The year is 2007. We were awakened by the sound of breaking glass when they came in the night. We never anticipated that it would come to this; masked government agents attacking unarmed Citizens. Who would have expected that the EPA would become the agency with the largest aggressive force against American Citizens in the history of the United States? Why were they doing this to us? We were not the "enemy." We were not like Randy Weaver. We were not like David Koresch. We had heard of raids conducted on the so-called "clunker-militia" automobile owners, but we had been assured that it was all for the "common good." The EPA was protecting us. We were sure that we were not "those kind of people." We had heard that some resisters from the "bad" side of town had been shot and killed by the EPA, but we were told that the EPA officers were just defending themselves and protecting our environment.

The men with masks shouted at us to come out with our hands up. We watched as the EPA's National Zero Emissions Enforcement team (known as the NZEE's) were destroying our classic automobiles before our eyes. They were cheering each other on as they seemed to take great joy in the destruction. We were saddened as the battered hulks that were once our classic automobiles were pulled onto flatbed trucks. We were given a form that said that our classic automobiles were confiscated in accordance with the Mandatory Vehicle Retirement (MVR) program established in our state in compliance with the 2004 amendments to the so-called "Clean Air Act." The form stated that we were now in compliance.

When we had received our Mandatory Vehicle Retirement (MVR) notice from the State Department of Transportion, we didn't pay much attention to it. We had decided to keep our classic automobiles "off-road" as we had been assured by the proponents of the original Voluntary Vehicle Retirement (VVR) programs that they were not out to "crush" classic cars. We had thought that the Mandatory Vehicle Retirement program only applied to those who still wanted to drive their older cars on the road. We didn't know that during a secret Special Session of the legislature, the program was modified to include "ALL" older cars, whether or not they were driven on-road or off-road.

As we watched the NZEE's leave our property, taking with them our cherished classic automobiles, we remembered back to 1999 when our state government considered a so-called "voluntary" vehicle retirement program during another Special Session of the legislature. They told us that it was necessary for air quality. Little did we know that what we allowed to happen then would create these extreme "unintended consequences." A thought came over us that if we had stopped them in the beginning, maybe we would not be in our current situation.

Later that day, we found a group of former automobile hobbyists who also had their classic automobiles confiscated by the NZEE's. They were now beginning to form a resistance group. We knew that associating with them would bring the full force of the NZEE's against us, but we finally felt that we had no choice. The tyrannical agency that the EPA had become must be stopped! As we met in secret, we remembered the men of the American revolution and how we had let their "limited government" turn in to the unimaginable "enforcement oriented" bureaucracies that had no respect for individual rights or property ownership.

We didn't know where it all would end, but we knew that we had finally discovered something that we were willing to die for: The absolute right to own and operate our classic automobiles. It seemed all too familiar; much like the late 1960's. Only now, many of those now in power at the EPA were the same civil rights protestestors from some forty years ago. That seemed somewhat ironic. We ended the meeting shouting: "May we all succeed against the tyranny!"

Just A Story ?

This is just a story. But will it become reality? The proponents of an "appeasement" policy with potentially tyrannical agencies and radical government officials, will try to convince you to allow them to take your rights one at time until you finally realize that you have been devastated by the policies that you allowed to happen.

The best time to act is always in the beginning. If Neville Chamberlain had to do it over again, would he offer appeasement to Adolf Hitler, or choose to fight him? I don't think appeasement would be the answer.

It is important to "resist from the beginning" any proposed "vehicle scrappage" legislation or "vehicle inspection" programs. Call the Governor and the state legislature and tell them that you do not want any "back-door", poorly thought out, legislation considered. The time to act is NOW !

Of course, nothing like this story could ever really happen, could it?

This classic car was destroyed by the government at Waco in 1993.

"If a man has not discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live."

-- Martin Luther King

The Governor's office in Phoenix: 602-542-4331

The Governor's office in Tucson: 520-628-6580

The Arizona legislature number: 1-800-352-8404

Use "THE FORCE" to E-Mail ALL Arizona legislators.

It's about freedom -- YOURS !!!

MrHEMI@426-HEMI.com

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