It is an insidious enemy of indoctrination: the full submersion in, and acquiescence to his oft repeated slogans about spreading the wealth [whose?], doing your duty for the community [who?], and paying your fair share [what?]. "I was only following orders your honor."
Well ... I guess I am at least fortunate enough to see what is coming. I hope you will think about it. We really do need to fight for our freedoms. You see, I know all about Flag Orders.
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." William Pitt the Younger, Speech to the House of Commons, 1783
