June 3, 2013 by Michael A. Ventrella

Supreme Court OKs internal searches without a warrant

The courts had previously ruled that taking of your blood for DNA purposes is basically a “search and seizure” protected by the 4th amendment and cannot be done without a warrant. Now that science has progressed to the point where cotton swabs of your saliva are enough, the Courts have said “Oh, well, that’s different” because, um, because we said so.

Apparently, your right to be free from a search doesn’t apply if the search is not bothersome. Clearly, therefore, if the police come into your house without a warrant and wear white gloves and put everything back afterwards, that would be just fine too.

If you’re a cop and you think someone is a suspect and you need DNA, and you have probable cause, you can get a warrant for DNA. It’s done all the time. You go to see a judge, present your evidence, and the judge says yes or no. (And yes, good judges do say no from time to time. I’ve seen it happen.)

This case, however, was about getting DNA on anyone who gets arrested. No need to see a judge first to prove you have probable cause. So those cops who randomly stop minority kids in New York and arrest them on “loitering” or other minor charges? You can bet they’ll soon be carrying cotton swabs around with them.

So why is this a bad thing?

It’s bad because this is self-incrimination. You know, the thing prohibited in the 5th Amendment. You are being forced to provide evidence to the police against your will which could be much more incriminating than any confession. They don’t need your DNA for identification purposes — they already know who you are and can probably confirm that through your fingerprints — it’s being used to help build their case against you.

That’s the difference and that’s the problem.

Remember, we’re talking about people who are arrested, not convicted. Many people are arrested and never convicted. Sometimes the charges are never even filed. Once you are convicted, having to provide DNA as part of your probation requirements is perfectly valid, because you lose many rights once you’re convicted. This, however, takes away your rights before you are even charged.

The most surprising thing about this decision is that Scalia voted with the liberals. Every once in a while the voices in his head that he thinks are the Founding Fathers tell him the right thing, I suppose.

Editorial cartoon of the day

May 30, 2013 by Michael A. Ventrella

I don’t have to respect your views

When I criticize someone who has a religious view that, for instance, claims that marriage between anything other than a man and woman should be illegal, they sometimes come back at me and say that I am being anti-Christian and disrespectful to them.

Well, no, I am not being disrespectful to them. I am being disrespectful to their views.

Sometimes these people claim I am violating their rights by “not respecting” their views. This is ridiculous. No one has the right to not be criticized. (Let’s not veer off into a discussion about discrimination based on views — totally different topic.)

I will always respect everyone’s right to have unpopular and even stupid views. I even supported Westboro Baptist Church‘s right to spout their nonsense.

But I’m sorry — if you believe that the world is 6,000 years old and evolution is a lie, I have no respect for your beliefs. Why should I? You obviously don’t know anything about science. The fact that you believe something really, really strongly because of your religion doesn’t mean it should get treated any different from someone who believes that unicorns and fairies are playing in his backyard. Silly beliefs should be challenged no matter where they come from.

Some religions also believe that women should cover themselves from head to toe, never talk to a man, and be treated as subhuman. This is another belief that I have no respect for, and, ironically, many Christians will gladly speak out against that view too, while turning around and complaining whenever anyone challenges their own religious views.

I can distinguish these views about beliefs from views I have about people. Many have these silly beliefs but otherwise are honest, friendly, and wonderful people. After all, there are also people I disagree with politically who are some of my closest friends. I can respect them as people while not respecting their views.

No one’s views should be beyond question or criticism.

Editorial cartoon of the day

May 29, 2013 by Michael A. Ventrella

Good riddance, Michelle Bachmann

She’s just so damn clueless, isn’t she? If someone acted the way she did and said the things she said in a movie about politics, people would laugh it off as being too absurd, too ridiculous to be real.

Bachmann’s not running for re-election and is giving a lame-ass excuse about how important it is for politicians to have term limits they set for themselves, despite having never once mentioned anything of the sort before. It’s pure coincidence that she is being investigated for violating campaign finance laws.

The judge may be giving her a new term in the near future.

This is, after all, a completely awful woman, full of hate and ignorance yet convinced she is right because of her unwavering religious belief — just like the Muslim extremists she hates. Liberals are all saying terrible things about her now, but if anyone deserves it, it’s her. Look at some of the things she has said over the years:

“I don’t know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We’ve had an earthquake; we’ve had a hurricane. He said, ‘Are you going to start listening to me here?'” Here, she’s suggesting that we’re all damn stupid for not realizing that natural disasters are God telling us we need to balance the budget. Seriously, that was her point.

“But we also know that the very founders that wrote those documents worked tirelessly until slavery was no more in the United States. … I think it is high time that we recognize the contribution of our forbearers who worked tirelessly — men like John Quincy Adams, who would not rest until slavery was extinguished in the country.” Um, no they didn’t. You’d think someone who was elected to government would, you know, have a basic knowledge of these things, wouldn’t you? By the time slavery was ended, these guys were long dead. Plus John Quincy Adams was a child when the country was formed.

“In some ways, to believe in evolution is almost like a following; a cult following — if you don’t believe in evolution, you’re considered completely backward. That seems to me very indicative of bias as well.” Or knowledge. One of the two. I always get those mixed up.

“I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out: Are they pro-America or anti-America?” This was when she called for new McCarthy-like hearings to weed out politicians she thinks are anti-American. Because, you know, if you have a different political opinion than she does, there is no way you can be in favor of America.

“What I want them to know is just like, John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa. That’s the kind of spirit that I have, too.” During the campaign trail, in order to suck up to Iowa voters, she said this, but mixed up John Wayne and John Wayne Gacy, the child murderer.

“The bank bailout cost taxpayers $700 billion!” Um, no, it was $19 billion, and it’s all been paid back. But hey, she was only off by $681 billion.

“I will tell you that I had a mother last night come up to me here in Tampa, Florida, after the debate. She told me that her little daughter took that vaccine, that injection, and she suffered from mental retardation thereafter.” She used this anecdote to vote against child vaccinations. Forget peer-reviewed scientific studies; some lady I don’t know told me it was bad!

“Carbon dioxide is portrayed as harmful. But there isn’t even one study that can be produced that shows that carbon dioxide is a harmful gas.” The ignorance of and hatred of science is one of her hallmarks, after all.

“I am not here bashing people who are homosexuals, who are lesbians, who are bisexual, who are transgender. We need to have profound compassion for people who are dealing with the very real issue of sexual dysfunction in their life and sexual identity disorders.” (Insert joke about her husband here) But seriously, she’s once more ignoring science and projecting her hate and ignorance on us.

“If we took away the minimum wage — if conceivably it was gone — we could potentially virtually wipe out unemployment completely because we would be able to offer jobs at whatever level.” Hell, let’s get rid of child labor laws too! That would help. This is not only stupid but unsupported by any evidence whatsoever.

These are just a few I found with a quick search, but her ignorance could fill books. Good riddance to her and her attempts to install a theocracy in America.

Editorial cartoon of the day

May 28, 2013 by Michael A. Ventrella

Boy Scouts take first step on a long hike

I was a Boy Scout for many years. I almost made Eagle Scout, but then I started High School and joined the drama club, and they had girls. I had some great times in the Scouts and think it was an important part of my childhood.

Some of my liberal friends have criticized the Boy Scouts for their recent decision to allow gay scouts but not scout leaders. These friends don’t think the Scouts went far enough.

As you may be aware from previous posts, my attitude is always that I would rather get 50% of what I want than be the stubborn Angry Young Man and get 0%. So I welcome this change.

I think it’s better to congratulate people for heading in the right direction rather than criticize them for not making the entire trip all at once. Encouraging people to do the right thing is far more successful than being angry at them for not doing enough.

It will come. All great political change is gradual. Some moves faster than others. The gay rights movement, for instance, has moved slowly since Stonewall but has really picked up steam lately. It is inevitable.

Ironically, the change only angers the bigots, who demand strict adherence to their intolerance, unwilling to give even the slightest compromise. If we’re the ones welcoming compromise and acceptance, we will win in the end.