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« on: May 25, 2017, 09:34:35 AM »
Erosion of the 4th isn't limited to Obama. I think we can all agree it crosses party boundaries and is the worst at the local level. The worst part is that the erosion is accelerating and that so many people either don't care or welcome it.
My opinions on the matter aren't agreeable with many people though. I don't think one should have to assert his right to remain silent. He should be able to simply remain silent. I read something a couple of weeks ago about a guy getting stopped at a checkpoint, asked where he was going and he said he didn't have to answer. The cops arrested him for not complying and this was upheld even on appeal. Serve a warrant on the wrong house, find something illegal, and it's still a good bust?
I know it sounds like I'm in favor of being soft on criminals. I'm not at all. I just think those hired to protect us need to obey what should be a very strict set of rules.
We've militarized our police and given them broad powers. I don't think it should be that way. We had a situation here in town several years ago where a guy was suspected of selling pot. A warrant was signed, sat on for a month, then a SWAT team hit the house in the middle of the night. Video shows the family had 2 small non-aggressive dogs who were chased into the kitchen where one was shot, the other shot when it ran into the laundry room. The guy's wife and 8 YO led out the door while this guys is complying with the command to lay on the floor, then kicked in the head (not hard, but still, why?)
Sure enough, they did find a joint in the raid, maybe even two, I don't recall. But it's amazing to read the comments about how the guy brought this on himself by having marijuana. I don't know, maybe things have always been this crazy. I just don't remember it being like this and it seems like it's getting worse.