Friday, December 13, 2013

It is about FREEDOM



I watched some video of previous Jefferson County Council meetings regarding these compliance checkpoints. What I heard from County Executive Ken Waller was very troubling. In his justification for it he quoted from a Supreme Court ruling:

“There was compelling Government interest in that DWI checkpoints were a means of advancing that interest.
1) The state had a compelling interest in preventing drunk driving.
2) Use of sobriety checkpoints were effective in achieving that goal.
3) The level of intrusiveness on individual liberty was slight.”

There is no such thing as being a little pregnant. The woman either is or is not pregnant. The same can be said with the people’s liberties. There is no such thing as violating someone’s right to travel freely on and about our roads without being stopped at a checkpoint, when they are not doing anything wrong. Violating the people’s rights just a little bit does not make it right.

Waller also justified the checkpoints because these checkpoints have been done in the past. What? Just because people’s freedom has been violated in the past, does not make it right to do it in the future. The Fourth Amendment states: “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.”

County Executive Waller, the council members as well as the Sheriff take an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. They are in breach of that oath when they violate the people’s rights, even if it is just a “little bit.” What I would like to see the Jefferson County Council do is to enact an ordinance making it clear that these checkpoints violate the Constitution and make these checkpoints illegal to set up.



No Compliance Checkpoints


Everyday this country is getting closer and closer to a Police State. The American People are being attacked by all sides limiting our freedom. There are many things on the horizon that our Government wants to impose on the People in order to CONTROL THEM. Along with Compliance Checkpoints there is the NSA, IRS, FBI, CIA and local police departments spying on American citizens. They are doing this with the help of major corporations. Sixty Minutes did a piece on Amazon recently and many people focused on that company experimenting with drones to deliver packages. What concerned me was their admission that they were helping the CIA to spy on American citizens. And if Amazon is doing it, it would be a good bet that many other companies like Facebook, Google and phone companies are doing it as well.

Lindsey Graham, for the time being is a US Senator, doesn’t have a problem with the Government spying on him, because he claims he has nothing to hide. And the citizenry should not have a problem with it either, if they have nothing to hide. Apparently, Lindsey forgot about his oath of office to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.

The Fourth Amendment states, “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.”

They try to sell the need for these checkpoints under the guise of “Safety,” however, in reality the reason is twofold. First, it is about revenue production. For you see, Governments get money through taxes, fees and fines. Secondly, but more importantly, it is about intimidation. That is where Lindsey Graham gets it WRONG. It is not whether you have something to hide; it is because who you might be a targeted group. In the 2008 Presidential election the Obama Regime set up “Truth Squads,” made up of people in POWER, like prosecutors and sheriffs to intimidate people from using their First Amendment right of Free Speech to criticize the candidacy of Barack Hussein Obama. Sheriff Boyer was a member of the Truth Squad. During that election cycle the police were also given a directive to take caution when stopping vehicles displaying the Gadsden Flag, Tea Party stickers, or Ron Paul stickers. They were targeting groups they considered the enemy.

Sheriff Boyer was upset when these checkpoints were described as something the NAZI’s did during WWII. Then stop acting like the Gestapo, by setting up checkpoints asking to see their papers. People should be able to travel freely on and about our roads without being stopped at a checkpoint when they are not doing anything wrong. Speaking as a former police officer, there is no need to have these “Compliance Checkpoints.” And hope the Council decides not to fund the program. There are better uses for the money, which does not restrict our FREEDOM.