[WMCoolmon]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10740935/

So is there any kind of legal basis for this?

[Martinus]

I didn't really want to state the obvious in the last thread but I guess it won't do any harm.

What isn't legal they make legal 'for your own good'. It's the price you pay for living in the land of the free.

[Flipside]

Well, in the UK, I know that customs have the right to open packages from abroad, and they usually do an absolutely terrible job of doing it back up again, usually giving you a rather pathetically sellotaped, torn bundle with a Customs sticker on it). If they started doing this in the name of 'National Security', however, I'm not sure what the reaction would be.

[BlackDove]

Yet another test to see if the society has a backbone.

Results are negative yet again.

That's my opinion anyway.

[knn]

What isn't legal they make legal 'for your own good'. It's the price you pay for living in the land of the free.

Which is no longer the land of free

[an0n]

Packages - maybe. If they couldn't afford the scanner machines.

Letters - plain wrong.

[Kosh]

Yet another test to see if the society has a backbone.

Results are negative yet again.

That's my opinion anyway.

I agree 100%.

[karajorma]

Packages - maybe. If they couldn't afford the scanner machines.

Letters - plain wrong.

Exactly. The government has always had the right to inspect packages to ensure that smuggling isn't going on. I have no problem with that.

What's really galling about this case is that there was no probable cause to search the letter. Just the fact that it came from a certain country. No doubt the US is just doing random sampling on letters from those countries in the hope of catching something. Lets face it that's a ****ing stupid idea. I doubt that any terrorist is going to send a letter to another one saying anything that will be of any use when read at random. If the agent had a reason to suspect that this particular letter wasn't kosher then maybe they could scrutinise it hard enough to spot something but if they're only taking random samples with no follow up then they're wasting their time.

[aldo_14]

The problem seems to be that the US government seems to consider it more important to monitor personal correspondance than actually stop illicit objects getting into the country.  I mean, they still only scan a tiny percentage of sea cargo, don't they?  I don't know what they could even achieve by reading personal mail; if there is some evil spy-terrorist-nazi sending mail, they're hardly likely to write

'I, Adbul Muzzad Hizbollah (no 22 on Most Wanted list) wish to arrange a terrorist strike.  You can find nuclear bomb components at 21 East Street, New York - ask for Omar.  If you need the detailed plans, either meet me at my secret hidden lair in the Berlin Hilton (room 235, with the white drapes) where me and all my terrorist homeboys are hanging, or check my personal website at www.bombthewestbecausetheyaredirtyinfidels.aljazeera.net. 

PS. I have included a photograph and names of all your accomplaces, with directions to their houses.

Love
     Abdul'

[achtung]

You know what I find so funny about this?



That not a ****ing soul will do something about it.

Imagine if the U.S.'s forefathers could see this ****, they would be appauled.

[BlackDove]

Don't have to go back that far, only back to the 70ies.

They were hippies and junkies, but they camped out and endured the cold for their beliefs.

Today, it just seems like if people are fed and clothed and believe to be protected, they'll take anal probes if the government wants it.

Just like normal cattle (and not only Americans of course, I mean everyone).

[achtung]

I've had serious thoughts of staging a Revolution lately.

I hope the government doesn't see this.

[Admiral Nelson]

(an alarm clock goes off inside his case; the Man thumps it, unsuccessfully)

Officer:  Have you got an alarm clock in there, sir?

Man: No, no, heavens no, no... just vests. (he thumps the case and the alarm stops)

Officer: Sounded a bit like an alarm going off.

Man: Well it can't have been... it must be a vest, er, going off.

Officer: Going Off...

Clocks start ticking and chiming in the case. The man desperately thumps the case.) the case.

Man: All right, I confess, I'm a smuggler ... This whole case is crammed full of Swiss watches and clocks. I've been purposely trying to deceive Her Majesty's Customs and Excise. I've been a bloody fool.

Officer: I don't believe you, sir.

Man: It's true. I'm, er, guilty of smuggling.

Officer: Don't give me that, sir ... you couldn't smuggle a piece of greaseproof paper let alone a case full of watches.

[redsniper]

I've had serious thoughts of staging a Revolution lately.

Whoa, me too. Let's round up a private army, steal some tanks, and head to D.C.

[Deepblue]

That not a ****ing soul will do something about it.

Imagine if the U.S.'s forefathers could see this ****, they would be appauled.

But then the people would complain about a lack of government intervention and public funding.

In today's political climate, most of the founders would be Libertarian.

[Rictor]

So is there any kind of legal basis for this?

Absolutely; thanks for asking.

"When the President does it, that means that it is not illegal"

That's Nixon, by the way. It sure seemed to hae worked for him.