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The U.S. Postal Inspection Service supports and protects the U.S. Postal Service and its customers by enforcing the laws that defend the nation’s mail system fr

by bytm3 4y ago

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service supports and protects the U.S. Postal Service and its customers by enforcing the laws that defend the nation’s mail system from illegal or dangerous use. What do they have to do with ebooks???

CrazyPyroLinux 4y ago
"Something something PATRIOT Act. Looks like we've got another 'domestic terrorist' here..."
notch656a 4y ago
The federal government increasingly is finding interesting nooks and crannies to shove enforcement into. Customs and Border Protection is now larger than the FBI, and ICE which houses "homeland security investigations" is almost half their size. These, and other arms of government, are increasingly being used to clamp down on activity by citizens deep within US borders (such as the recent Portland riots).
- blooalien 4y ago
  And yet this same government randomly, arbitrarily, (or sometimes not at all) chooses to selectively enforce (or not) a wide variety of existing laws, all while busily making more new laws that may or may not be arbitrarily and randomly enforced (when / if it suits their current "agenda of the day"). It's gotten downright ridiculous, honestly.
- dane-pgp 4y ago
  Another interesting example of the phenomenon you describe is that until 2003, the Secret Service was part of the Department of the Treasury, as the agency was founded in 1865 to combat the then-widespread counterfeiting of U.S. currency. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service
beanjuiceII 4y ago
if they sent anything via mail, even once, then that's the justification
krono 4y ago
That same Postal Inspection Service also had a large role in the creation of the Secret Service. Highly trained and well-armed mailmen :)
- beanjuiceII 4y ago
  honestly i am looking to see the comments in this thread tomorrow, funny to see what people say coincidentally
- em-bee 4y ago
  i was once visiting a friend who worked at the US postal service. i was traveling with a backpack with gear that looked rather rough, ready to go hiking in the woods. at one point my friend took me to his office while i was in full travel gear. in the elevator he told the others that i was one of those people delivering mail in the american backcountry.
- deafpolygon 4y ago
  I smell an origin story movie brewing.
- dane-pgp 4y ago
  One interesting little fact from history is that the Postal Inspection Service was one of the first bulk buyers of the Tommy Gun (Thompson submachine gun). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thompson_submachine_gun#Early_use https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thompson_submachine_gun#Early_...
  - dredmorbius 4y ago
    It's also the oldest federal law-enforcement agency, pre-dating the formation of the United States itself. (The Post Office was established in colonial times by Benjamin Franklin, the USPSIS precursor was formed in 1772.)

by bytm3 4y ago

CrazyPyroLinux 4y ago

"Something something PATRIOT Act. Looks like we've got another 'domestic terrorist' here..."

notch656a 4y ago

The federal government increasingly is finding interesting nooks and crannies to shove enforcement into. Customs and Border Protection is now larger than the FBI, and ICE which houses "homeland security investigations" is almost half their size. These, and other arms of government, are increasingly being used to clamp down on activity by citizens deep within US borders (such as the recent Portland riots).

blooalien 4y ago
And yet this same government randomly, arbitrarily, (or sometimes not at all) chooses to selectively enforce (or not) a wide variety of existing laws, all while busily making more new laws that may or may not be arbitrarily and randomly enforced (when / if it suits their current "agenda of the day"). It's gotten downright ridiculous, honestly.
dane-pgp 4y ago
Another interesting example of the phenomenon you describe is that until 2003, the Secret Service was part of the Department of the Treasury, as the agency was founded in 1865 to combat the then-widespread counterfeiting of U.S. currency. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service

beanjuiceII 4y ago

if they sent anything via mail, even once, then that's the justification

krono 4y ago

That same Postal Inspection Service also had a large role in the creation of the Secret Service. Highly trained and well-armed mailmen :)

beanjuiceII 4y ago
honestly i am looking to see the comments in this thread tomorrow, funny to see what people say coincidentally
em-bee 4y ago
i was once visiting a friend who worked at the US postal service. i was traveling with a backpack with gear that looked rather rough, ready to go hiking in the woods. at one point my friend took me to his office while i was in full travel gear. in the elevator he told the others that i was one of those people delivering mail in the american backcountry.
deafpolygon 4y ago
I smell an origin story movie brewing.
dane-pgp 4y ago
One interesting little fact from history is that the Postal Inspection Service was one of the first bulk buyers of the Tommy Gun (Thompson submachine gun). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thompson_submachine_gun#Early_use https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thompson_submachine_gun#Early_...
- dredmorbius 4y ago
  It's also the oldest federal law-enforcement agency, pre-dating the formation of the United States itself. (The Post Office was established in colonial times by Benjamin Franklin, the USPSIS precursor was formed in 1772.)