Thursday, November 29, 2007

More Constitution Blogging

Support the FDNY here.

The Telegraph has an article by Tom Leonard noting a plan to use firefighters to spy on citizens:
Unlike police, firemen and paramedics do not need warrants to get into homes and other buildings during technical inspections of emergency facilities, making them particularly useful for spotting signs of terrorist planning.
The Homeland Security Department has been secretly testing a pilot scheme in New York in which firefighters are trained to identify suspicious material or behaviour. If successful, the programme will be extended to other large cities.


I heard a firefighter call in on the Randi Rhodes show this evening to talk about this. Evidently DHS wants firefighters conducting fire inspections to look at more than wiring, pipes, flooring, etc. with fire and other disasters in mind. They should be noting what books people read, what videos they watch, what is lying around that might be suspicious.

Amendment IV
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.
Something does not compute. At what point do the People of the United States demand that we restore the rule of law?

h/t Crooks and Liars and Keith Olbermann

5 comments:

Episcopollyanna said...

Rachael Maddow was talking about this yesterday too. She had a guy on who used to work for the counter-terrorism division for the FBI and now works for the ACLU.

Frightening, really.

Episcopollyanna said...

You know, I woke up still thinking about this and it occurred to me that now that this admin. has exhausted "1984," I guess they're starting in on "Fahrenheit 451."

*sigh* Must. Control. Rage.

Paul said...

Deep breath, episcopollyana, deep breath. OK, now deep, slow, regular breaths as you count to ten verrrrry slowly. Focus on your breathing.

Come, Holy Spirit,and grant this your daughter great calm amid the raging conflicts of our age. May the fires of her passion be channeled by You into works of justice and mercy. Strengthen her witness to truth and deliver her from despair. When You think it appropriate, bless her with a fit of giggles. Amen.

Episcopollyanna said...

And she laughs! It's a miracle! :)

Paul said...

Praise King Jesus and Holy Mother Mary!