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ACLU Creates Map of US "Constitution-Free Zone"
trackpick points out a recent ACLU initiative to publicize a recent expansion of authority claimed by the Border Patrol to stop and search individuals up to 100 miles from any US border. They have created a map of what they call the US Constitution-Free Zone. "Using data provided by the US Census Bureau, the ACLU has determined that nearly 2/3 of the entire US population (197.4 million people) live within 100 miles of the US land and coastal borders. The government is assuming extraordinary powers to stop and search individuals within this zone. This is not just about the border: This 'Constitution-Free Zone' includes most of the nation's largest metropolitan areas.'"
One has to take their claims with a huge grain of salt.
You seem to be surprisingly accepting of genuinely gestapo methodologies.
You have yet to provide any evidence of "gestapo methodologies."
And what's to stop them from walking around that one? Maybe another checkpoint further up the road? Perhaps we should just install checkpoints every 50 miles on every major road just in case.
The more hurdles you put in place, the harder it is for the smuggling to go on. Will it ever be perfect? I never claimed it would. You adjust your tactics to the situation at hand, you watch the data, and you keep tuning the system as best you can. The smugglers' current tactic is to walk people across the border in a non-checkpointed location, then hook up with a carrier to try to go to cities. If the smugglers change tactics, we have to adapt methods as well.
Two checkpoints beats the one static "at the border" checkpoint. Making the secondary checkpoints mobile makes it harder for the smugglers to plan swap-offs and march their cargo around the second point, and when you see someone come up to a checkpoint and turn around to route around it, you had better send someone to pull them over and search them.
And before you whine about them "not doing anything wrong" if they turn and flee the mobile checkpoint, remember: The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that flight from the police is, itself, sufficient Probable Cause for a search. (Terry v. Ohio, Illinois v. Wardlow).
When the child leaves the womb and breathes on its own and pumps its own blood, a birth certificate is made out declaring the date and time of birth. This is when the child is legally identified as a solitary living person under the protection of a guardian. The distinction between the mother and fetus prior to that point is contentious on morality, and it should remain that way. The law of a secular society has to end at some point and let morality hold its own turf. This is one of those points.
So, you kids make sure you a a valid birth certificate or your parents can kill you at any time till your are 18. Or, does it go past 18 years of age? Tim S
Wrong. Almost every other country on the planet has serious enforcement of immigration laws, most of which are far, far more restrictive than those in the US. Are you thinking that the entire country is a safe zone that once someone gets across the border or overstays their visa they are free to do whatever they please?
Someone from a Phoenix radio station drove down to Mexico not too long ago and crossed the border at some unattended area. Illegally. They drove into some small town not far over the border. Within 30 minutes they were surrounded by miltary vehicles - the Mexican Army was there defending their border. Is the US not entitled to defend its border similarly?
The reason why criminal enterprises are making a lot of money is this whole "recreational use" bullshit. All these selfish "recreational" yuppies don't give a rat's ass about all the lives destroyed in Mexico just so they can get their drugs. To them, it's all about being "trendy", and "modern", while in fact is just the old attempt of escaping from a very sad life. Most of them have goob jobs and attended good universities, yet can't manage to find something (other than drugs) to fill their void. That's why people dying in Mexico is a non-issue: those "recreational" idiots are also trying to survive.
Alcohol is also a destructive substance, with lots of issues related to it. But, it lacks most of the extremely powerful chemically-addictive characteristics of modified Marijuana, which is filled with additives to make its use more interesting. I don't actually care if people use this kind of thing, if they don't try to convince me that they're super-smart people "just having fun".
I don't give a crap about adult people being able to use alcohol, marijuana, cocaine or even nasty things like LSD. In fact, I would love if the common man started to use such things in excess: it's a pretty good business opportunity and it would make competition much easier in terms of achieving better job positions or outperforming other companies.
You can bash me for taking a "please, think of the children" approach, but I'm not currently a fan of this "recreational use" bullshit mostly because it creates a culture (and also a market) that allows teenagers to inherit this kind of behaviour. The other reason is that drugs ARE illegal and the only way of purchasing them involves financing criminals. I will never, I repeat, never, agree with somewhone who finances murder and destruction of lives just because they want to have some fun.
Build a system that actually forbids people under (put any age here) to buy alcohol and I will happilly defend your right to stay all night on the street, shaking from your nice dose of drugs. In fact, if drug legalization happens one day, I would be more than glad to SELL them to you.