Re: [at-l] Permits to thru hike?

Does anyone else remember the scene from "The Hunt for Red October" where the First officer of the Soviet Sub is dreaming of moving to Montana? He says something like "You can travel from State to State? No Papers?" Sean Connery assures him that no papers are necessary in America. I think it is increasingly tragic that this statement is becoming less true every day. The government assumes more authority every year and we say "OK, I guess I can live with this one additional restriction." I am surprised to see so little opposition to these restrictions in a group of people who (one would think) by definition enjoy freedom and leaving behind the burdens of conventional society, even if it is only overnight. the really obnoxious people one meets on the trail often come in by car or other vehicle for extremely short duration and would probably be exempt from this restriction. Freedom to travel was a fundamental right in our country. Permits are a bad idea.