Gittin arounnd the 4th Ammendment are we?

[22WRF]

The Amendment guards against unreasonable searches and seizures,

Unlike police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel don't need warrants to access hundreds of thousands of homes and buildings each year, putting them in a position to spot behavior that could indicate terrorist activity or planning.


AP IMPACT: Firefighter Help on Terrorism
http://apnews.myway.com//article/200...D8T4MBFG0.html

[Northalius]

When going to private residences, for example, they are told to be alert for a person who is hostile, uncooperative or expressing hate or discontent with the United States; unusual chemicals or other materials that seem out of place; ammunition, firearms or weapons boxes; surveillance equipment; still and video cameras; night-vision goggles; maps, photos, blueprints; police manuals, training manuals, flight manuals; and little or no furniture other than a bed or mattress.

All the bold is technically legal to have, so if any government paid officials or workers are purposely going in to search through this stuff, and relaying it back to the government, they're technically breaking the law (Constitution), and thus should be punished accordingly. Their business is fighting fires, and/or saving lives. Not spying on civilians that haven't broken the law. That's unconstitutional.

I understand that it'd be better against terrorism, but it also gives government more power over private citizens. And sorry, but if someone wants their constitutional rights infringed upon, then make a system where each citizen would personally sign a paper, giving the government permission to do so. I'm not signing it.

To guard against terrorism, it'd be safer, technically, for the community to set up cameras in each room of their house or apartment, letting the government watch them 24/7. But, would they be willing to give up those privacy freedoms, simply to be safer from crime and terrorism? Where will it end? Once you cross the line, even a quarter of an inch, then there's no going back.

The government is progressively seeking ways to infringe upon private citizens' Constitutional rights, to where the citizens will let it go, because it's a small deal to them. They don't realize that this is governments' way of slowly, but surely, murdering the Bill of Rights, right before our very eyes.

Sad, very sad.

[dcd_enterprises]

Originally Posted by Northalius

All the bold is technically legal to have, so if any government paid officials or workers are purposely going in to search through this stuff, and relaying it back to the government, they're technically breaking the law (Constitution), and thus should be punished accordingly. Their business is fighting fires, and/or saving lives. Not spying on civilians that haven't broken the law. That's unconstitutional.

I understand that it'd be better against terrorism, but it also gives government more power over private citizens. And sorry, but if someone wants their constitutional rights infringed upon, then make a system where each citizen would personally sign a paper, giving the government permission to do so. I'm not signing it.

To guard against terrorism, it'd be safer, technically, for the community to set up cameras in each room of their house or apartment, letting the government watch them 24/7. But, would they be willing to give up those privacy freedoms, simply to be safer from crime and terrorism? Where will it end? Once you cross the line, even a quarter of an inch, then there's no going back.

The government is progressively seeking ways to infringe upon private citizens' Constitutional rights, to where the citizens will let it go, because it's a small deal to them. They don't realize that this is governments' way of slowly, but surely, murdering the Bill of Rights, right before our very eyes.

Sad, very sad.

Couldn't have said it better...

[Pistolenschutze]

Security v. individual freedom is always a very delicate balancing act. Every time "we the people" empower the government to increase its police powers, we give up some degree of individual freedom. Up to a certain point, that is perhaps a necessary evil given the current state of world affairs. Yet it seems to me that we are now paying far too high a price for the very minimal increase in security that might be obtained. The United States is now becoming an Orwellian 1984 type state in which "Big Brother" is watching our every move. If the American "sheeple" do not soon wake up, in a very few years they will find themselves living not in a constitutional democracy, but in a socialist police state that Adolph Hitler would have been proud of.

[pickenup]

Soon, there will be a reward, for reporting this kind of information.

[Marlin T]

When I heard about this story it got my mind going back to when I was a paramedic and the rules of being one.

Rule one: Make sure that the scene is secure before proceeding.

If there is anything suspicious going on, the EMTs or whoever will wait until the police show up. Then the police escort the medics into the situation. So what I’m basically saying is that this isn’t anything new. The police can enter any building without a search warrant as it is now, and usually do.

Just think about this, when was the last time you saw an ambulance, or fire truck at a house without a cop car nearby?

Geez, it wasn’t that long ago we had to call the ambulance for my father in law. Cops, social services, fire trucks all showed up. Everyone was guilty until proven innocent. “Are you sure that nobody did this to you…” ask the social service worker while looking at the cop who was looking at me and my long hair with his hand on his weapon. I just rolled my eyes and left laughing.

[armedandsafe]

while looking at the cop who was looking at me and my long hair with his hand on his weapon.

Reminds me of the time a cop wanted to give me a breathalyzer test, even though I was the first responder. We had quite a discussion about the law on whether I'd lose my license for refusing, until a friend showed up in his patrol car and backed the Barney off.

Pops

[BobMcG]

Originally Posted by pickenup

Soon, there will be a reward, for reporting this kind of information.

Yes comrade, this will come true with time.

And.... When that time has come, just remember comrade, spy on your neighbor for they will be spying on you.

[Marlin]

Sounds like the reinstatement of the KGB and then its application to the USA, rather than Russia.....

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by Marlin

Sounds like the reinstatement of the KGB and then its application to the USA, rather than Russia.....

Or the Geheime Staatspolizei, Marlin.

[millwright]

Pickenup, et al:

First that "reward" pogrom is going on right now.......in the schools when teachers as students if there are guns in their homes. Or alcohol. Or tobacco. Then there's the IRS 'tax cheats' pogroms offering rewards for turning in tax cheaters. Other agencies do the same.

Second, once a 911 call has been made all bets on "privacy" are off - the call serves as 'justification' for what amounts to a B&E by responders if no one answers the door. IMO any evidence of a crime 'in plain sight' as a result of this entry would be admissable.

Then we can progress to "street corner cameras" or all the other various surveillance devices out there not to mention cell phone tracking, call monitoring, etc. Then there's the NSA's computer surveillance of phone conversations for 'key words/phrases, bank transaction scans and credit/debit card use scans, to name but a few. All done with little or no court supervision or authorization. >MW