On 17 Jul 2014, at 18:35, Brad Rogers <brad@???> wrote:
> On Thu, 17 Jul 2014 09:07:49 +0100
> James Courtier-Dutton <james.dutton@???> wrote:
> 
> Hello James,
> 
>> 4) The requests are definitely aimed at being of use to police
>> investigating a crime. For example, they can search by a fraudulent
> 
> And therein lies a problem.  "Aimed at", on the face of it, doesn't
> preclude the law being used in ways, and for things, it wasn't intended
> to be used.
> 
> Some here will be too young to know about this example, or simply not
> remember;
> In the 1970s, there were what were popularly called the "Sus Laws" (sus
> is short for suspicion).  They granted the police the power to stop and
> search anyone they suspected of having committed a crime.  In actuality,
> they were used mostly to stop and search black people.  Cue race riots.
> 
> In short;  if it suits their purpose, the powers that be will use the
> letter of the law to subvert the intent of the law.   :-(
> 
but more often than not these laws save lives*, and those guilty of subverting freedom are compromised in some minor way. 
*I expect these law also allow for the triangulation of a person for search and rescue.  and other good causes. 
and in respect of breaches of trust.. we have a long heritage of good political oversight to intercept abuses of power. 
> -- 
> Regards  _
>         / )           "The blindingly obvious is
>        / _)rad        never immediately apparent"
> We don't need no-one to tell us what's right or wrong
> The Modern World - The Jam
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