July, 2010

Census worker finds new way to count jail inmates

Where does one law end and another one begins?  America has long had tension between state laws and federal laws.  Now the feds are busy trying to spring one of their own from a state jail.  US Census worker Russell Haas was reported by the Huffington Post to have been arrested by Hawaii County police for trying to count someone in the census.  Federal law says everyone gets counted.  State laws say you cannot trespass on another’s property.  When Mr. Hass entered the residential property of a Big Island resident, he let himself in through a closed-but-unlocked gate.  The property owner ordered him to leave.  Mr. Haas apparently said he would leave but by federal law the resident had to first take the census form.  He refused, but instead called the police.  The police arrived, allegedly crumpled the census form on Mr. Haas’ chest, handcuffed him, and took him to jail for trespassing.  The property owner has not been identified other than that he works for the Hawaii County Police Department.

4th of July: It all started with a divorce

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

…when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.