Posted on 07/11/2012 2:10:46 PM PDT by JohnKinAK
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.
-The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution
With local, state and DHS checkpoints randomly popping up all over America many of our citizens believe that we must comply with what more often than not amounts to unlawful requests and orders from law enforcement officials.
While driving through California, Steven Anderson came upon three such checkpoints and he chose not to play ball with officers who asked him, among other things, to prove his citizenship, prove his identity and pull over for further inspection and questioning.
When asked whether he was a citizen Anderson’s immediate response was, “that’s my business.” When advised that it was the officer’s job to ask the question, Anderson calmly responds by saying, “I don’t have to answer you, because I have rights as an American.” The law enforcement official courteously asks Mr. Anderson to do him a favor and pull over for further questioning, no doubt expecting Anderson to comply. But not today, as Anderson patently refuses to do so per his Fourth Amendment Constitutional protections. He subsequently makes his own request, saying to the officer, “no thanks, I’d like to just go on my way.”
All of it was recorded on a digital camera in Anderson’s car and out of view of officers.
What you’ll see below is a crash course in exercising your Constitutional rights when faced with the threat of detention, interrogation and random searches by Federal or local law enforcement officials. You won’t see this one in mainstream media, and it’s something they certainly don’t teach in college:
Anderson: Is this Nazi Germany now, that I have to show my papers?
Officer: It’s a simple yes or no. I need an answer or we can detain you until we figure out whether you’re a U.S. citizen.
Anderson: Well, you know what’s more simple is the fact that my freedom is a little more important than you seem to think. Seting up checkpoints where people have to prove that they’re a citizen is not something that America is supposed to be about. So, I’m not sure if you understand that.
Supervisor enters scene: Grunt
Anderson: Grunt
Supervisor: Just pull up over there (points to line of detained cars)
Anderson: No, thank you… I want to go free on my way. Here I am just going about my own business and I don’t need to stop at a checkpoint to prove who I am because this is America. Correct me if I’m wrong – did I stumble into Mexico or is this still the United States?
Supervisor: This is the United States.
Anderson: Therefore, I should have the freedom to travel unmolested, because I’m in America here.
(pause)
Supervisor: Ok, go ahead and go.
Score one for liberty and the US Constitution.
It really is that simple.
Sure, some officers will overstep their bounds in an attempt to intimidate and instill fear, but in this case cooler heads prevailed and the officer in charge understood that Mr. Anderson was on the right side of the law, and that their requests for him pulling over and showing identification at a random checkpoint were nothing more than requests, as no such mandate exists without probable cause that criminal activity is taking place.
Mr. Anderson stood up for his rights – his own individual rights. To be free and to enjoy the liberties reserved and protected for the people by the Constitution of the United States it falls upon each of us, as individuals, to ensure the rule of law.
On another day Mr. Anderson may have been detained, perhaps even arrested (unlawfully).
But today in America freedom prevailed.
Fishing for sheeple — shame should be upon those occifers.
Well, this only applies to “the people” the citizens of the United States...not the entire universe of riff-raff from all the turd-world hell holes in the world.
The guy speaks perfect English, is dressed like every other American male out there, and still these idiots demand to see his papers in order to determine if he’s a citizen??? Give me a break.
And it should be obvious given a little USA attitude and the total lack of a foreign accent.
For your “entertainment”...
"What probable cause to you believe I have committed?"
"I will not make any statements without my attorney present".
"Do you have a search or an arrest warrant?" No?"
"Am I free to continue my lawful journey?" Anyways, I'd be a little more diplomatic. He hit all the bases, just messily and putting himself at risk for POP (Pissing off Police). Good job though standing up to checkpoints though.
When I was a teen, my mother got flagged into a highway rest stop. Some college students were doing a highway survey, accompanied by the highway patrol. Boy did they get an earful!
Holy cow - I love this. Thank God some have the spine to stand up and be heard.
Border checks on highways in the vicinity of the Mexican border are a legitimate means of stemming illegal immigration — an issue that we should all be deeply concerned about and willing to assist with.
I can remember back to 1970 that this practice was in effect in New Mexico and South Texas, so it’s not a new phenomenon or a recent assault on liberty.
Too many (politicians, DHS) believe that the 4th Amendment only applies to them. Everyone else must pay.
Ya know, they probably were hassling some WASPs just in order to show that hey, they aren’t PROFILING. But even they could see the BS in it, and just let the fellow go rather than have a public stink raised that could compromise the larger project.
Things germane to driving on public highways — a driver’s license, insurance if required by state, current tags, auto registration if required by state, maybe a whiff of your breath with one of those flashlight analyzers — and that should be IT unless you happen to match someone they got a BOLO for. Citizen? Not even Arizona was asking to do that unless you were booked.
The irony would be that if he WERE an illegal alien, Obama’s regime wouldn’t do anything to him. Illegals would be waved through while the papers of citizens are riffled, getting tickets for expired insurance or insufficient documentation.
Citizens and taxpayers have fewer rights and protections than those here illegally, either taking our jobs or tax money.
Officer: “I’m just doing my job here.”
Response: “I didn’t know that the Nuremberg Defense was valid in the USA.”
I agree with the guy but I have to ask some questions. I am also tired of having my rights that are due to me as a citizen trampled on and being treated just like any common criminal or law violator? This is a forum for discussion isn’t it?
How do we propose that we round up illegals and get them out of the country? If there is no right to ask if people are here legally how to we prevent illegals from using our own laws to violate us?
Is there some way that we are allowed to find out if people are in our country illegally or not? Am I correct that if the LEOs have some kind of probable cause that they could ask for identification?
I’m trying to understand how we can have our laws enforced and our rights protected at the same time. I don’t want anyone here who shouldn’t be here.
How Many Checkpoints in One Morning?! Welcome to the Police State!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2905360/posts
A guy tired of immigration interior checkpoints and their attendant traffic jams
Here’s a link to his blog: http://www.sanderson1611.blogspot.com/
Same guy as in 2009 Tazered and filed a lawsuit
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2905360/posts?page=16#16
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2905360/posts?page=21#21
“Good job though standing up to checkpoints though.”
What you wrote looks like something that can be printed a business card and handed out to cops.
You would be amazed at the number of people who appear to be true blue Americans also are schlepping illegals and contraband in the trunk of their car. Checkpoints do little to stem the tide and are generally a waste of resources since we have an open border and Homeland Security that won’t allow anything to be done with any illegals that may be found.
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