We must have played "America" by Simon and Garfunkel a dozen times as we drove through Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. "I've come to look for America!"
Since high school, my best friend Jacob and I had talked about going on a road trip. And in the week before school, the time came.
Like so many, we'd grown a bit cynical of our homeland and wanted to see beyond the fences. Thus, our end destination was Canada. Along the way, though, we changed. Cut off from constant media bombardment we saw the true America: a beautiful land and a compassionate people.
One of the most memorable events of the trip came at our second camp in the Dairy State. A Wisconsin native came from the neighboring site to proudly point out the numerous uncultivated marijuana plants growing on our campsite. Apparently it was all over the place.
And no, honestly, we didn't try and smoke it.
As much fun as it would've been to write "Fear and Loathing in Madison," the truth is, that it wasn't exactly our thing. I'm no Hunter S. Thompson, unfortunately. So we had a good laugh and it all became a big joke.
A few days later, though, when we were crossing back into the United States from Canada, Customs didn't think it was that funny when they found a marijuana seed on the floor of our car.
So of course they searched the vehicle and all of our stuff, and questioned and intimidated us. Did they believe our campsite story? Come on, now. Does one need to even ask?
"It's a $5,000 fine to lie to a federal officer. We're going to go get the drug-sniffing dog. This is your last chance." We'd been there for an hour. "Go ahead and get him," we said. They talked it over and let us go a few minutes later.
But all that's fine. We didn't care. We accepted it. But there is one thing they did that was absolutely inexcusable, and excessive. We watched as they searched the car, and for three or four minutes, one of the officials read Jacob's private journal. I assume she did the same with mine.
I can understand and justify everything else, even though I didn't enjoy it. But this zealotry crossed the line. And the more I thought about it, the more furious I became. There I was, getting all excited about writing a pro-America, patriotic celebration about my renewed love of my country.
Yet in many ways the trip and our experiences reflected the state of our nation today. The land and its people are amazing and beautiful. But oh do we need to take a look at the government and laws we've created to represent, protect, and guide us.
It's not my intention to bash President Bush or Attorney General John Ashcroft. But Ashcroft said that the Patriot Act won't affect "ordinary citizens." Well, I've been affected and violated by this post-9/11 attitude that anything and everything in the name of national security is okay.
If allowing the government to read mine and other people's private thoughts was necessary to protect this country from terrorists and "dangerous drug dealers" then perhaps I could be convinced to give up that precious freedom. But who in their right mind thinks it is?
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