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.

That is the text of the 4th Amendment of the Bill of Rights, an oft quoted document also known as the United States Constitution. In this past year, we have seen an awful lot of people using the 1st Amendment right to free speech in order to show their support of the 2nd amendment right to carry a firearm. Very little is being said about number 4.

Words cannot express the the anger, confusion, and frustration I have about this draconian law that was signed by Governor Brewer over the weekend. She contends that this bill is NOT racial profiling, since that is illegal in the United States. Law enforcement officers would be trained "on what does and does not constitute reasonable suspicion that a person is not legally present in the United States.” So I guess Blond hair blue eyed people (like herself, I might add) will be asked to provided proper documentation as well? Is the governor moving forward with her border fence to keep out white immigrants? Asian people? What about Sheriff Joe-- are his lawsuits the results of infringing upon the civil liberties of middle White people carrying poorly written signs? Somehow I have a hard time believing that this is the case. It's about the Mexicans. It's about scaring them and rounding them up, even tho the State has no money for it.

The reality is Arizona DID just legalize racial profiling. There can be no other question regarding this issue, and all of the people protesting because they think their liberties have been taken away ought to be just as angry.

Except they aren't. It seems to me these people are rather myopic in their protestation and love of country. They seem to love PARTS of the Constitution -- but not the parts that effect anyone not like them. And therein lies a serious problem we have in this nation: Selective Constitutionality.

So, if you’re planning a trip to Arizona, and your skin color is anything other than a pale shade of white, you might want to pack your passport and other forms of identification, even if you’re a U.S. citizen. Even then you may have a hard time, since evidently the President's Birth Certificate isn't good enough for the state. You can however carry a gun. That is your right according to part of the Constitution, just hope you don't get pulled over because you happen to "look" like someone who the police determine doesn't seem like you should be carrying a gun. Oh I am sure gun advocates will say that they will be more than happy to use the weapon -- but there is the rub, you can't threaten a police officer. That may get you thrown in jail too. I am pretty sure that MLB baseball players --29% of whom are of hispanic descent, will be exempt from this law. For now.

To put this in contrast, imagine if last April 19th, hundreds of Latino people descended the Washington DC to rally for gun rights. Imagine if they were Black people. Imagine if they looked Arab. Would people be calling them brave defenders of the Second Amendment? As patriotic?

You can't really have a 2nd amendment without something to protect, and the 4th gives us the right to protect our houses and papers, etc. In Arizona, people just lost that right. And for those that really do believe that they have nothing to be concerned about, remember these words:

In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up."

Think it can't happen here in America? It just did. You are now legally required to prove your citizenship in the state of Arizona. When asked, you must provide papers. And even then, that might not be enough. Then there is this chilling development:

Speak up now before there is no one left to speak for you. The Constitution is not just 2nd Amendment and it isn't just for a select few in this nation. In order to form a more perfect Union, we must respect all of it, not just the parts that white people like. It should never be used to supress others, even if those others don't look like you. You know how I know that? we have the 14th Amendment.

and
Raine