Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Constitution: Fourth Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

John Adams is responsible for the "reasonable"  statement.  It is disconcerting how vague "reasonable" has become even for those in trusted with our honor.  If everyone was reasonable, life would be simple and direct. 

Is it reasonable to assume a black man driving a black Escalade with dark tinted windows and expensive rims doing 85 mph heading north on I-95 is a possible drug runner and should be checked?  The funny thing is that this profile is now enlarged to include Latino men.  If Belgian Sheep Herders become the rage for drug trafficking, will we add them to the profile description?  Or how about Skin Heads.  They have a bulls eye on their hairless heads.  I think if I saw a skinhead driving an F-350 with mud tires and a girl with no teeth tied in the back heading north on I-75 like a bat out of hell, I would just think it was a shotgun wedding of some sort.  But if he was 1/16 mulatto it would be white slavery all righty then.

In the old south, if you were driving a fast car and looked like you belonged in a Deliverance movie and were heading down a back road, you were searched by the Revenuers. 

I think if it looks like you are doing something wrong, there is a 50/50 chance you are doing something wrong.  I would like the popos to check it out.  Maybe not just because you are black or Latino but also by the width of his nose. Hell, if someone would have stopped me from doing all the crazy shit I was doing, I would have been saved much pain and many scares.  I do think that we should hassle anyone that has his pants below his ass because anyone dressed like that will sooner or later be doing something wrong and illegal.  He will have not choice because he can not work with his pants there even if someone would hire him.

Unreasonable search and seizure should be a no brainer. 

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