Cell Phones and the Constitution

I believe that police should not be able to look at our phones without a warrant. Unless it is an EXTREMELY urgent and dangerous situation between life and death, I believe everyone should have a right to privacy on their phones. If a person is a suspect for committing a crime and the police want to check his/her phone, they should have to have a search warrant. But if a situation is, for example, a threat against the safety of lives, or someone who has committed multiple heinous crimes and is on the most wanted list, then police should be able to look at his/her phone. There should be very specific standards to keep people safe and to prevent tragic events from occurring, but also give people as much privacy as possible.

In Riley v. California, I would have to agree with the Supreme Court. Although it was a horrible act he did, it had already occurred so I believe that the police would have needed to receive a warrant "just as the police [would] need permission to search inside someone's home" (14). Going through his phone without a warrant was a violation of the Fourth Amendment. And to get a warrant, the police can use e-mail and get one within 15 minutes (17). Because this case was not a real emergency situation and happened in the past, I think that the police could have gotten a warrant. And in some "now-or-never" cases, "like finding a ticking bomb or a kidnapped child," a search can occur without a warrant for these emergencies (17). This case was just not one of them. 

Vacation Blog

Last January, six same-sex couples went to the Miami-Dade County Clerk's office and demanded they have their marriage licenses, but they were turned down. The couples sued and as of today, January 5th, they have their won their lawsuit.

Miami-Dade County has become the first place in Florida to allow same-sex marriage, half a day before it is legal in the rest of the state. Less than three hours after Circuit Judge Sarah Zabel lifted the stay on the ban of gay marriage, two of the couples (Catherina Pareto and Karla Arguello, and Jeff and Todd Delmay) were married by Zabel herself. The other four couples are taking their time and plan to have the wedding of their dreams.

Florida is now the 36th state where same-sex marriage is legal after South Carolina, which legalized it in November 2014.

The fight for the right of same-sex marriage started in the 1920s and is still a HUGE issue. There are still 14 states where same-sex marriage is illegal. Many people have different opinions on this topic. Some people are all for it while others are extremely against it.

I, personally, am all for it. Love is love. So I am very happy to hear that another state has taken a step towards equality. Same-sex couples are no different than any other ordinary couple. They are people who deserve the right to be married. I find it hard to believe that some people think otherwise.

All of the articles that I have read about this event have all been positive, which I am very happy to see. This is a huge step for the same-sex couples in Florida and it should be celebrated. Because this has just happened today, there will most likely be more news about the event as well as the issue itself soon.