Americans Slowly Losing Their Privacy?
” FNC senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano on the impact of the NSA snooping scandal on Americans’ privacy and freedom.”
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Tag Archive: Constitutional Rights
Court Upholds Willy-Nilly Gadget Searches Along U.S. Border
” A federal judge today upheld a President Barack Obama administration policy allowing authorities along the U.S. border to seize and search laptops, smartphones and other electronic devices for any reason.
The decision (.pdf) by U.S. District Judge Edward Korman in New York comes as laptops, and now smartphones, have become virtual extensions of ourselves, housing everything from email to instant-message chats to our papers and effects.
The American Civil Liberties Union brought the challenge nearly three years ago, claiming U.S. border officials should have reasonable suspicion to search gadgets along the border because of the data they store. But Judge Korman said the so-called “border exemption,” in which people can be searched for no reason at all along the border, continues to apply in the digital age.
Alarmingly, the government contends the Fourth-Amendment-Free Zone stretches 100 miles inland from the nation’s actual border.”
This is insanity . This ruling doesn’t just impact travelers . Millions of people live within a hundred miles of the border and now we are supposed to believe that in the name of “national security” their constitutional right to be secure in their papers and effects is forfeit ? The judge should disbarred immediately as he quite obviously is in violation of his oath to “uphold the Constitution” .
” 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. “
” The decision supports a conclusion 10 months ago from the Department of Homeland Security’s civil rights watchdog that said that travelers along the nation’s borders may have their electronics seized and the contents of those devices examined for any reason whatsoever — all in the name of national security.”
The Founders are hanging their heads in shame .
Benjamin Franklin was right :
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
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ENTIRE STATES SWALLOWED BY DHS ‘BORDER’
” Major cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and even Houston have been declared by the Department of Homeland Security to be within the official 100 mile ‘border’ of the United States, subjecting 197 million citizens to electronic belonging searches without any suspicion.
It all started in 2008, when the DHS declared that certain ‘border control agents’ could search the electronic belongings of individuals without suspicion — let alone a warrant. Bypassing the rights provided by the Constitutional to every citizen of the United States, the DHS immediately came under fire for the policy. The response? The DHS promised to have the policy reviewed within 120 days. The catch? The review was done two years late and by their own review panel known as the Civil Liberties Impact division.
Absent of any independent input in their secretive review, the DHS published a brief document stating that the suspicionless search policy was perfectly reasonable. Laptops, cell phones, camcorders, and all other gadgets were open game for the DHS within the ‘borders’ of the country.”
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Know Your Rights: What To Do If You’re Stopped By Police, Immigration Agents or the FBI
” We rely on the police to keep us safe and treat us all fairly, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin or religion. This card provides tips for interacting with police and understanding your rights.
Note: Some state laws may vary. Separate rules apply at checkpoints and when entering the U.S. (including at airports).
YOUR RIGHTS-
You have the right to remain silent. If you wish to exercise that right, say so out loud.-
You have the right to refuse to consent to a search of yourself, your car or your home.-
If you are not under arrest, you have the right to calmly leave.-
You have the right to a lawyer if you are arrested. Ask for one immediately.-
Regardless of your immigration or citizenship status, you have constitutional rights.”
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Professor Orders Students To Support Gay Rights
” A Tennessee community college professor ordered her students to wear ribbons in support of gay rights and said those who supported the traditional definition of marriage are just “uneducated bigots” who “attack homosexuals with hate,” according to a legal firm representing several of the students in the class.
Students in a general psychology class at Columbia State Community College were directed by their professor to wear “Rainbow Coalition” ribbons for an entire day and express their support for the homosexual community, said Travis Barham, an attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom.
Barham is calling for the college to punish Dr. Linda Brunton and order her to apologize to the students whose constitutional rights he believes were violated, according to a letter he sent to the community college president.”
Update : A watchful reader was thoughtful enough to point out our error in posting the picture of an innocent woman in place of the real Dr Linda Brunton . We sincerely apologize to Dr Louise Katz , and hereby post a more accurate picture . Rebloggers please take note .
Related articles
- Professor Orders Students to Support Gay Rights (foxnewsinsider.com)
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SCOTUS says “What 4th Amendment?”
Published on Jun 5, 2013
” In a recent ruling, the US Supreme Court ignored the 4th amendment and paved the way for states to collect DNA from people who have not been convicted of a crime.”
(LINK TO SCOTUS OPINION)
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/…http://www.facebook.com/AmidstTheNoise
https://twitter.com/AmidstTheNoise
©2013 Amidst The Noise
HT/Paolo Rubino
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The Militarization of U.S. Domestic Policing
” Can government simultaneously be empowered and constrained? This “paradox of government” is the central question of constitutional political economy (see Buchanan 1975; Brennan and Buchanan 1985; Weingast 1995; Gordon 2002). In order for a government to function, individuals must allow governing forces to control different aspects of their lives. The danger in granting such powers, however,is that the government may abuse this authority and plunder the citizens.
The common solution is to establish checks and balances on government to prevent such abuses. History has demonstrated, however, that effective checks on government power are elusive. Nazi Germany; Idi Amin’s regime in Uganda; the dictatorships of Josef Stalin, Mao Tse-Tung, and Pol Pot; and the present-day Syrian regime are but a few examples of the tragic consequences of unconstrained government power. Beyond these examples, the poorest countries in the world today suffer from the actions of rapacious states, most of which are largely unconstrained in their predation against citizens.
One reason governments can exploit their citizens effectively is that they maintain a monopoly or near monopoly of military force. The concentration of military power, with its weaponry, organizational structure, and tactics, serves as the ultimate tool of government abuse. The threat of violent force raises the cost of deviations from government decree and can be used to repress citizens.”
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SHERIFF BRAD ROGERS – I Will NOT Allow Gun Confiscation
” Elkhart County Sheriff Brad Rogers speaks on defending the 2nd amendment. The rally was sponsored by the St. Joe County Republican party and was attended by over 200 supporters from all over the area.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/IndianaPolitico
Sheriff Rogers’ Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/BradleyDeanRo…“
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Gov. Cuomo’s Gun-Reform Bill To Have New Ammo Behind It, As Activists From Several Groups, Celebs Like Ed Norton, Russell Simmons, Forming Coalition Supporting Law
” A new coalition of activists, unions and celebrities has formed to hit back against the vocal opposition to Gov. Cuomo’s recently approved gun-reform law, sources told the Daily News.
The coalition, according to one source, will include activists from the following groups: Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence; Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which Mayor Bloomberg co-founded; New Yorkers Against Gun Violence; Moms Demand Action; and the powerful health care union Local 1199 SEIU.
A series of public events are being planned across the Empire State to tout the advantages of the reform bill, which the Legislature approved last month.
Among the celebrities said to have joined the nascent effort are hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, actor Ed Norton and the Rev. Al Sharpton.
“Despite the protestations of a vocal minority, polls consistently show that New Yorkers are in favor of common-sense gun laws by a wide margin,” one source said.
A pro-gun-control event is expected to be held at the state Capitol within the next few weeks.”
Related articles
- Andrew Cuomo flips out for gun control (humanevents.com)
- New Yorkers Take Aim At Cuomo’s SAFE Act (freedomoutpost.com)
- Andrew Cuomo flips out for Gun Control (fromthetrenchesworldreport.com)
- Russell Simmons pushes for assault weapon ban (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)
- Chris Christie: I agree with Andrew Cuomo on probably 98% of the issues (hotair.com)
- Cuomo Raising Money to Promote Agenda (politicalwire.com)
- Michael Moore: If You Want to Protect Yourself From Criminals, Get a Dog (dprogram.net)
- BREAKING: NY Mayor Mike Bloomberg Uses Bodyguards to Bully Journalist in Washington (Updated) (pjmedia.com)
- Cuomo’s new problems: Headlines, Clinton (oddonion.com)
- APNewsBreak: Lobby for Cuomo keeps donors secret (newsday.com)
“Gun-control advocates and the Obama administration are rushing to complete negotiations in New York on a proposed international agreement called the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty.
They hope to finish the drafting within weeks, perhaps having a document ready for signature so that President Obama could press a lame-duck Senate to ratify it after our Nov. 6 elections.
Because these UNATT negotiations had long escaped serious media attention, many Americans are only now learning about their disturbing direction.
Gun-control groups, frustrated by years of failing to impose harsh measures on American firearms owners, have pursued a covert strategy. Instead of constant defeats in Congress and local legislatures, they instead shifted their attention to the international realm, hoping to achieve by indirection what they had consistently failed to do at home.”
YouViewed/Editorial 