February 28th, 2008
Boston’s ‘Safe Homes’ Initiative Isn’t About Safety
When the government wants to take away our rights, it conceals its intent with the assurance that it simply wants to make us safe. The Boston Police Department’s “Safe Homes Initiative” sounds unobjectionable — who doesn’t want a safe home? — but it’s important to look behind the marketing to understand what’s really motivating the Boston police.
On the surface —- as with virtually all government actions diminishing liberty —- the initiative appears benign. The program is “designed” to help parents who have so little control over their children that they cannot —- or do not want to —- search their rooms to discover if their young charges are hiding firearms in their homes. Boston’s police chief, Edward Davis, graciously has agreed to fill this parental void by sending teams of officers to the homes of parents with children the police or other “community members” believe might be harboring hidden firearms. The “search teams” would then ask the parent or “other responsible adult” (whomever that might be) at the home for consent to search for guns.
Once they have permission for a warrantless search, all is fair game. Playing the “be afraid of guns” card for hopes of a bonus pay-off, it looks like to me.
Read both links. When the government does something for your “safety,” an initial reaction of skepticism is probably best.
Via Instapundit.
Tags: MA
