I want to write today about an immensely important topic, the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the vital, inviolable rights it guarantees. The Fourth Amendment, in its entirety, reads:
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.
These rights are not mere perks or privileges, but necessary, essential rights for all the people in any free society, any nation in which the rule of law means more than …
Wait, hold on a sec. What? … Ricin? Are you sure? … Omigod, where? Las Vegas?
Holy crap — They found ricin in Las Vegas!!!
Screw the Fourth Amendment — this is terrifying. Warrants schmarrants — just do what ya gotta do to keep me safe.
I mean, the Constitution is all well and good, but it’s not a suicide pact, after all.
(In exchange for giving up the rights guaranteed in the Fourth Amendment I will of course expect to see substantial progress in making us all safer, such as the news, for example, that the No. 3 Leader in Al-Qaida has been killed.)
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