First DNA testing. Then....and then.....and then....

"It may be wise, as the court obviously believes, to make the Leviathan all-seeing, so that he may protect us all the better. But the proud men who wrote the charter of our liberties would not have been so eager to open their mouths for royal inspection. I dissent."

These are the words of Antonin Scalia, who yesterday was one of four Supreme Court justices, that dissented in the 5-4 ruling that allows the police to DNA test us without a warrant if we are a suspect in a "serious" crime.

And here it begins.

 

Remember when there was no legal requirement to wear a seat belt?  Then came laws saying we had to wear it or get ticket - but only if we were stopped for doing something else.  Now, we can be stopped and ticketed just for the refusal to protect ourselves from a wreck.  It does not matter that we own our bodies and cars and thus the seat belts.  Get a ticket for not using your property the way the state says you should.  I wonder what we will be required to use next?

 

Remember when you could willingly refuse to engage in commerce?  Now the Obama Administration tells us that starting next year we could be fined or ultimately jailed if we refuse to engage in commerce in the health insurance sector.  I wonder what we will be required to buy next?

 

Remember when we could read our mail without worrying about the government reading it first?  Now, thanks to the Patriot Act the powers that be can read our mail, our email and monitor our Internet activity - and prosecute us without first letting us know that they have been reading our personal correspondence.  I wonder what they will listen in on, or read next?

 

These, of course, are on top of a million other laws and regulations telling us what we can eat, what we can and cannot say, which adults we can have consensual relationships with, whose dinner we have to buy, what retirement plan we will be forced to contribute to, where we can set up a business, what type of business it can be, what type of employees can work there, what we must pay them and on and on and on...

 

People say to me - when I express concern over issues like this - "Mr. Chambless, if you aren't doing anything wrong you have nothing to worry about. 

 

Incorrect. 

 

It is because I am doing nothing wrong that I do worry.

 

Why?

 

Because the government keeps changing the definition of "wrong."

 

Mark my words.  Within 10 years we will be DNA checked for far more than being suspects in serious crimes.  20 years from now we will be required to submit DNA to the government as a condition of driving, getting married and/or other pursuits. 

 

By July 4, 2076 there will be a national data bank with every American's DNA profile - and more - so that the people we put into power can know more about us than the Founders ever intended.

 

Do not be surprised if by our 300th anniversary the federal government will also have managed to have everyone submit to some form of GPS tracking. 

 

You know, to keep us "safe".