"When they set aside their law as and when they wish, their law has no rightful authority over us. All they have then is tyranny, and I will not live under that yoke..."
Last of the Mohicans
You took an oath, Mr. and Mz. police officer, just like the author of this blog and I did. Soon the time to honor or dishonor that oath will be here. Choose wisely.
I’m not an attorney, but as I recall the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for the U.S. District Court(s) permit a plaintiff to take depositions prior to the initiation of a lawsuit. My understanding is that the purpose has been to enable plaintiffs to preserve evidence. If this is still the case, Mr. Miller might want to change his MO a little. Would there not be sufficient causes of action here to interest some law students and their professors? If so, the serving of federal subpoenas summoning these officials for depositions might have an ameliorating effect. County, state and federal officials sometimes have that special moment when they realize that that they might incriminate themselves, at the expense of loosing their job − or worse.
Don’t want to go that far? Or you can’t find a sympathetic law professor? Then why not file some state and federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, with copies to area news organizations? I am a strong supporter of law enforcement, but when officials run amuck there’s more than one way to rein them in. And FOIA requests that might reveal either malfeasance or official misconduct often get an agency’s attention in a hurry.
That having been said, let’s not go too far. I would not read in any racial motive, nor would I compare this to Nazi SS. That’s way over the top. But law enforcement and government officials do need to be held accountable, and be reminded that they too are subject to the law.
“Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.” Thomas Jefferson
I think that this is a good fit on this issue.
On the other hand, like Juvat states, if they wrapped their heads in a diaper and yelled "Allah Akbar" every time the cops asked them a question, they could have taken any pictures they wanted anywhere they wanted too. With a police escort.
Ralph, I think the key point is "started". I'm not sure if Mythbusters has worked this one yet, but the story is if you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, he'll hop right out. But if you put him in cold water and gradually increase the heat, you'll have frog legs for dinner. I don't believe the SS started out in the early 30s with blatant arrests and executions, they "worked up" to it. If the German people had understood what was happening, i.e. applied the lessons of history, they might have stopped Hitler and his minions before they got out of hand. We would be wise to do the same. Will Obama be another Hitler, Stalin, Mao or Pol Pot? Hopefully not, but regardless of his campaign pitch, hope is not a strategy. I will say this, He surely won't unless we let him.
I get your point although I get very cautious about comparing our own local and state officials (however incompetent) to anything that smacks of SS or SA. But your point is well taken, and this situation deserves watching. Let's see if any of the locals decide to act. They're in the best position to fix this mess.
6 comments:
"When they set aside their law as and when they wish, their law has no rightful authority over us. All they have then is tyranny, and I will not live under that yoke..."
Last of the Mohicans
You took an oath, Mr. and Mz. police officer, just like the author of this blog and I did. Soon the time to honor or dishonor that oath will be here. Choose wisely.
I have.
In seriousness, Yes, I'm pretty sure the SS and SA both started exactly this way.
I’m not an attorney, but as I recall the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for the U.S. District Court(s) permit a plaintiff to take depositions prior to the initiation of a lawsuit. My understanding is that the purpose has been to enable plaintiffs to preserve evidence. If this is still the case, Mr. Miller might want to change his MO a little. Would there not be sufficient causes of action here to interest some law students and their professors? If so, the serving of federal subpoenas summoning these officials for depositions might have an ameliorating effect. County, state and federal officials sometimes have that special moment when they realize that that they might incriminate themselves, at the expense of loosing their job − or worse.
Don’t want to go that far? Or you can’t find a sympathetic law professor? Then why not file some state and federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, with copies to area news organizations? I am a strong supporter of law enforcement, but when officials run amuck there’s more than one way to rein them in. And FOIA requests that might reveal either malfeasance or official misconduct often get an agency’s attention in a hurry.
That having been said, let’s not go too far. I would not read in any racial motive, nor would I compare this to Nazi SS. That’s way over the top. But law enforcement and government officials do need to be held accountable, and be reminded that they too are subject to the law.
“Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.” Thomas Jefferson
I think that this is a good fit on this issue.
On the other hand, like Juvat states, if they wrapped their heads in a diaper and yelled "Allah Akbar" every time the cops asked them a question, they could have taken any pictures they wanted anywhere they wanted too. With a police escort.
Ralph,
I think the key point is "started". I'm not sure if Mythbusters has worked this one yet, but the story is if you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, he'll hop right out. But if you put him in cold water and gradually increase the heat, you'll have frog legs for dinner. I don't believe the SS started out in the early 30s with blatant arrests and executions, they "worked up" to it. If the German people had understood what was happening, i.e. applied the lessons of history, they might have stopped Hitler and his minions before they got out of hand. We would be wise to do the same. Will Obama be another Hitler, Stalin, Mao or Pol Pot? Hopefully not, but regardless of his campaign pitch, hope is not a strategy. I will say this, He surely won't unless we let him.
Juvat,
I get your point although I get very cautious about comparing our own local and state officials (however incompetent) to anything that smacks of SS or SA. But your point is well taken, and this situation deserves watching. Let's see if any of the locals decide to act. They're in the best position to fix this mess.
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