A Red Sea Of Red Tape

A Red Sea of Red Tape

Genesis 14

Moses stole a quick glance back toward Egypt. He and his people had just come from there. Dust clouds swirled around the marching legions of the huge Egyptian army led by the Pharaoh himself coming to capture his people and return them to slavery. Israel’s children are camped near the Red Sea and wondering what to do now. Fear is rampant and roars through the camp like a tornado through a trailer park. Moses is preparing to lead his people across the Red Sea to safety and is seeking a permit for assembly and travel.

Moses is chafing at the restrictions being given to him by the bureaucrats at the Red Sea Governmental Center.

“Mr. Moses, Morey Bund here. You are planning to cross the Red Sea? How do you plan to do so?”

“We plan to walk across on dry land into the Sinai Peninsula.”

“Walk on dry land sir, explain to me how that will happen. How many people and animals do you have in this group? Do you realize how deep the water is and how many miles wide it is? And you plan to walk across? Really, sir. You must be kidding.”

“No sir, we plan to walk. There are close to a million plus people and I don’t know how many animals there are.”

“Are you planning to build cofferdams along the route to hold back the water or do you plan to walk on water?” he said stifling a smirk.

“The Lord will provide a way. We are confident of that. He never fails us if we serve Him.”

“Have you had a survey made to build a roadway through the area you plan to cross?”

“Survey? No, I didn’t know about that.”

“Oh, yes, the first thing you must do is complete a survey with a state approved company to determine the route you plan to take. Then you must contact all owners on each side of the body of water and those who own the water rights and mineral rights along the proposed route and purchase the right of way to build the road. Some may refuse to sell so the law firm of Legal and Beagle would have to be engaged to exercise the right of eminent domain to complete the task. Before I can approve your request these stipulations must be met.”

“We won’t be there very long that is if we can expedite this process. As soon as your permission is granted we plan to move out quickly to escape Pharaoh’s army. These rules seem unnecessary to me.”

“Mr. Moses, Archie Ologist here. The SPROS [Society for the Preservation of Relics and Old Stuff] will have to lead an expedition and archaeological dig to insure that no relics or old stuff would be damaged or lost in the process. It is our responsibility to protect the historical integrity of the area and to insure that items from the past that significantly bear on the chronicles of our people be protected. Have you made provisions for such preservation activity?”

“No, but I will gladly cooperate to the fullest extent of my ability. What does that entail?”

“We must be in constant contact with you and your builders to provide oversight and protection to artifacts found in the process.”

“That seems like a useless operation. It is highly unlikely that there will be any artifacts found at the bottom of the sea unless some ship may have wrecked and left its cargo. I strongly feel that this will delay our passage and place us in danger. Can we skip this phase?”

“No sir. That is not an option.”

“But Pharaoh is coming. His army will be here shortly. I feel his breath on my neck. Please get on with it.”

“Mr. Moses, Lester Moran of the National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) here. Before I can approve the construction of a road across the Red Sea, soil samples must be taken and sent to the approved laboratory so that they can determine if it would support such traffic and be stable enough for safe travel. Can you provide those samples?”

“No. Samples of what? Dirt. Come on now. It will just be people and animals walking quickly across. We have very few conveyances and they are small. I just thought we would hurry across before the Egyptians arrive.”

“It isn’t that simple, sir. We must comply with regulations and codes. There are several firms who specialize in such analysis of bore samples. They do reputable work and given the proper incentives they can expedite their duties. We can give you a list of those companies and recommend which one you may contact if you wish.”

Moses looked back toward Egypt again and slumped. “If we must we must. Please do.”

“I am James Fremont from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Mr. Moses, have you made arrangements for passports and travel permits for you and your people?”

“No. Travel permits? We have been travelling for years and no one has talked to us about such things. Travel permits? What does that mean?”

“Well sir, you will be traveling from Egypt to the Sinai Peninsula which means you are leaving one country and entering another. There are restrictions and requirements to be met before doing so. You can’t move animals from one jurisdiction to another without permits and health certificates to insure that no diseases will be transmitted to another country. Animals must be inspected for diseases. There is a requirement that animals be quarantined for at least 30 days and watched for evidence of diseases that may be carried from one region to another. People in Sinai do not want their animals exposed to diseases in Egypt. Animals are their livelihood and any unknown diseases would decimate their herds and endanger their very existence.”

“Is that all?”

“There is more. Humans must possess a passport with a picture of the holder, address, and the tribe membership so that immigration records and controls are in place. No one will be allowed to leave Egypt without a passport. No one will be permitted to enter the Sinai without a legal and current passport. And there are time limits and restrictions to be met. Travelers can only stay in Sinai for 90 days unless it can be proved that they are gainfully employed and contributing to the economy and have conducted themselves properly. Do you have such passports for your people sir?”

“No. I am not sure we have time to take the pictures, fill out the forms and get them stamped before the Pharaoh and his army arrives. And that thirty day quarantine for animals. That can’t happen. We are in a hurry. Can we expedite this? Could we have those passports issued on the other side of the sea?”

“No. Without the passports there will be no travel.”

“Good grief. Such bureaucracy and self-serving bureaucrats are unheard of in the countries where we have been and where we have travelled. Unbelievable! What next?”

“There is the matter of population shifts in the area. With such a large number of people moving from Egypt to Sinai the carbon footprint of both areas will be affected dramatically. Resources will be strained. Natural resources will likely be insufficient for human and animal survival. An environmental impact study must be completed before such a journey can continue.”

“Environmental impact study? Come on. Whose hair brained idea is this? I have never heard of such a thing. Why can’t we just cross the sea and get on with our lives? That is all we want to do. We don’t want to be a bother. Just stand aside and let us pass.”

“Mr. Moses, I am Bill Carpenter and I represent the trade unions. Have you given any thought to the actual road itself and what would be required for safe travel of your people?”

“No, what is required?”

“The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) requires that before a migration of such magnitude would be allowed a roadway must be provided that is at least 40 feet wide with at least two lanes and a 20-foot berm on each side with the