We start off the day with some good news. Thanks to the D/FW Fish Fry, TheTexas Independence Day Freedom Rally, The support from the Legion Ridersof Channelview, Membership and other donations this month we are getting back on an even financial footing. This month we have:
Paid the back months on Warrior Printing,
Paid off the credit card,
Paid the past due taxes, interest and penalties for 2004,
Ordered and paid for 300 membership patches and;
paid this month's regular bills. Thanks to everyone who put in so much effort to make this possible.
The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that law officers could not enter a home when one resident says yes and the other says no. To do so they must have a search warrant or witness visible signs of physical abuse. They finally seem to have gotten something right.
You are probably aware of the big push to arrest patrons of bars for public intoxication with the excuse they are stopping them from driving while intoxicated. This explanation simply does not hold water in the opinion of this old man. What ever happened to the big push for a designated driver? There is no requirement that you receive a breath or blood test in the case of a P.I. charge. It is your word against the officer and you well know whose word stands up in court.
This is simply about money. A $500 fine for the Public Intoxication charge is a boon to officers who just sit around and decide for themselves who to arrest. One would think that the bar owners would be screaming to high heaven and filing lawsuits right and left. To the best of my knowledge that has not happened and you may be thinking as you read this that this is not anything we need to be dealing with. I don't go to bars and drink so like so many issues we have addressed and corrected in the past it doesn't affect me personally.
My concern has nothing to do with just being arrested in bars. Anyone reading this realizes that bikers are the most targeted group for police observation. It is not uncommon to have law enforcement officers congregate at the entrance to a Rally and harass those attending theRally. Consider this scenario. You are hosting a Rally and even if you arenot actually selling beer or liquor they have undercover cops register to come in and start busting anyone they consider to have had too much to drink. Unless you have been living in a different world than I you know this is a possibility if not a probability if it is allowed to go uncontested.
If you have the same concerns as I about this being as bad a situation as passage of the Patriot Act then it would be well to begin a dialogue with your state legislators and candidates for these offices now. I most certainly will address the issue with my Senator and Rep. I shall also be talking with all of them during the upcoming special session on education financing. If you don't agree this could be a problem then just do nothing and we shall see who was right.
Sputnik
