A question on the Patriot Act.

I was recently in an argument with an individual on the use of the Patriot Act. He argued that if you are pulled over by a law enforcement officer for some traffic violation that your car can and may be searched do to the power granted by the Patriot act.

I argued that the Patriot Act dealt with suspicion of terrorism and not localized crimes. That unless you had been suspected of terrorism the officer could not invoke the powers granted by the Patriot Act, however he could search your car by the abuse of other powers.

His response was that all criminals have worked to lower the status of the community and make it a more dangerous place therefore are terrorists.

My answer was that All terrorist are criminals but not all criminals are terrorists. I said that the patriot act was a federal order and had to be federally approved in order for it to be administered.

I ask you if I was correct in thinking so and what truly are the boundaries of the Patriot Act.

-mizar

This isn't necessarily a Patriot Act matter. A cop can search you and your vehicle if he has "probable cause". Basically, if he has a feeling that you "might" have a bag of marijuana hidden under your seats, he can rip them out and pretty much dig through your entire car, and then leave. There is no punishment for him if he's wrong. He can merely say he had "probable cause" or he can say that you were acting suspicious.

Few policemen abuse this, but still, it's always a possibility. However, I believe this is just part of the law, and not a Patriot Act provision.

I'm sorry but two a couple was recently arrested for kissing on a plain under the patriot act.

a student was tasered in the public library because he wouldn't show ID



say goodbye to your freedoms.

Petty criminals have been identified under the Patriot Act as terrorists with the justification that the money terrorists are laundering is laundered through the petty criminal underground and not by the big banks and corporations laundering the money of richer criminals.

Which means that everyone with a record of petty crimes is subject to being labeled a terrorist and any self-officious officer who decides he doesn't like your bumper sticker can search your car.


[edit on 8-12-2006 by clearwater]

In our world today, I could see a cop doing that, that's if they know what the patriot act is. Even if you are pulled over and a cop invokes "probable cause", you can lock your door and refuse to let them search. At least if they are going to rip apart your car, the cop would have to get a warrant first.

Actually that student got tasered because he wouldn't leave, after failing to produce the required ID and being told that he couldn't stay in the Library without it. Getting belligerent with the cops didn't help his case either.