“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable search 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 following quotation, referring to the rights contained in the IV Amendment to the United States Constitution, was written in 1949.
“ These, I protest, are not mere second-class rights but belong in the catalog of indispensable freedoms. Among deprivations of rights, none is so effective in cowing a population, crushing the spirit of the individual and putting terror in every heart. Uncontrolled search and seizure is one of the first and most effective weapons in the arsenal of arbitrary government. And one need only briefly to have dwelt and worked among people possessed of many admirable qualities but deprived of these rights to know that human personality deteriorates and dignity and self-reliance disappear where homes, persons and possessions are subject at any hour to unheralded search and seizure by the police.”
Discuss your thinking and answer each of the 3 questions below.
- What message is the writer trying to convey?
- How do you feel about the concerns raised?
- Do you agree? Disagree? Explain the basis of your reasoning.
