A Bill of Rights Week
This has been a historic week for the Bill of Rights. First the 4th amendment was eviscerated by Congress. Then the 2nd amendment was misinterpreted by the US Supreme Court. All that is left is for the remaining branch of the government to mangle another of those ten amendments. Never fear, we have two more days left in the week.
The 4th amendment states, "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." It would be difficult, even today, to express this any more clearly. A search warrant is needed before the government can perform a search of anyone's property, including their electronic communications, and that search warrant must describe what is to be searched and what will be taken.
The FISA law has always been at least somewhat out of the bounds of what the 4th amendment permits, by allowing the searches to take place before the warrant is obtained. This week's events have still further weakened our protection from illegal searches. This is one of the amendments that has protected us from despotic governments.
The 2nd amendment says, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." This amendment is considerably less clear, but it clearly does give the states the ability to maintain a state militia, made up of citizens who keep the guns they need for their militia duties at home. Nothing in that amendment is about hunting or self protection.
But, the Supreme Court is now dominated by "conservatives" who are convinced that every person's safety is dependent on them being armed to the teeth. So, this week's ruling turns the 2nd amendment on its head, and converts it to a hunting and individual self protection amendment.
Since it is the 4th amendment that is so crucial to protecting us from a despotic government, one would expect there would be a nationwide outcry against the FISA modifications which will be passed this week. And, since a very small percentage of us need guns for either hunting or for self protection, one would expect that there would be at least a shrug of the shoulders at obtaining the right to keep a gun in our homes. But, one's expectations would be completely in error.
Senator Obama is running on a promise to change the way we do business in Washington. He has lectured us about the need for more civility in public life, and about the need for more responsible parenting. So, of course he would oppose the FISA modifications and be upset about the Supreme Court ruling. But, again common sense loses - Obama favors both of those actions.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed, waiting to see which of the first ten amendments the executive branch of our government will demolish in the last two days of the week. To avoid being wrong again I won't predict which it will be.
The 4th amendment states, "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." It would be difficult, even today, to express this any more clearly. A search warrant is needed before the government can perform a search of anyone's property, including their electronic communications, and that search warrant must describe what is to be searched and what will be taken.
The FISA law has always been at least somewhat out of the bounds of what the 4th amendment permits, by allowing the searches to take place before the warrant is obtained. This week's events have still further weakened our protection from illegal searches. This is one of the amendments that has protected us from despotic governments.
The 2nd amendment says, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." This amendment is considerably less clear, but it clearly does give the states the ability to maintain a state militia, made up of citizens who keep the guns they need for their militia duties at home. Nothing in that amendment is about hunting or self protection.
But, the Supreme Court is now dominated by "conservatives" who are convinced that every person's safety is dependent on them being armed to the teeth. So, this week's ruling turns the 2nd amendment on its head, and converts it to a hunting and individual self protection amendment.
Since it is the 4th amendment that is so crucial to protecting us from a despotic government, one would expect there would be a nationwide outcry against the FISA modifications which will be passed this week. And, since a very small percentage of us need guns for either hunting or for self protection, one would expect that there would be at least a shrug of the shoulders at obtaining the right to keep a gun in our homes. But, one's expectations would be completely in error.
Senator Obama is running on a promise to change the way we do business in Washington. He has lectured us about the need for more civility in public life, and about the need for more responsible parenting. So, of course he would oppose the FISA modifications and be upset about the Supreme Court ruling. But, again common sense loses - Obama favors both of those actions.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed, waiting to see which of the first ten amendments the executive branch of our government will demolish in the last two days of the week. To avoid being wrong again I won't predict which it will be.
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