My first check lane
 

I was driving on the Eastern Shore today (Virginia's version of Michigan's upper peninsula) and going down this side road to Cape Charles when I came upon a check point with 3 state trooper cars and a couple troopers in the road stopping traffic. Mind you it's 11am Sunday on a very lightly traveled road. I get up to the trooper and he wants to see my license so I oblige and ask him "Is this one of them there check points?" he says "Yeah, just making sure everyone has a drivers license." I figured they were really looking for someone in particular as this seemed a huge waste of resources but what do I know, I just pay their salary.

I think if Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were driving down the same road they would probably have a problem with this operation but again what do I know. The whole check lane thing stinks of something, not sure what but it stinks all the same.

It's called violating your 4th ammendment rights. Right now I'd be in jail awaiting my time in court whereupon I'd have the job of that officer's superior. A lot of people have died protecting our freedoms and sometimes you just gotta make a stand. I have nothing against policemen, just when they get stupid and violate their postion of power.

In Delaware v. Prouse, 440 U.S. 648 (1979), the United States Supreme Court ruled that the police stopping vehicles for no reason other than to check the drivers' licenses and registrations was unconstitutional.

Deleware VS Prouse

Went through 14 check points in 5 miles, in kabul today . took 1.5 hours. Want to stop me in the States once every few years ..... Not a problem :)

Thanks for putting it in perspective.

Oh and BTDT....Baghdad

Stay safe and Thanks for your service.

Thanks mate , If you have any friends or family here in Af that need any thing do not hesitate to ask . here are my contact details

Julian Bustamante
Director Network Rollout , Government Services
#30, 15th Street Wazir Akbar Kahn
Kabul, Afghanistan
APO AE Afghan-Wirless 09356
+ 93 700 802 502
[email protected]

You any kin to Murilo Bustamante?

Driving is a privilege, not a right. Doing anything you want is not a right. They are doing their job and ensuring our safety on the roads we pay for with our taxes. I think it's all a matter of perspective, which comes from one's heart. I know mine was changed.

Perhaps, but protection from unreasonable searches without cause or suspicion IS one of our rights.

The US Supreme court has acknowledged the checkpoint tactic is indeed a violation of the 4th amendment, but "in the interest of public safety", decided to overlook that and allow checkpoints for the sole purpose of identifying impaired/intoxicated drivers and removing them from the road. That is the one and only reason these checkpoints became allowed in 1990.

And, as many predicted would happen, once the DUI checkpoints became accepted by the motorists, law enforcement is now using them to check for anything and everything they can. They were given an inch, and took a mile. No longer is it about safety, it is all about revenue collection. :yesnod:

If what Munch was told is true, that they were only checking for licenses, and not gauging his sobriety, that is blatantly unconstitutional and he has every right to complain about it.

Eleven states continue to feel checkpoint stops (for any reason) are unconstitutional and do not allow them. I am fortunate to live in one of those states.

:cheers:

Name Bustamante is like Smith in the Hispanic community... Southern Cal is full of them .... Go the the Philippines or Spain same thing ... Nope, no relation that i know of.

This is the whole point, they are not doing their job, they are blantantly violating individuals constitutional rights. You want to live in eighteenth century England again or North Korea where the authorities do just what they want?

On June 9th it will be 22 years since my last drink. :hurray:

..Since then, I've been hoping to get stopped in one of those checks just for a good laugh. So far no luck..They're 22 years too late.... Root:cheers:Beer.

I suppose you know who I am talking about. He was a helluva fighter. Great trainer and founding member of BTT.

Congrats, bro!

Thanks! Just have to put together a few more days. :seeya:

:withstupid:

That's what I'm sayin. Sure in Kabul it's one thing where there is martial law and a war going on but there is no invading army here, just state sanctioned violations of my constitutional rights. Like Y2K said it starts with one thing and 20 years later my and your freedoms are eroded. The sad thing is that I won't make a stand because I don't want to go to jail and deal with all the hassle even though I'm in the right and this is the same attitude everyone else has so really it's my own fault and I will have no one to blame when they come knocking on my door and demand my families "papers" as they search for and confiscate my guns or whatever else they don't like me having.

Precisely my point and the very reason I stated many people have died protecting this very freedom.

Just for the sake of argument ... Lets assume the Officer at your stop said ... " we have information that a terrorist group is reported to be moving large amounts of explosives in this area"..... Are your rights still being violated ?

The Point of kabul in 2006, no check points; false scene of security. Because of this the insurgents were free to inter the city ...now we have daily bombings ( windows of my office blown in twice in this year) will i put up with a few random check points in the US to perhaps stop a drunk from needlessly killing or find a car load of ammonium nitrate .... you bet

Will I allow the usual indignity of pat downs, My baggage sifted through just to get on a plane , you bet .

We are talking about the USA, the grand United States of America, not some lawless country in the Middle East. The very foundation this country is built on is its Constitution, Amendments/Bill of Rights. Without it we would be another Kabul or Baghdad. As far as I am concerned there is no argument because you are not even comparing apples to apples, you are way out in left field. For the sake of your argument if an officer approached me and said large amounts of weapons are moving about by terrorists, that's fine. First he has to have more than enough proof "Terry vs Ohio" I am a terrorist to stop me or by definition of the 4th Amendment when a motorist is stopped that motorist is being seized. Secondly unless my weapons are in plain sight he must obtain a search warrant to search my vehicle.
The Supreme Court uses in many of its decisions the basis of common good for all people. Which is why airport patdowns are legal and stopping someone to ask for his license is not. Our forefathers were smart enough to know that government left unchecked will weave its way through every crack and crevice of our existence and therefore set in place a set of checks and balances called the United States Constitution.

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.

Point taken... I think "unreasonable" may be the debate here ... great discussion , Afghanistan is in Asia by the way :)