An Un-American Decision

To the Editor:

One wonders if there isn’t some irony in the very un-American decision made around the time in which we celebrate our independence. This decision was to allow drug-sniffing dogs into our schools; an act that only a few years ago would have been considered an intolerable violation of our Fourth Amendment rights. And what does it mean to be American?

Isn’t it our steadfast belief and undying support for our “inalienable” rights? To preserve our delicate and historically unique freedom for our children, shouldn’t we fight every attempt to deteriorate our rights for any reason? This new softened interpretation of the Bill of Rights appears to have become acceptable because of our war on terror, showing perhaps that Al-Qaida has succeeded in making America a little less American.  With this new decision teaching our children to be even more tolerant of an invasive government, what does America’s future hold?

Bill of Rights aside, in United States v. $30,060, the Ninth Circuit Court’s opinion cited reports showing that 75 percent to 90 percent of all circulated currency in Los Angeles is contaminated with cocaine residue. The court also recognized that cocaine can be easily transferred to nonusers by casual contact like shaking hands. So, it is not beyond reason to have some detectable drug residue while not being a drug user. What will be the repercussions to our children that are falsely accused? And knowing there is a chance to be falsely accused, how will our children feel about authorities bringing dogs in to sniff their possessions? What will they think of their parents? How would you feel toward your employer if they randomly brought dogs in to sniff you, your desk, and your car?

No matter how you spin it, bringing in a dog to sniff our children’s personal property is not a showing of respect. It might make them feel a little less comfortable about authorities and somewhat violated. It shows we can’t trust them. It might make them feel even more distant from us and shows that we just don’t understand or respect them. Fostering these attitudes just seems wrong in addressing core drug issues. Is our contribution to the deterioration of our rights the best we can to deal with drugs? Are these the lessons we want to teach our children?

Thomas Bast

7 Ridge Road, Newtown   July 19, 2006