On Mon, 2 Jul 2001, David Honig wrote:
The counter to this perspective is that its been considered 'reasonable' to look at someone's face (in the optical) for a long time. It is not considered 'reasonable' (ergo, not constitutional in the US) to ask folks to remove their camoflage and attire, so the IVth protects citizens. Wear the groucho glasses as a protest.
It is only 'reasonable' if you have probably cause. Let's take the example of the cop standing on the corner with a photograph (obstensibly the same as computer searches). That photo is of a particular person who has particular characteristics. Let's assume for the sake of argument that the person in the photo is a white, blonde, male. The police officer isn't going to stop blacks, hispanics, women, children, etc. However, the automated system does exactly this. They are not searching for a 'particular person' as required by the 4th, they are searching everyone for instances in the police records. Clearly non-conformal to the wording of the 4th. -- ____________________________________________________________________ Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent. Ludwig Wittgenstein The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage@ssz.com www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087 -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- --------------------------------------------------------------------