<>From the Star-Telegram:
Oy.
If this story is as advertised, Tenaha is due for some trouble, and rightly so. Someone seems to be due for a legal reaming.
This sort of thing – siezure of money and items on suspicion of “drug crimes” – is a virtually inevitable result of government corruption, aided by the dumbass “War On Drugs.” If governments actually wanted to raise legitimate money on the drug trade, they’d be better advised to simply legalize it and tax it. Do with pot or coke what Utah has done with hard liquor… state liquor stores. If someone wants to put rubbish into their bodies, what right is it of the government to say they can’t? It seems the primary purpose of drug prohibition has nothing to do with keeping people safe, but rather in keeping governments powerful. And thus you get small southern towns doing their damnedest to look like something out of “Cool Hand Luke” by robbing black folks simply because they can. Disgraceful.
7 Responses to “Wow. Way to change those stereotypes, Tenaha…”
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Reminds me of the James Garner movie “Tank”.
Surely there’s some constitutional right being broken here?
> Surely there’s some constitutional right being broken here?
4th Amendment: 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.
5th Amendment: No person shall be … deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
6th: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district where in the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.
What are the penalties of disregarding those constitutional rights?
Penalties? Pfff. Nothing, seemingly. States and the federal government itself have been violating the Constitution for years. The 2nd Amendment alone has been seriously violated since the National Firearms Act of 1934; and to date, no state or federal legislators have been brought up on charges over it. Similarly, the progibition of alcohol was legal because the Constitution was amended to provide for it… but there is no such Constitutional prohibition against any other drugs. And yet, billions are wasted annually on *that* bit of unConstitutional dumbassery, and no legislators are brought up on charges.
That’s sad. Hopefully the distaste of their fellow countrymen (and women) will have some effect…
Don’t worry… there’ll be lawsuits galore out of this.
Keep in mind, Tenaha is right next to Louisiana. There are certain places in the United States known for their fabulous levels of political corruption. Louisiana is one of those places. Along with Detroit, Chicago and Washington, D.C., it is best to be leery of them… and to never *ever* vote for any politician who comes out of them.