But just 'cause you're paranoid doesn't mean everyone's not after you.

If not everyone, maybe just the government.

It's the government that's compelling airlines to cough up passenger information on every single person getting on a plane in the United States.

It's the government that's decided it's OK for police set up "informational checkpoints" on our city streets, arbitrarily stopping cars to inform drivers about recent crimes and asking those drivers if they know anything about them.

Remember my story about the frog?

Put a frog in a pot of boiling water and it just jumps right out.

But put the frog in a pot of warm water and slowly bring that water to a boil and the frog just sits in there until it croaks.

We're the frog, folks.

How long before our mail is screened, or our phone conversations monitored?

How long before there are "safety" checkpoints for us to go through when crossing state borders.

Too far-fetched?

Well, that's the beauty of the warm water/slow boil approach: cooked before we even realize the flame's been on high.

That's not paranoia.

That's reality.

Want to share your thoughts with Ken Schram? You can e-mail him at kenschram@komo4news.com