I don’t know about you, but I am beginning to get a bit worried about the direction that the US is taking.

A couple of weeks ago I read that the US Border Patrol had decided that they could confiscate your notebook PC, go through all of the documents and records on it, share that information with whomever they choose AND not give you back your property. No probable cause. No due process. No warrant. The way I see it, the US Border Patrol sees themselves as being above the Constitution.

Here’s the Constitution:

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.

Now tell me how the BP’s decision falls within that guideline. What this amounts to, in addition to being in violation of the Constitution is Government sponsored theft. Even if no incriminating evidence is found, they still don’t have to return your property to you. Do I hear echos of “Heil Hitler?”

The BP’s justification is homeland security, to ensure that no evil plans to destroy the country are brought in on laptops. Uh. Guys? Ever heard of the internet? I’m thinking that if I were going to communicate some evil plan, I’d send them through the internet. It would be HIGHLY unlikely that I’d carry them on my person, on a laptop. Talk about lack of plausible deniability!

During both the DNC and RNC, protestors were threatened, firehosed, and teargassed. Now, I’m going to admit that I’m a little out of the loop on this one. I didn’t watch either convention and only know what the media chose to show me. But, it seems to me that there is also a Constitutional right to assemble and protest peacefully. Ah, yes, that would be Article I, the very first amendment:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Guess the political parties didn’t hear about that one yet. Yeah, I know it says Congress shall make no law … but shouldn’t that extend to those seeking political office — especially those who currently serve in Congress?

But, I guess neither party really wants to hear what people think. Neither knows, you know. They are getting their information from the yes-men and -women with which they’ve surrounded themselves. And, if you don’t think as I do — well — there’s always teargas.