Opinion
Talking Openly About Life
Sharing Thoughts On Controversial Issues
"The public is the only critic whose opinion is worth anything at all."—Mark Twain
Controverisal subjects that touch on somtimes sensitive and adult topics. Your opinions and contributions to this section are valued, but we ask that all comments be appropriate and responsible. Having real deabte and discussion on tough subject matters is something we can all grow from, and that is why the editors at the GPS Tracker Shop have created this opinion news section.
Does The Government Monitor People
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GPS Tracking Laws Could Be Changing Soon
As soon as it appears there is a little clarity when it comes to law enforcement departments using GPS trackers to monitor potential "criminals" a curve ball comes out of left field that signals things may be changing yet again. For those who don't find GPS tracking technology news to be edge of your seat fun, the story starts out with police and government agencies using vehicle trackers to conduct surveillance on those they suspected were involved in a crime. Basically by attaching a small real-time tracker or data logger to the car of the suspect the police agency would have both a cost-effective and accurate way of determining where that suspect went. This helped lead to the arrest of thousands of criminals. The only problem was that it also just invaded the privacy rights of so many others not committing crimes. That left the practice of GPS tracking to be very controversial and it was only a matter of time before the highest courts in the nation reviewed the practice to see if it did indeed infringe on the Fourth Amendment rights of Americans. The Supreme Court voted 5-4 that rights were violated through the use of car tracking systems and that police and government agencies should first be required to obtain a warrant before using any GPS device for surveillance. With the landmark ruling it appeared as though the precedent was set and new guidelines would have to be adhered by, that is until the most recent news that the federal government may be considering passing legislation to allow for warrant-less GPS tracking.
According to a recent report first released by technology website Wired, the Obama administration believes that warrant-less GPS tracking is a practice that only helps catch bad guys. But then again why would an administration that supports drone surveillance and the attacking of Americans without due process really care if a few good guys have their constitutional rights violated?
The article states the Obama administration believing that the process of gathering a warrant can interfere and complicate the investigative process, and they have even went as far to suggest that stopping warrant-less GPS tracking would actually hurt the fight against terrorists. Maybe requiring a warrant and establishing probable cause before placing a GPS tracker on a automobile might result in a slightly slower (emphasis on slightly) investigative process, but at least it protects the innocent from having their rights violated. Because if 100 innocent people have to have their rights violated in order for one person to be arrested is that really justice?
The Obama administration goes on to say that since many of the cases do not involve hard-wiring of real-time GPS trackers to the target vehicle that they are not intrusive. This is because many tracking devices now come with surface magnets that make it easy to simply slap the tracker underneath the target vehicle. However, the fact that the attachment of the GPS tracker may not be intrusive does not change the obvious truth that without establishing any form of probable cause that the application of satellite technology is clearly infringing on the Fourth Amendment rights of any American being targeted. This method of surveillance creates an atmosphere where the government or police agencies can essentially take the law into their own hands regardless of what the Constitution states.
Most Americans want to give police every tool possible to be successful at reducing crime and eliminating deviant behavior, but this can be done without stepping all over the Constitution and our Fourth Amendment rights. By creating legislation that not only goes against a Supreme Court decision but also changes the way government and police authorities can track Americans is simply unacceptable. The Obama administration should be ashamed for even suggesting warrant-less GPS tracking is a positive thing.
Will Sandy Hook Shootings Force Gun Control?
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Who Is Really Accountable?
There is absolutely no way in really understanding the tragic events that happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School. When a clear lunatic takes a weapon and intentionally harms innocent children the entire country is left looking for answers. Answers to why these horrific acts occurred. Answers to how this type of thing could be prevented in the future.
The initial response by some in society is to blame the devices used to perpetuate these crimes: firearms. This is a very strange phenomenon that seems to only apply when acts of violence are committed with guns. When a individual goes to a tavern, orders drinks all throughout the night, gets behind the wheel of a car and then hits and kills another motorist, who does society blame?
Is it the tavern owner for serving the patron throughout the night?
Is it the alcohol producers who push for responsible drinking but know damn well a large portion of their market abuses their product?
Is it the automobile that drove into the other motorist?
In fact it is none of the above mentioned because the responsibility falls upon the actual person who is to blame, the individual. This is because the individual is the one who chose to drink knowing alcohol consumption would impair motor abilities. It is the individual who should have known they were unable to operate their automobile. And it is the individual who was the one who crashed their vehicle into another vehicle resulting in a casualty.
This is what is known as logic.
Julian Assange Asylum Update
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Political Rhetoric Rising over WikiLeaks Founder
Whether you agree that Julian Assange is a defender of the principles surrounding freedom of information or you believe his WikiLeaks platform is simply a product designed to promote espionage, one thing is certain: this guy won't get a fair trial wherever he goes. This has been made abundantly clear by the way the British government has been handling his extradition case. A case that has captured the attention of the global media, and that now focuses on a Ecuadorian embassy sitting in the middle of the UK.
Julian Assange was due to be extradited to Sweden where he was to face sexual assault charges. Charges that Assange vehemently denies and states were manufactured all in a conspiracy to eventually have the WikiLeaks founder eventually extradited to the United States. If Assange were sent to the United States he would likely face numerous serious charges related to national security and espionage. Charges that could have Assange facing life in prison.
While in London going through a number of different legal appeal processes it eventually became clear that the British government, one of the United States' closest allies, would move forward with the extradition process. This left Assange with no other option be to seek refuge in a Ecuadorian embassy where he would seek political asylum. Political asylum he was granted by the Ecuadorian government earlier today. Although it would appear that this case should be closed since international law trumps local law, this has not stopped the British government from suggesting they would storm the embassy to take custody of Assange.
Chicken Sandwich Company Controversy
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Would You Like Bigotry With Your Crappy Chicken Sandwich?
For all of the many "positive" things that the people at Chik-Fil-A have done and continue to do in terms of charitable contributions, one fact still remains very clear: the corporate suits behind the fast food chains have the type of archaic cognitive patterns that retard progress of society. And unfortunately, this most obvious form of bigotry overshadows any and all good things that the company gets involved with.
As most readers are probably well aware, Chik-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy made national news headlines when he made comments defending the so-called "traditional values" of marriage. Cathy, the man who essentially oversees 1,600 Chik-Fil-A restaurants nationwide, was very vocal in his interview where he preached about upholding the biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman. But the comments that are a direct slap in the face of gay rights and gay marriage activists really are no surprise to anyone who actually follows where the company donates their money. This is because through the companies' primary charity organization, the WinShape Foundation, the company has spent millions of dollars trying to ban gay marriage, or provide funds to other agencies that literally are advocating a "cure" for homosexual behavior.
Text Message Jaywalking Fine
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Fort Lee, NJ Showcases What Is Wrong With This Country
The sending and receiving of text messages is an epidemic that is no longer isolated to social butterfly teens wanting to share the latest gossip with classmates and friends. Everybody texts now. In fact, more people are opting to use SMS as the primary form of communication with many friends and family members. Although everybody can agree that texting while driving is a serious issue that can have fatal repercussions, is texting while walking something that law enforcement should really be focusing energy and resources on? Well according to a new law passed in Fort Lee, New Jersey the answer is sadly yes.
Lawmakers in Fort Lee recently decided that they would apply a fine to any persons walking while texting, describing the action as "dangerous walking behavior". The crackdown has already resulted in over 120 citations since the new legislation took effect in the middle of March, with the cost per citation being $85. Although the city states that the legislation was developed with the intention of promoting safety, all the law shows is the growing trend of government trying to micromanage the behavior of people.
"When did texting while walking become such a lethal problem that it actually required the attention of lawmakers to waste time allocating police resources", explained a opinion writer for GPS Tracker Shop. "Last time I checked, murderers, rapists, child molesters, identity thieves, car jackers and other criminals were the ones impacting the community in a negative way. The political forces in the city of Fort Lee who wasted everyone's time with this ludicrous law should be impeached, and the city should get back to focusing on stopping actual criminal activity."