I’m glad to see Americans concerned about police stopping people and asking to see their papers. Unfortunately, a lot of the debate has centered around the racial aspects of the Arizona’s immigration enforcement rather than the civil liberties violations.
Not that there isn’t a racial aspect to the Arizona law. If the subject was only about the civil liberty aspects, however, maybe people would see broader implication: People have to be prepared to prove to the police they are not breaking the law.
There have been several cash seizures by police where people have the option of forfeiting their cash or be arrested for money-laundering. Your money can be arrested if you are unable to prove it was obtained legally.
States that allow concealed firearms require you to carry the registration. Again, papers are needed to prove you are allowed to conduct a legal activity, rather than assuming a constitutionally protected right to defend yourself.
The idea of a needing to carry papers to prove you are not doing anything illegal is not new–however, the idea we shouldn’t be considered guilty unless we can prove innocence is new to some.
