03 February 2005
SD Senate Plows "Open Fields" Under
The Argus (among others) reports the SD Senate decided not to support the so-called Open Fields Law. This happened in spite of support for the act by our fave, Sen. Lee Schoenbeck, who thought it was just fine to keep an unlimited license for the GF&P Wardens to roam at will, to search for possible malefactors, with or without ANY probable cause. At least Sen. Schoenbeck is consistant in his pursuit of a diminution of the private citizen, as government becomes ever more powerful.
Last week, he was pushing a scheme to reduce and limit freedom of political speech by lessening the rights of citizens to exercise their speech in the public arena by spending cash to (shudder, cringe) actually speak out, EVEN IN OPPOSITION to their duly elected leaders, such as Sen. Schoenbeck. Now he comes advocating the right of the state to search anywhere except possibly inside your house, without a warrent, anytime, anyplace. to insure that alles in ordnung! At least the Senate narrowly voted this down.
DISCLAIMER: I hunt. I also own and live on the land. As a sportsman, I want to see the game regs properly enforced, & I feel a sense of betrayal when those laws are flouted. Likewise, I do NOT think that the good Wardens (and any other enforcement officials) should have the kind of carte blanche access this law would have granted. Probable cause is a reasonable standard of protection in this case - it gives the officers scope to act when needed, and still pays respect to the rights of the property owner, which have been eroded far too much in recent years.
I guess we're supposed to have faith in the wisdom of the government - but historically the record indicates that INEVITABLY, as government accumulates more and more power, it tends to become abusive of that power. Go back and read Tom Paine & the Declaration of Independence to see how this can happen.
It makes one wonder what's next. It brings to mind an old quote I read once - I think from Daniel Webster (but I could be wrong): " Now is the time when men bow their heads and work quietly in their fields, and women weep softly over their looms. The legislature is in session, and no man's property is safe!"
Last week, he was pushing a scheme to reduce and limit freedom of political speech by lessening the rights of citizens to exercise their speech in the public arena by spending cash to (shudder, cringe) actually speak out, EVEN IN OPPOSITION to their duly elected leaders, such as Sen. Schoenbeck. Now he comes advocating the right of the state to search anywhere except possibly inside your house, without a warrent, anytime, anyplace. to insure that alles in ordnung! At least the Senate narrowly voted this down.
DISCLAIMER: I hunt. I also own and live on the land. As a sportsman, I want to see the game regs properly enforced, & I feel a sense of betrayal when those laws are flouted. Likewise, I do NOT think that the good Wardens (and any other enforcement officials) should have the kind of carte blanche access this law would have granted. Probable cause is a reasonable standard of protection in this case - it gives the officers scope to act when needed, and still pays respect to the rights of the property owner, which have been eroded far too much in recent years.
I guess we're supposed to have faith in the wisdom of the government - but historically the record indicates that INEVITABLY, as government accumulates more and more power, it tends to become abusive of that power. Go back and read Tom Paine & the Declaration of Independence to see how this can happen.
It makes one wonder what's next. It brings to mind an old quote I read once - I think from Daniel Webster (but I could be wrong): " Now is the time when men bow their heads and work quietly in their fields, and women weep softly over their looms. The legislature is in session, and no man's property is safe!"
