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[Sandy <72114.1712@CompuServe.COM>]

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  SANDY SANDFORT               Reply to:  ssandfort@attmail.com
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Cypherpunks,

Duncan Frissell's experience with the "drain police" reminded me
of a similar experience I had some years ago.  I found out that
the "building police" in Kansas City would be inspecting homes in
my neighborhood looking for "code violations."  I had put in some
electrical plugs without benefit of an electrician.  Also, I was
still in law school, so naturally I felt like raising some
(legal) hell with the Powers That Be.

When the inspector showed up, I said "no thank you" when he asked
if he could inspect my house.  If I had poll-axed him, he
couldn't have looked more surprised.  Apparently, nobody had
*ever* said "no."

After he recovered, he asked me why not.  I mentioned the Fourth
Amendment and the -See- and -Camara- decisions in the Supreme
Court.  He never came back.

I won't go into the embarrassing story of the one time I did
cooperate with the police.  Suffice it to say, I regretted it.
Both events, however, have made it clear to me that it is almost
always stupid to cooperate with the cops.

To be truthful, I strongly considered leaving out the word
*almost* in the previous sentence.  I'm afraid some of you will
outsmart yourself by thinking you can control a law enforcement
situation with "clever" cooperation.  Dream on.  If you aren't a
lawyer, it is very likely you will fuck yourself.

But shouldn't you cooperate for the little things, especially
when you know you are clean?  No, no, no, for two reasons.
First, I are you sure you are clean in the officials eyes?  The
one time I cooperated, the fact that I had 3-4 $100 bills on my
dresser made it into the cops report (though he did add, "no
other signs of drug dealing").  Are you *sure* you're clean?

Second, it's great practice.  You have a right to require a valid
warrant.  These guys (nominally) work for you.  Enjoy yourself;
make them jump through some hoops for you.  Rights are like
muscles, if you don't exercise them, they atrophy.

Use it, or loose it!

 S a n d y

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