"So of course, society's interest in protecting police officers allows New Orleans police to search your home or business at any time, for any reason, or for no reason at all. As long as the cop mumbles something about making sure he's safe." Actually, this is particularly hilarious. The Cops in New Orleans have become astoundingly corrupt recently, with shootouts between rival factions occuring during Bank Holdups (ie, between the cops robbing the bank and a rival group arriving on scene to "uphold the law" and protecting their own stake). Apparently the payout for such activities has risen high enough that local judges are now in on the action. Next time a government official talks about "protecting the public" try to see if he winks into the camera... -TD

From: Eric Cordian <emc@artifact.psychedelic.net> To: cypherpunks@minder.net Subject: The Gilmore Dimissal Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 10:22:35 -0800 (PST)

It's really getting to the point where judges don't even go through the motions of respecting the Constitution any more. All they have to do is recite the magic words that "Society's Overwhelming Interest" in protecting its children, police officers, kitty cats, or whatever, overrides whatever Constitutional issues there are.

So of course, society's interest in protecting police officers allows New Orleans police to search your home or business at any time, for any reason, or for no reason at all. As long as the cop mumbles something about making sure he's safe.

Similarly, society's interest in ensuring the safety of airline passengers allows ID to be demanded and searches, and anyways, your right to freely travel is not being impeded, because there's always Greyhound. Of course, they can stop the bus and search everyone on it at will too.

These problems stem directly from the horrible mistake, many years ago in the early days of our Republic, of letting what the Constitution says be what the judiciary claims the Constitution says, as opposed to what the Constitution itself states, thus giving the Judicial branch of government absolute power over the Legislative and Executive branches.

As George Wallace once stated, "The country is run by thugs and federal judges."

-- Eric Michael Cordian 0+ O:.T:.O:. Mathematical Munitions Division "Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law"

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