Following my previous post, Passports, someone let me know re: a new law/policy that that the ACLU is calling the “Constitution-Free Zone.” It is a 100-mile span around the edge of the United States in which police can pull people over, demand to see ID, citizenship papers, I guess, look at electronic files and make copies of things that people have on them. This area of land includes several states, like Michigan, Florida and most of the New England states, as well as two of the largest cities in the country: Los Angeles and New York. As I was reading over the article on the ACLU website, (http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/37306prs20081022.html) I was heartily disagreeing with it. As I was reading I was thinking things like “You would copy their computer files?!” or “You’ll search the car without reason? Just because?”
Then I began to think like a very beloved family member, one we’ll call Sue. I love Sue more than anyone on the planet. I don’t know if she would support this new policy, but I think she would. I think that she would say, “Well, if you’re not doing anything illegal or bad, then why should you worry? They’re not going to find anything if they search you, so why should you care?”
Why should I care? It’s not fair, for one thing. It leaves room open for people to be profiled unnecessarily, subjected to harassment.
This post is kind of stream of consciousness, but I want to hear from you, dear reader. I know that this is a personal subject for people, but I’m honestly asking to understand, so please take this in the spirit in which it is intended. Why is this good/bad? What are your thoughts?
Constitution free zones
By sahara - Posted on October 31st, 2008
I will keep this brief. I am completely against this because I believe in the constitution and protection it was suppose to afford us. I am originally from CA, I have not had any run ins involving this but I do not see how it can be legal. The founding fathers put that in for a reason and this is just another example of the government over stepping its bounds and people being way to complacent.
Love is like a box of chocolates; if you chose wisely you won’t be disappointed and have to spit it out. ~T