I think this could reasonably be called a proposal for a police state – courtesy of the Democrats who run Baltimore.

Large swaths of Baltimore could be declared emergency areas subject to heightened police enforcement - including a lockdown of streets - under a city councilman's proposal that aims to slow the city's climbing homicide count.

The legislation - which met with a lukewarm response from Mayor Sheila Dixon's administration yesterday, and which others likened to martial law - would allow police to close liquor stores and bars, limit the number of people on city sidewalks and halt traffic in areas declared "public safety act zones." It comes as the number of homicides in Baltimore reached 108, up from 98 at the same time last year.

"Desperate measures are needed when we're in desperate situations," said City Council Vice President Robert W. Curran, the bill's author. "What I'm trying to do is give the mayor additional tools."

As I read through the article, I cannot help but note that the provisions allow for the suspension of much of the First Amendment (right to peaceably assemble), Second Amendment (right to keep and bear arms), Fourth Amendment (freedom from unreasonable search and seizure), as well as the freedom to freely operate a legal business. Could you imagine the outrage if this were tried in an attempt to get at illegal aliens or terrorists?

Posted by: Greg at 12:46 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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