In a total afront to liberties, police conduced a drug sweep at Stratford High School High School. According to WISTV 10 from Columbia South Carolina the raids were meant to deter drug use and were specifically looking for Marijuana:
(Goose Creek) Nov. 7, 2003 - Students in Goose Creek say they were minding their own business early Wednesday when 14 police officers burst into Stratford High School with guns drawn.
Police dogs indicated the presence of drugs in 12 bookbags. One student was handcuffed as a result, while his backpack was searched.
No drugs were found and no arrests were made.
Goose Creek Police Department Lt. Dave Aarons says proper procedure was followed, "Some of the officers had their gun drawn in the low ready position, which is not pointing at the faces or heads of the students. It was down in a position where had somebody who had drugs on them and in fear of being caught makes a poor decision and decides to use a weapon as means of escape, we would be able to address that."
When are the powers at be going to realize that these kind of Stalinist tactics do not work. All they do is promote fear and contempt for authority.
Another case is the so called "Sobriety Checkpoints". These clear violations on our 4th and 5th amendment rights do little to deter drunk driving and net about a 2% arrest rate. Hitler and Stalin used these tactics looking for Jews or political foes.
Sure, I want a safe place to live. I want safe roads, but to paraphrase Ben Franklin. Those who are willing to give up liberties for a little security deserve neither liberty or security.
We have to stand up to these thugs. These bullies with badges and tell them when they ask what we are doing we tell them
"None of your fucking business"
or
About to get my constitutional rights infringed
The same assholes who think its unconstitutional to stop partial birth abortion think its fine to ban guns, and have these "Checkpoints"
Today its, "Have you been drinking?" Tomorrow it may as well be "Papers Please?"
Posted by tbux at November 8, 2003 08:03 PMNews reports here said the cops were there on a tip from the principal. He said that the school has a drug problem.
Posted by: Ted at November 8, 2003 10:12 PMI work in the field of drug and alcohol prevention. Every school has a drug problem. EVERY SCHOOL. In my previous job I had to do a prevention program at a elementary school becuse 4th graders were caught smoking a bowl in the bathroom.
Why don't we just send storm troopers into every school then to look for weed. Until we treat the drug problem as a public health issue instead of a legal issue we will never win the drug war.
Posted by: Tom at November 9, 2003 08:47 AMI'm with you on this one Tom.
I wouldn't have had a problem if the principal and/or police department had investigated the matter further by getting in touch with the kids on the video, but subjecting over 100 kids that may or may not have been involved to the raid is just lunacy. The situation could have been handled much better, but lately we see more and more police officers . I don't understand it.
And we wonder why kids today don't respect their teachers or police officers.
Posted by: Rob at November 9, 2003 11:41 AMWhoops, that was supposed to read:
"over-reacting to situations."
My bad.
Posted by: Rob at November 9, 2003 11:42 AM
