The United States has a lot of problems, but hey, at least we have that wonderful thing called the Fourth Amendment.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
I’m not too terribly convinced that the U.S. government abides by it, though. 
But at least we do HAVE it.
Far as I know, there’s nothing like it in the United Kingdom, is there? Which is why it is so easy for the wicked government there to do things like this:
State to ‘spy’ on every phone call, email and web search
Every phone call, text message, email and website visit made by private citizens is to be stored for a year and will be available for monitoring by government bodies.All telecoms companies and internet service providers will be required by law to keep a record of every customer’s personal communications, showing who they have contacted, when and where, as well as the websites they have visited.
Despite widespread opposition to the increasing amount of surveillance in Britain, 653 public bodies will be given access to the information, including police, local councils, the Financial Services Authority, the ambulance service, fire authorities and even prison governors.
They will not require the permission of a judge or a magistrate to obtain the information, but simply the authorisation of a senior police officer or the equivalent of a deputy head of department at a local authority.
Ministers had originally wanted to store the information on a single government-run database, but chose not to because of privacy concerns.
However the Government announced yesterday it was pressing ahead with privately held “Big Brother” databases that opposition leaders said amounted to “state-spying” and a form of “covert surveillance” on the public.
It is doing so despite its own consultation showing that it has little public support.
Yow! And please don’t any trolls come here and complain, “Well, you have nothing to worry about if you aren’t doing anything wrong.” That reason is so inept and milquetoast that it makes minds meld into scrambled eggs when hearing it. It doesn’t MATTER if you are doing nothing wrong. It is the PRINCIPLE of the matter. We have the right- the God-given right as endowed by our Creator- to be secure in our persons and personal effects. Government has NO RIGHT to spy on us, especially when there is nothing for which to suspect us.
Is it any wonder that George Orwell was from Britain?
12. November 2009 at 11:01 pm
I think that the idea is for companies that supply emails, etc hold on to sent and received mails for twelve months in case - Heaven help - any person should be found to be caught in the act of Treason. Although you may not think that this will affect you I should imagine that if anyone were caught commiting a terrorist act then even in the US information would be requested from all quarters to find out if a citizen were innocent or guilty of such a terrible crime.
There are still people who believe that their activity online is totally secure for all time but anyone with a little knowledge can tap into cast off hard drives and retrieve deleted information. Not to mention the amount of equipment that can literally read whatever a person may be typing at any given moment.
12. November 2009 at 11:21 pm
I often fantasize about moving someday, but it sure won’t be to my roots in London!
13. November 2009 at 1:56 am
I just love that word “milquetoast”. It expresses so much. What was it you were talking about? I got distracted.
13. November 2009 at 8:52 am
When the government can twist anything we say, that is scary. They keep talking about how the guy at Ft. Hood should have been investigated before he was able to kill 13 people, well, we do have rights. I don’t want to lose my business just because I send an email to some weirdo with connections to Al Queda. It is a fine line that the government must walk.
13. November 2009 at 10:47 am
Britain is finished. If I ever make the money I’m leaving. The fact is unless the next government decides to implement civil liberties, which I sorely doubt, I will not be alone in my decision. The truth is we are an over crowded country run by an unelected prime minister with near presidential powers, there are an average 14 CCTV cameras per ‘subject’ (yes we are not citizens just serfs), the corporations and the rich are protected, whilst the fast rising masses have no legal protection (unless we start a revolution which again is a rarity in our subservient population).
13. November 2009 at 11:39 am
Polly- I don’t believe for a second that any of these Big Brother tactics is to fight crime or to find traitors. It’s to control the populace. And THEY are the real traitors. But you knew that…
akaGaGa- For the first time in my life, I am actually singing, “God save the queen.” Wow.
Jan- oh, never mind. You live in the UK, right? Better we not talk about it too much. ;)
Karen- you know as well as I that the government AND the media has perverted that Fort Hood story. The government does not need to destroy the Constitution and our liberties to “fight terror.” It’s a lie.
Paul- I wish you well. I would wish that I could invite you to New York State, but it’s getting pretty bad here, too. Maybe Antarctica?
13. November 2009 at 11:08 pm
Well I hate to disappoint one and all. I live in Britain - I love living in Britain. We have people of every colour, every creed, every religion, every height, etc. Perhaps I have been fortunate but over the years I have worked with people who have originated from other areas of the world. Most are really lovely. They are interesting to converse with, helpful, funny and nice to know. My life has been enriched by them and I am glad that I have come to know them.
Just because there are a few people who may not have been born in our countries who have been brainwashed and have become dangerous. It doesn’t mean that everyone who may be slighly different in either their appearance or their traditions should be viewed as bad.
There are those of you who may not think Britain is a lovely place but at least it isn’t legal to carry guns and knives here. We do not put people to death - we do not flog or stone people - we do not have corporal punishment - we have moved into the 21st Century.
I live in Britain, in the present and I love it -
You speak of liberties but in reality you will never have liberty until you have freedom and you can never have freedom whilst people can purchase guns as though they were chocolate bars.
14. November 2009 at 12:36 am
Interesting, Polly. I’ve been puzzling over your last rant and trying to decide what it has to do with Britain’s spying on its own subjects, and the only thing I can come up with is this:
Your mother wears combat boots.
Am I close?
15. November 2009 at 10:44 pm
Pretty scary, isn’t it?
Uh, Polly, it’s a lot easier to purchase chocolate, not to mention cheaper. And it doesn’t matter, because it’s still our second amendment. Even if you take away that amendment, there still will be problems since most of the crimes committed are done with ILLEGAL guns.