Why A Straight Line to Infinity...

It is from the a line in this "non" rythming poem...

Everyday!
30 Jan 1998

There is a funny thing that happens everyday,
It's the thing I know, and it happens everyway.
I look around and look at my life,
I know that things can't go on.

Things that are going on need to change,
I want to be who I am,
the person who I need to be.
I'm ready to figure out who I need to be.

Put in the effort,
Put forth the energy,
Walk that straight line to infinity!

When did Congress Revoke the Fourth Amendment

Just to recap a few posts ago...

Amendment IV

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.

If you have had the pleasure to travel by air over the Thanksgiving weekend, then I applaud you on your willingness to undergo the most difficult adventure of the modern era... Domestic Air Travel. Recently people have been subjected to the most intrusive searches of their persons that has ever been done in the history of air travel.

While I'm not one to argue that air travel must be safe. I say look at the 4th Amendment... unreasonable search and seizures... What part does our government not understand.

I believe that the 9/11 attacks that this government wants to remind us of daily was purpitrated by mostly Saudi Arabian Citizens... aka foreign nationals... or non-US Citizens. It would be REASONABLE to search people who match the same M.O. (Modus Operandi), and it would be fair.

If we are catching Drug Smugglers and other criminals through this highly tighten net of security, maybe we have done so at a real cost, and that is the weakening of our Constitution. Using Anti-Terrorism dollars to support other law enforcement efforts would be good, if that was the purpose of the airport screening process. But we know that it isn't the case. They are there for one singular purpose, and that is to make sure another 9/11 never happens again.

Searching my 59 year old mother will not make airplanes more safer.

Skipping the other 19 Middle Eastern Men that boarded the plane because we've exceeded our quota of inspections won't make our planes safer either.

I'm confused where my rights under the 4th Amendment as a US Citizen ceased, when non US Citizens seem to be able to take advantage of our laws, when they don't even pay (or believe) into the system that protects them.

Maybe it is profiling, but I can't imagine needing to pat down a 55 year old woman who clearly can be observed not carrying anything, especially after they've emptied their pockets and been through the metal detector.

If we keep spending our time searching the common folk, we will miss the real terrorists.

We're a little safer, but a lot less free this Thanksgiving Eve

If you aren't upset on this Thanksgiving after traveling through our nation's airports, then maybe you should be. How can we "Americans" honestly be asked to believe that they are really looking for terrorist. While we allow the real potential terrorists to pass through security, we will be patting down grandma, and your son or daughter, because for some reason everyone in America is a suspect when it comes to terrorism.

For those of you who haven't got it, this war on Terrorism is the world against Al Qaida. But we're not concentrating on the individuals who are members of these organizations. Rather we have made things more difficult for American's while ignoring the fact that if you want to stop terrorist, you have to profile.

Justice may have to be blind, but that doesn't mean that the police need to be. I'm confused what law states that visitors to the US are supposed to be afforded the same rights as citizens. Maybe we should have a separate code for visitors to the US. Obviously there are countries that should have a more "favored" status, such as the UK. But we must protect our country from enemies both foreign and domestic.

There has to be a happy medium between what the ACLU says helps to maintain the Bill of Rights, while being able to protect America.
Honestly, we need to target the same type people who did the 9/11 attacks.

This is a war between Western Civilization vs Muslim Extremists. Until we acknowledge this, we can't win. Let's face it, what other culture in the world is using suicide and marytdom as a positive aspect of their society.

Democrats... No need to run in 2008

If Senator John McCain wins the Republican nomination in 2008, what chance does a Democratic Nominee have of defeating him that year. He's well respected, moderate, and one of a few elder statesmen known for bipartisan work. It is interesting that many in his own party tend to vilify him for some unknown reason, but maybe the problem is extremes in both parties just hate compromise.

I can't imagine McCain running against someone like Kerry. Knowing that Kerry is unlikely to run in 2008 anyway, who are the Democrats starting to look at towards 2008 as a front runner? While we hear Hillary Clinton, I'm not so sure that she is looking at running in 2008. Is America ready to elect a woman as President?

McCain has both the advantage and disadvantage that his doesn't have to define who he is, and what he stands for. Any up and coming Democrat has a lot of ground work to do, and that individual really needs to start now, if they are honestly considering a run in four years from now.

I guess McCain's only real Democratic Competition is Governor Schwarzenegger.