> Liberal democracies usually operate under the principle that you can ask anything you want of someone, and it's up to them to say "no" if they find it disagre

> Liberal democracies usually operate under the principle that you can ask anything you want of someone, and it's up to them to say "no" if they find it disagreeable. The law is then there to step in when there is a dispute and say which party is right. That is true, but there's a difference between a request and wrapping something in the flag and saying it's a lawful order. A LEO can ask me whatever they want; in some situations it's a lawful order and I go to jail if I don't comply, and in others I can say no. This doesn't mean that a LEO can stop everyone and demand things with no probable cause. With the FBI letters it's even worse because they carry a gag.