I recently returned from a trip to Arizona. We decided to go to an outdoor festival in Tempe for St. Paddy's day. The newspaper advertised the tickets for $15.00. When we got there they were $20.00. The paper did not mention that the $15.00 was a pre-sale price. This should have been our first clue. We then got in a long line in 95 degree weather. We could see there was another check-point ahead and bags were being searched. No problem. We had no weapons, alcohol or drugs.

Imagine our surprize when we were informed that we could not bring our cameras, our blanket or our WATER! What was more astounding was that nobody else had a problem with this. The others just went through this routine like a herd of cattle. We raised a big stink and they gladly refunded our money. I guess they didn't want us Canadians giving anybody any ideas about personal freedom.

Basically, they knew that once you were in (no re-entry allowed once you left the site) that they had a captive audience. You then had to buy your water from the kiosk. No water fountains available.

I left with the impression that the American public (since 911) was so used to being searched that they never even questioned the necessity. Is seems that the terror tactics of the Bush administration has creeped into commercialism and the everyday lives of Americans to such an extent that the right to free, clean, drinking water is no longer valued. Is this true? If so, look out America, your basic freedoms are all up for grabs.

d