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Archive for the ‘Rights’ Category

Supreme Court says police can strip search citizens for any offense

April 12, 2012 Comments off

naturalnews.com

strip search

(NaturalNews) The constitutional indignities Americans continue to suffer at what can only be called soft tyranny continue to mount, the most recent of which is a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that says police can now strip search for any reason – or no reason at all – when they’re booking you into custody.

In a 5-4 ruling earlier this month, justices said police have the right to conduct strip searches even if they don’t believe a suspect is carrying or hiding contraband.

Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy – who was joined by the high court’s four other conservatives – said the Judicial branch was in no position to interfere with the judgment of police who were concerned that suspects could be hiding weapons, contraband or gang-related affiliations.

“Every detainee who will be admitted to the general population may be required to undergo a close visual inspection while undressed,” Kennedy wrote, noting that some 13 million people annually are jailed.

Only, there’s a problem: Strip search procedures conflict with statutes in 10 states which Read more…

New Government Initiative -Ammunition in the Crossfire Not Guns

February 23, 2012 Comments off

shtfplan.com

With over 10 million guns sold in the United States in 2011, violent crime rising significantly as the economic crisis worsens, and self defense killings sky rocketing, it’s becoming increasingly unpopular for politicians to call for restrictions on firearms. If anything, even though government officials in states like Illinois and New Jersey are  attempting to outlaw guns completely, the public outcry has been deafening, with each attempt met by protests and solidarity from individual rights and gun advocates all over the country.

It’s clear that the majority of Americans support their inherent right to bear arms. But, even though the strategy of attacking our second Amendment is wholly unpopular and failing miserably, misguided government officials are beginning to explore ever more novel ways of circumventing the US Constitution and Second Amendment altogether.

Like New Jersey’s recent attempt to ban ammunition, Illinois is now taking aim at ammo. This latest legislation would add a surtax to every box of ammunition sold, and if allowed, would set an alarming precedent that effectively threatens our ability to utilize a firearm for FULL ARTICLE HERE

Peaceful Activist Is Banned By Austin Mayor For Stating His Name “Ronnie (TOKE) Reeferseed”

August 26, 2011 Comments off

Recently Austin Texas Mayor Lee Leffingwell installed new rules for citizen communication that says a person can’t speak on more that three agenda items per session. Many Austin activists are outraged by this dictatorial new violation of the citizens right to participate in local government. Apparently Mr. Ronnie Reeferseed was outspoken on this issue and was warned not to complain again.

Protect Your Computer and Phone from Illegal Police Searches

July 4, 2011 Comments off

infowars

EFF Releases ‘Know Your Digital Rights’ Guide to Your Constitutional Liberties

San Francisco – Your computer, your phone, and your other digital devices hold vast amounts of personal information about you and your family. Can police officers enter your home to search your laptop? Do you have to give law enforcement officials your encryption keys or passwords? If you are pulled over when driving, can the officer search your cell phone?

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has answers to these questions in our new “Know Your Digital Rights” guide, including easy-to-understand tips on interacting with police officers and other law enforcement officials.

“With smart phones, tablet computers, and laptops, we carry around with us an unprecedented amount of sensitive personal information,” said EFF Staff Attorney Hanni Fakhoury. “That smart phone in your pocket right now could contain email from your doctor or your kid’s teacher, not to mention detailed contact information for all of your friends and family members. Your laptop probably holds even more data — your Internet browsing history, family photo albums, and maybe even things like an electronic copy of your taxes or your employment agreement. This is Read more…

Charges dismissed against woman arrested while videotaping traffic stop from her front yard

June 28, 2011 Comments off

rawstory

The case against a 28-year-old woman charged with obstructing governmental administration after refusing a police officer’s order to leave her front yard while she was videotaping a traffic stop has been dismissed.

WHEC reported a judge dismissed the case against Emily Good of Rochester, New York on Monday because there was insufficient evidence of a crime.

Good was arrested while she filmed police officers conducting a traffic stop in front of her home. Good’s recording shows the officers saying that they feel threatened by her standing behind them because she seemed “very anti-police.”

The arrest added to the already heated debate over videotaping police officers.

In a joint statement, Mayor Tom Richards, City Council President Lovely Warren and Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard said they agreed that the case should be dismissed.

“We believe that the incident that led to Ms. Good’s arrest and the subsequent ticketing for parking violations of vehicles belonging to members of an organization associated with Ms. Good raise issues with Read more…

Global Press Freedom at Lowest Level in More Than Decade

May 3, 2011 Comments off

voanews

Photo: Reuters
Journalists and activists participate in a rally calling for press freedom in central Ankara, Turkey, March 19, 2011 (file photo)

Freedom House, a U.S.-based group that monitors human rights around the world says the number of people with access to free and independent media has declined to its lowest level in more than a decade.  In its newly released annual survey, the group says several key countries saw significant declines last year and that only one-in-six people live in countries with a press designated as free.

In this year’s annual index of global media freedom of 196 countries and territories, Freedom House says it rated 68 as “free” and the remaining two thirds as “partly free” or “not free.”

Freedom House Senior Editor Karin Karlekar says this is roughly an even breakdown, but a closer look reveals a different picture. “If you look at the population statistics, they are much bleaker, only Read more…

A National ID Card For American Citizens? Get Ready – The Real ID Act Goes Into Effect On May 11

March 2, 2011 Comments off

endoftheamericandream.com

For a moment, imagine a future where you are not able to drive a car, get on a plane, get on a train, vote, enter a federal building, open a bank account or get a job without a national ID card. You don’t think that could ever happen in America? Well, you might want to brush up on the Real ID Act because it is going to go into effect on May 11, 2011 unless something is done to stop it.  When I first learned this, I was absolutely stunned.  After all, wasn’t the Real ID Act supposed to be “dead”?  A few years ago state legislatures across the nation were in an uproar over this law.  The Department of Homeland Security was forced to delay implementation of it several times.  But now it is back.  You see, this is what the federal government often does.  They will try to push something very unpopular through, and if they meet resistance they will “play dead” until the uproar has died down and then they will come right back and implement it anyway.  This is what is happening with the Real ID Act.

As of May 11, all driver’s licenses across the United States will be required to Read more…

Russia Vows to Sell Missiles to Syria

February 28, 2011 Comments off

MOSCOW – Russia announced Feb. 26 that it intended to fulfill its contract to supply Syria with cruise missiles despite the turmoil shaking the Arab world and Israel’s furious condemnation of the deal.

“The contract is in the implementation stage,” news agencies quoted Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov as saying.

Russia initially agreed to send a large shipment of anti-ship Yakhont cruise missiles to Syria in 2007 under the terms of a controversial deal that was only disclosed by Serdyukov in September 2010.

The revelation infuriated Israel and the United States and there had been speculation that Russia would decide to tear up the contract amid the current turmoil plaguing Read more…

Representative McCarthy Releases Text of Gun Control Bill

January 18, 2011 Comments off

Following the tragic Tucson, Arizona shooting, lawmakers quickly reacted by announcing their intent to strengthen gun control laws. On Sunday, Representative Carolyn McCarthy released the draft of the bill that she is planning to introduce to Congress next week, one that would outlaw high-capacity magazines.

Politico reports, “Representative Carolyn McCarthy’s (D-N.Y.) bill also goes further than the assault weapon ban that would expire in 2004, outlawing the sale or transfer of clips that hold more than ten rounds, even those obtained before the law takes effect.”

Likewise, it “closes a loophole in the expired assault weapon ban that let gun owners buy high-capacity magazines made before the ban took effect in 1994.”

Those who violate the provisions of the bill face a possible penalty of up to 10 years.

McCarthy explains of the bill, “The only purpose for the existence of these devices is to be able to shoot as many people as possible as quickly as possible. There is no reason that these devices should be available to the general public.”

Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) has already stated that he will introduce a Read more…