You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that, it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.Rahm Emanuel
Privacy is something that people inherently understand. In dealings with other people, with respect to privacy, we operate in a socially acceptable manner and suffer the personal consequences of our indiscretions. In dealings with private agencies, we choose to waive certain amounts of privacy for a perceived benefit. Private agencies that breach the implied duty to protect our privacy suffer the business consequences of their failures. With respect to government agencies, however, there is a unique circumstance because the people have delegated to government agencies their collective power to initiate force in their own defense.
In today's world, when government agencies have virtually unlimited resources and use the power initiate force for any reason of their choosing, the people are virtually powerless to protect their fundamental rights. Government agencies need to be put back inside their limited-power boxes.
I can already hear the nay-sayers. I'll address their arguments in future articles.
The intent in writing the Privacy Amendment is for it to be a lightning rod for discourse at the local, state, and federal level.
It's not really that complicated. Government agencies have no authority to violate the right of the People to privacy. For those who consent to waive their right, I wish them well. But for those who have a deep and abiding belief that some principles are worth standing up for, I offer this glimmer of hope.
