Pubdate: Mon, 02 Jul 2001
Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram (TX)
Copyright: 2001 Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas
Contact:  http://www.star-telegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/162
Author:  Sherwin Rubin

SURPRISING RULING

A June 18 editorial cited a recent Supreme Court Decision that supported 
the sanctity of the home vs. unreasonable searches.

You said that the government could act without a warrant if officers 
noticed noxious fumes emanating from a house. The thermal imaging device is 
only an extension of vision. It only shows which roofs have hot spots. It 
does not image anything in the building.

Surprising is the correct adjective for this decision -- it is protecting 
constitutional rights instead of destroying them, as have many recent 
decisions.

We are losing many rights in the name of fighting drug wars. Previous court 
rulings have ignored basic constitutional rights to promote these wars 
against our own people. This one may be the first ruling in many years that 
limited police power in drug arrests.

We are sacrificing health care, education and national infrastucture to 
fund a war that we can never win. We are allowing obscene drug profits to 
corrupt our federal and local officials, our courts, our banking industry 
and otherwise honest people.

As with Prohibition and Vietnam, it's time to declare that we have lost the 
war and to get on with our lives.

Sherwin Rubin
Arlington
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MAP posted-by: Beth