At least one football fan has stood up to being searched like a criminal for merely going to a football game. A 60-year old high school civics teacher Gordon Johnston, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ season ticket holder has charged that the searches violate state and U.S. Constitutional protections against illegal searches.His October 2005 lawsuit was filed in a state court. The judge ruled in Johnston’s favor ordering an end to the searches. Next an appeal was filed and the Florida Court of Appeals, which agreed with the lower court ruling. Then the Tampa Sports Authority was able to remove the case to the federal court where a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge James D. Wittemore is soon to be published and appealed by whoever loses.
In the past three decades warrantless and random searching of Americans have become popular with an endless list of government officials citing terrorism as the excuse to suspend the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The paradox here is that terrorism is what facilitated the very existence of the USA.
We quickly created a Bill of Rights to protect American’s Freedom and Liberty. Our founding fathers were well aware of the death and destruction that terrorism brings when they crafted the right to Keep and Bear Arms and the protections from unreasonable searches.
We like to say that we fight wars to protect our Freedom and Liberty. While we fight cowardly little bureaucrats and politicians dilute and destroy the same Freedom and Liberty so many heroic young American men fought and died to preserve.
The outcome of this case could very well end the frisking at thousands of government buildings, airports and sports venues. Before you panic about the falling sky try to remember that we all survived and got along for the first 200 years of our existence by limiting government frisking to suspected and convicted criminals.
My hat goes off to Gordon Johnston for being a real example to his students by protecting our Constitutional rights, Freedom and Liberty. There’s hope yet to keep government out of our personal possessions and papers.
Update: July 28, 2006 U.S. District Court Judge James D. Wittemore ruled against the searches! Now the case coes to the U.S. Court of Appeals... Let Freedom Ring!
Comments
I support heavy security made of well-armed and trained officers. The unarmed and poorly trained or screened security guards let loose on airline passengers are truly worthless.
Routine frisking of Americans is very un-American.
Don't worry Andy, I'll protect you! You know I'm really Superman!
If that frightens you, then walk.
If you don't want to fight to save your own life and that of other family members, then walk.
If you want someone else to assume responsibility for your own personal safety, then move to the totalitarian state of your choice, but don't impose correctional facility procedures on me for the sake of timeliness and your personal traveling convenience.
No where in the Constitution does it say that purchasing an airline ticket is an automatic surrender of our protection against warrentless searches, but everyone seems to value their ability to get somewhere over their and our collective individual liberties.
signed: A Person Who Believes In The Constitution, not airline profits.
But the Bill of Rights still trumps everything!
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 U.S. Constitution we fight wars to protect. You know, a small part our Bill of Rights.
I see no exceptions listed allowing random government searches at sporting events, for people entering government buildings or taking plane rides.
If you are so afraid please stay home, watch the game on TV and walk instead of fly. Don't take MY rights away just because you are a true coward.
How did we ever survive without searching each other for the first 200 years in America?
The airlines are private companies but regulated by the government. Click on the hypertext and read the court’s order.
I'd much rather have my freedom from these unlawful searches and right to bear arms than getting searched like some prison convict returning from a chow hall.
I can protect myself, family and friends just fine without government's hands in my pants.
You must be lonley and need the fondling...:)