Obama Supports DNA Samples For Arrests
By Wyatt Earp | March 15, 2010
Oh, this isn’t just for felonies like murder and rape. The president wants law enforcement to take DNA samples from every person arrested for every crime – even if there is not a conviction.
Barack Hussein Obama, taking a dump on the Constitution.
Josh Gerstein over at Politico sent Threat Level his piece underscoring once again President Barack Obama is not the civil-liberties knight in shining armor many were expecting.
Gerstein posts a televised interview of Obama and John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted. The nation’s chief executive extols the virtues of mandatory DNA testing of Americans upon arrest, even absent charges or a conviction. Obama said, “It’s the right thing to do” to “tighten the grip around folks” who commit crime.
When it comes to civil liberties, the Obama administration has come under fire for often mirroring his predecessor’s practices surrounding state secrets, the Patriot Act and domestic spying. Now there’s DNA sampling. Obama told Walsh he supported the federal government, as well as the 18 states that have varying laws requiring compulsory DNA sampling of individuals upon an arrest for crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But Wyatt, you are a police officer with a ‘hanging judge’ mindset. Why would you be against this?”
If the president said he was for taking DNA samples from people arrested for felonies, I would probably be on board. I would definitely be on board for those arrested and convicted of felonies. But when Obama threw misdemeanors into the mix, I jumped off the bandwagon. Are we going to take DNA samples from shoplifters? From people locked up for marijuana possession? Puh-lease.
This doesn’t pass the smell test, and for someone who claims to be a constitutional law professor, he sure seems to know little about the document.
Topics: Politics | 16 Comments »
“…and for someone who claims to be a constitutional law professor, he sure seems to know little about the document.”
Amen! Maybe he needs a refresher course.
I have to disagree with you. We already fingerprint people charged with misdemeanors and felonies (and shoplifters and marijuana possessors). Law enforcement should use the same guidelines with taking DNA samples as they do with fingerprints. A swab in someone’s mouth would take only a fraction of the time it takes to fingerprint him.
I don’t buy the “unreasonable search” argument. Every time we use a fork at a restaurant, or use a public toilet, we leave our DNA behind.
The public good that taking DNA samples from those arrested far outweighs privacy rights, IMHO.
Who is going to pay for my DNA test when I get pinched by five-o for jaywalking?
Clady – But this time we can get a real professor to teach it.
Wagonsux – Normally, I would agree with you. But if you had any idea how many bad arrests come to us in my division, you would think twice, too. We release more than a few arrestees because the cops are clueless as to what’s a crime and what’s not.
Mrs. Crankipants – I think jaywalkers should get the chair. Heh.
Between this and Chucky Shumer’s National ID Card with RFID and GPS capability, We the People will soon be We the Enslaved.
NO NO NO NO NO!!! I will not surrender my personal liberty or freedom of movement nor voluntarily give over my DNA just to make it harder for “some folks” to commit crime.
This is the “slippery slope” of dictatorship, and I won’t have it!
By demanding DNA any time someone is arrested (and don’t be surprised if that starts happening with alarming frequency), there is an assumption being made that the person is a potential criminal, even though they have not been convicted of anything. Why don’t we just get blank warrants for everyone, also, just in case they might break the law some day?
Personally, I think it’s just an excuse to get everyone’s DNA in a government database.
National Health Care will make it manditory to carry an ID Card to show you are paying for health care. How else could that program work? Having the centralized National Health Records Data Base will give them access to all you health care records and once they get their the nose of their camel under the flap of that tent, the DNA profile will be the next part of the lab work done and you will be in the data base. The more the Government takes care of you, the more they will have control of you. All in the name of having the Government guarantee your civil rights to freedom, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. MUD
Did I say that I’ll keep my dollars and you can keep the change! MUD
Aren’t traffic violations classified as misdemeanors? Most are less than 6 months and/or a fine per the definition, guess this would include traffic tickets. What about little johnny who brings a toy gun 2 inches long to school with zero tolerance for small plastic weapons and they call the police. Does he give up DNA? Slippery slope here peeps. I agree with wyatt..felonies, oh yah..misdemeanors, nope.
The Commies are coming! The Commies are coming! Oh, they’re already here.
The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Chicken Little is here too.
Settler: Injuns!!! Quick pull the wagons into a circle!!
Indian: Why do you always do that?
Settler: Get better reception that way. Mind if we put
this antenna on yon mountain?
Indian: But thats our sacred mountain!
Settler: Well, this is our sacred antenna!!
Don’t know why this post reminded me of that Firesign
Theatre skit.
In Cali, traffic violations are infractions resulting in citation only not arrest. So no finger print or DNA needed. I am on the fence on this one. I am not that worried about privacy rights because we pretty much have none any more. Visa and American Express know pretty much everything I do and if they don’t then AT&T knows where I am through my cell phone all the time.
Randal – One big difference; Chicken Little doesn’t occupy the White House. Obama and his marxist minions, however, do.
Free beer to anyone who can prove that Obama actually graduated from Cambridge Law School as he claims.
1oldleg – Again, for felons, I’m probably there, but for all arrests regardless of a conviction? Nope.
BobG – I do, too, and I don’t think the good outweighs the bad here.
MUD – Hopefully, ObamaCare will fail. Big time.
Jon – Traffic violations are summaries in PA for minor offenses, but other violations can be upgraded to misdemeanors. Same thing with shoplifting and disorderly conduct.
Minuteman26 – Socialist, not a Communist. There’s a difference.
Randal – Doesn’t much matter for me, since my prints and information are on file with the department. But what happens to someone who blows a red light and smashes into another occupied vehicle? DNA swab, coming up!
Ingineer66 – Harder to track the cell, though. We’ve tried to do that for felons before, and the phone company can only get us to within a mile.
Minuteman26 – I just want him out of there before ObamaCare is implemented. I think it is the most dangerous and freedom-curtailing piece of legislation in a long, long time.
Mike47 – It’s already been proven that was was not a constitutional law professor. He was merely a “guest lecturer.”