What's the matter with Boston

By Libby

Under the heading, incomprehensibly stupid ideas, the Boston police department has decided that if warrantless searches are good enough for our Imperial Leader, they're good enough for them. It's difficult to believe that this sort of local level constitutional breach could happen in Massachusetts.

Boston police are launching a program that will call upon parents in high-crime neighborhoods to allow detectives into their homes, without a warrant, to search for guns in their children's bedrooms. [...]

In the next two weeks, Boston police officers who are assigned to schools will begin going to homes where they believe teenagers might have guns. The officers will travel in groups of three, dress in plainclothes to avoid attracting negative attention, and ask the teenager's parent or legal guardian for permission to search. If the parents say no, police said, the officers will leave.

Right. Three burly men show up at the door and ask to search the kid's rooms and people will feel free to say no? I'm sure the cops will be careful to mention it's voluntary --not.

But what's worse is I'm certain there will be a substantial element among the fearful Bostonians who think this is a good idea as long as it targets only the populations they're afraid of and loathe. I'm reasonably sure you won't ever see these cops on Beacon Hill.