Big Brother in ENC

By William R. Toler

It’s amazing to think about the liberties we give up to make ourselves feel safe. Not really amazing…more like apalling.

Newschannel 12 reported last week on a 52-camera system set up by the Greenville Police Dept. Authorities say that it helps with crime prevention but failed to give any specific examples.

The new system was also purported as a way to save money. “We can now take one person to do the job of 10-15 police officers on the street,” said Lt. Ted Sauls. However the department plans to hire additional officers to monitor the spy-cam system while increasing the number of cameras to 200 around the city.

Several people interviewed said they were concerned that the cameras are going too far and are invasion of privacy. One person even said she would think differently about what she wore, how she looked, what she does and who she’s with.

Hair-brained school makes student shave ‘gang symbol’ design

By William R. Toler

ELIZABETH CITY–Jay Cowell was told by school officals to get another haircut because they said he had gang symbols etched into his head.

Cowell, an eighth-grader at River Road Middle school, had a moon and star design shaved into his head, but was forced to change it before returning to school.

Natasha Cowell, the boy’s mother, isn’t too happy about her son being accused of being in a gang. She told the Daily Advance that school officials had previously questioned her about the possibilty of gang affiliation because he wore a red shirt to school.

Buy the mile?

By William R. Toler

North Carolinians could face a draconian driving tax if the politicians have their way.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the state of North Carolina is considering implementing a tax on every mile driven to make up for sinking gas tax revenues. This is in addition to the 29.9 cents per gallon the state charges as a gas tax…the highest in the southeast.

The state would charge .25 cent per mile with the first 2000 miles being free. The tax would be calculated according to odometer readings taken during vehicle inspections…in the begining anyway. The proposal includes using Global Posistioning System technology to track mileage. This is where privacy advocates draw the line.

Government takes aim at ammo

By William R. Toler

The popular pro-gun phrase “You can have my gun…bullets first” may be the first step to severely dismantling the Second Amendment.

The Ammunition Accountabiltity Act is being introduced in 18 states, including North Carolina neighbors South Carolina and Tennessee.

On the surface, especially to those not passionate about the Second Amendment, the Ammuntion Accountabilty Act sounds like a good idea in helping law enforcement officials track down criminals. But it imposes even more restrictions and data mining than we’re already dealing with.

Police brutality, false arrest at Wal-Mart

By Corey Friedman

Wal-Mart surveillance video will show an Illinois man violently wrestled to the ground and handcuffed by a store security guard after he refused to hand over his receipt for a door search.

Michael J. Phelan, a town alderman from Berwyn, Ill., was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly scuffling with an off-duty Chicago police officer who was working as a private security guard in the Forest Park, Ill. Wal-Mart Supercenter on July 27. The guard, Louis Jones, claims Phelan refused to show his receipt and resisted his attempt to handcuff him.

Phelan told IndieRegister.com that he showed Jones his receipt but refused to hand it to him. He is contesting the disorderly conduct charge and said Wal-Mart has caused his court appearance to be delayed because it has failed to turn over store surveillance tapes in a timely manner.

By their very nature, retail receipt checks are voluntary. Store employees can ask to see a shopper’s receipt or look through his purchases, but customers can decline to be searched.

Under state shoplifting laws, stores cannot detain you unless they have probable cause or reasonable suspicion — depending on your state — to believe you’ve committed a crime. Both are established legal standards that require some sort of evidence.

Cow farts cause fuss

By William R. Toler

Farmers could face an extra tax for flautulence. Not theirs of course…but that of their animals.

The Associated Press reported last month that farm groups across the nation are worried that the government will levy a tax on livestock  based on a 2007 Supreme Court ruling animals are emitting greenhouse gasses that are causing “Global Warming.”

Farmers could pay $175 per dairy cow,  $87.50 each for beef cattle and $20 a head per hog, based on federal ag department figures according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Cussing at cop was free speech

By Corey Friedman

The thin blue line provides no protection from a blue streak.

The South Dakota Supreme Court has ruled that a man’s vulgar tirade against a Brookings, S.D. police officer was protected speech under the First Amendment. The man was charged with disorderly conduct after he shouted profanities at a passing patrol car.

Justices found that Marcus J. Suhn’s foulmouthed jeering didn’t cross the threshold of “fighting words,” which are not protected by the Constitution.

While it’s never advisable to cuss out a cop, using a vulgar word to express disagreement is — in most cases — constitutionally protected, according to legal experts at the First Amendment Center and American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina.

We should mind our tempers and watch our mouths, but salty language should never be enough to land you in the pokey.