Shut Up

Hey, don't complain. I started a business and got busy with that...then got sick. Not my fault I haven't updated since before Thanksgiving. Deal with it.

Now, onto wonderful examples of human stupidity and whatnot.

From my current place of residence: Jamiel's Law is in danger of not being added to the ballot in May 2009. Ya gotta love L.A., really. See, we have Special Order 40--which protects illegal immigrants from police so they can report crimes without fear of being deported.

So. Let's see here... For those of you following along at home (or the office)... NOT contacting INS for papers to say you're allowed to be in this country is...dun-du-du-dun! A FELONY! It's a Federal crime for which the penalty is being sent back to your own blinking country.

Jamiel's Law would allow police officers to arrest undocumented gang members before they commit a crime.

Hello?

Knock-knock. Who's there--excuse me, "Who it is?" Please. Por favor who? Please go BACK TO YOUR OWN COUNTRY.

I understand your desire to be in the land of the free and the home of the brave, but ya know what? You're futzing around with it and making it the land of people who can't speak English because they're not here legally and therefore can't go to school to learn it!

I'm all for immigrants. My ancestors were immigrants. Ya know what? They went through the proper channels to become citizens. You're broke and can't afford it? Tough luck! Life sucks, doesn't it? Get a job in your own county and save money. Oh, boohoo, you don't get paid a lot in your country. Guess what? Cost of living SUCKS here. You're in for a real eye-opener.

Back to this article.

So, the police, under Special Order 40, cannot arrest and deport undocumented people ("illegals" for those of you like me who are politically INcorrect) until they commit a crime. Guess what? Here's a news flash: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A CRIME!

They've already committed a crime, baby. Lock 'em up and send 'em back! I don't care if they came from China. Lock 'em up and send 'em back. Do it the right way. Undocumented lives in the US are breaking Federal Law. Federal Law trumps State & Local in most cases. If these folks have jobs, they have social security cards. Those social security cards are most likely fakes since they're UNDOCUMENTED. Soooo...that means it's a FEDERAL CRIME.

Are we understanding this here?

In California (at least, Los Angeles), there is a law that actually protects felons (welcome to America!) from the penalty that goes along with their crime--so that we can fight crime.

Two wrongs do not make a right. But, I guess if they help ya sleep at night...

Maybe I really -should- run for office. I'd have to run under a platform, though, that isn't Libertarian. I don't know if I could live with my conscience if I ran under Republican or Democrat. Why is it that politicians don't seem to think about the laws they're putting into action? Oh, right...that paycheck.

Take that check and cram it. Have a nice day.

Searches & Seizures

An article dated yesterday on MSNBC announced that 'Wire' actress, Felicia "Snoop" Pearson had been arrested on a drug charge. Actually, that was the headline. The tagline was that police wanted her to cooperate in a murder trial in which she is to be a witness.

I'll let that settle in.

Okay. So, the police had a warrant to take her into custody because she wasn't wanting to testify at a murder trial. I can't say that I blame her. I wouldn't want to testify in a murder trial unless I was absolutely sure that I would be safe. If you don't know what I mean, see this article.

Granted, there is no way that you can get out of testifying. To my knowledge. You can refuse all you want, but if they summon you, you have to go. Do I agree with detaining an American citizen so they will testify? No. But, I'm not the one that makes the laws in this country. Probably should be thankful for that. I'll have to create The Rogue Assassin's Commandments sometime...just to see how fast the country would whine and complain.

Anyway, Ms. Pearson was served a warrant for her detention until the trial September 16. While they were serving the specific warrant, they decided to search her home. Let me remind you, loyal readers, that is illegal. In her bedroom, they found a couple of cigars that they thought might contain marijuana, so they arrested her for a minor drug charge.

Um. No.

See, we have this wonderful thing in this country called The Constitution. Attached to the Constitution is a little thing called The Bill of Rights. In this little Bill, the Fourth Amendment gives us the following information:

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.

So, the fact that they had a warrant for her detention does not nor did not give issuance to "probable cause" to search her house. And, even if it did, they would have had to go back for a SECOND warrant to search her bedroom. I don't understand what runs through law enforcement's brains when they pull bone-head moves like this. Lawful Anal is not a real alignment--no matter how much you wish it was. Just because you have a gun and a badge doesn't give you the right to trounce my rights.

And cops wonder why lawyers hate them...

Cop: "You let this hardened criminal get away?!"
Lawyer: "What part of 'illegal search' do you not understand?"
Cop: "Oh, sure! Blame me for not following the law!"
Lawyer: *has already left this conversation for a much needed tequila shooter*

There've been numerous reports of cops being shot and killed because they don't announce themselves when they burst into a house. Burst into my house unannounced and you won't be shot. You may find yourself down a limb or a head, but I won't shoot you. I don't like guns. Swords on the other hand...

These amendments are in place to keep the government in check. Without specific warrants, police could come into your home at any time and arrest you for no apparent reason. OH! Here's an example. My SO and I were walking to a movie theatre near our apartment. A police officer saw us near a smarmy motel. We didn't have many options of not being near said smarmy hotel since, oh, it's on the way to the theatre? We could have been on the other side of the street, but...why? The theatre was on the side of the street we were walking on. They followed us and stopped us in the parking lot of the theatre to find out where we lived and what we were doing and what we were planning, etc. Had I not been on my phone, I probably would have been arrested for non-compliance. What was their probable cause? Neither my SO nor myself look like criminals. Both of us were dressed casually, but not scummy. Neither of us have tattoos or facial piercings. In fact, we don't even look like we would have come out of that hotel.

Apparently, there's a lack of crime in Los Angeles and they were bored.