MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - anyone worried about US borders wrt ebooks?

silencer · 08-08-2008, 03:43 PM

The thing about this entire 'new' argument that has popped up overnight, is that it demonstrates the American attitude that "If you ain't got nothin to hide, then you aint gonna mind if we's just gonna do what we feel is best fur da country". The forum is also being flooded with inaccurate information by a few people with an agenda.

American civil liberties were suspended in 2001 to a large degree, and power to law enforcement agencies became a game of how much before people say no.

The earlier suggestion that the world wants 'American charter rights' extended to them is laughable because when the US government disembowels a legendary document like the US Constitution, why would anyone suggest others want to fall under it?
Canadian law and UN law has far more civil protection built in than anything the US may want to force on you in the last 8 years.
It is important to note that when I pass into the USA, I lose the protection and freedom I enjoy under the Canadian constitution and therefor have to rely on the recently hobbled US legislation.

I was at an international computer law convention in Washington in 2005 or 06, I can't recall. As I walked down the street I was arbitrarily detained 4 times by plain clothes officers. Being a blond Scottish Canadian, I was on my way usually in 5 minutes or so. Why did they stop me? I had a digital camera and was walking down the street. Thats freedom.
One officer was kind enough to tell me that I couldn't walk on the left side (where everyone was walking) of the street because I had a camera, and men would be ordered to come out and smash it. It is important to note, I wasn't taking pictures, I just had a camera. So I asked if I could continue walking down the right side, through the park were there was no sidewalk. He said "Sure, you can do anything you want. This is America".

After that, I started asking a lawyer from Cypress to walk with me because she was an expert in international law. It came in handy.

The US Constitution's amendment 4 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."

This has been established to mean ''...where practical, a governmental search and seizure should represent both the efforts of the officer to gather evidence of wrongful acts and the judgment of the magistrate that the collected evidence is sufficient to justify invasion of a citizen's private premises or conversation.'' - United States v. United States District Court, 407 U.S. 297

You have the constitutional right to secure your "papers" and "effects". You have the right to be protected against groundless warrants. You POSITIVELY have the right to protect yourself against searches WITHOUT warrant.

Despite "if you ain't got nothing to hide" mentality, the US government has violated constitutional law with this particular measure of searching laptops.

Stand up for the constitution and stop letting people tell you that 'we' have to violate it and your rights because - what is it you said? A plane full of people decide to fly it into a building? Some might call that treasonous talk.

Well, being a Canadian, I don't really care much if you folks are ok with betraying the US constitution, even though you swear oaths to uphold and protect it. I DO care though when you treat our border like something you own. My computer is not legally searchable under the rights and freedoms of the US Constitution (no matter what the current thinking is). The constitution trumps all other US laws. Any regulation or law that violates constitutional guarantees is illegal. Therefor I would simply mail my documentation and data if for no other reason than to not be complicit in illegal government actions. We don't have to deal with that stuff in Canada, and I feel bad for you. Perhaps Mr. Obama will remove any Bush administration laws, and re-empower the people of the USA.

I hope this clarifies the issue.

08-08-2008, 03:43 PM	#68
silencer Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: prs505	Setting the matter straight. The thing about this entire 'new' argument that has popped up overnight, is that it demonstrates the American attitude that "If you ain't got nothin to hide, then you aint gonna mind if we's just gonna do what we feel is best fur da country". The forum is also being flooded with inaccurate information by a few people with an agenda. American civil liberties were suspended in 2001 to a large degree, and power to law enforcement agencies became a game of how much before people say no. The earlier suggestion that the world wants 'American charter rights' extended to them is laughable because when the US government disembowels a legendary document like the US Constitution, why would anyone suggest others want to fall under it? Canadian law and UN law has far more civil protection built in than anything the US may want to force on you in the last 8 years. It is important to note that when I pass into the USA, I lose the protection and freedom I enjoy under the Canadian constitution and therefor have to rely on the recently hobbled US legislation. I was at an international computer law convention in Washington in 2005 or 06, I can't recall. As I walked down the street I was arbitrarily detained 4 times by plain clothes officers. Being a blond Scottish Canadian, I was on my way usually in 5 minutes or so. Why did they stop me? I had a digital camera and was walking down the street. Thats freedom. One officer was kind enough to tell me that I couldn't walk on the left side (where everyone was walking) of the street because I had a camera, and men would be ordered to come out and smash it. It is important to note, I wasn't taking pictures, I just had a camera. So I asked if I could continue walking down the right side, through the park were there was no sidewalk. He said "Sure, you can do anything you want. This is America". After that, I started asking a lawyer from Cypress to walk with me because she was an expert in international law. It came in handy. The US Constitution's amendment 4 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." This has been established to mean ''...where practical, a governmental search and seizure should represent both the efforts of the officer to gather evidence of wrongful acts and the judgment of the magistrate that the collected evidence is sufficient to justify invasion of a citizen's private premises or conversation.'' - United States v. United States District Court, 407 U.S. 297 You have the constitutional right to secure your "papers" and "effects". You have the right to be protected against groundless warrants. You POSITIVELY have the right to protect yourself against searches WITHOUT warrant. Despite "if you ain't got nothing to hide" mentality, the US government has violated constitutional law with this particular measure of searching laptops. Stand up for the constitution and stop letting people tell you that 'we' have to violate it and your rights because - what is it you said? A plane full of people decide to fly it into a building? Some might call that treasonous talk. Well, being a Canadian, I don't really care much if you folks are ok with betraying the US constitution, even though you swear oaths to uphold and protect it. I DO care though when you treat our border like something you own. My computer is not legally searchable under the rights and freedoms of the US Constitution (no matter what the current thinking is). The constitution trumps all other US laws. Any regulation or law that violates constitutional guarantees is illegal. Therefor I would simply mail my documentation and data if for no other reason than to not be complicit in illegal government actions. We don't have to deal with that stuff in Canada, and I feel bad for you. Perhaps Mr. Obama will remove any Bush administration laws, and re-empower the people of the USA. I hope this clarifies the issue.