Rhetoric Award to Deference for taking the decision to the extreme!! What part of "case by case" did you not understand?
You sound like an attorney! Guess what, they *lie* for a living. "Case by case" is legal b.s. for "we're going to say screw interpreting the law, we're just gonna' make whatever ruling we want - in this case and the next!"
When a ruling occurs, it sets what is called a "precedent". The precedent in this case is that if one is in a public restroom and being *monitored*, they can be disturbed if someone is simply *curious* about what it is one is doing in there. In this case, the fact that both a man and woman entered a restroom together was enough for the judge to state that their "expectation of privacy" had "expired". So now the precedent is set in Missouri, by the 8th circuit court that it's just fine to be messed with while in the bathroom if a woman is present with you. Those disabled vets with helpful wives sure will appreciate getting messed with in the john by overzealous shopkeepers and hometown police with nothing better to do then look for non-violent crimes to get their tally for the month.
In other words, public bathrooms are not to be considered a safe zone for criminal activity
The fact is, no place is safe zone for criminal activity in the eyes of the law - a good and right thing. We must weigh the public welfare against individual rights. We must find what is proper. You may think this is a fine judgement. But looking ahead, we see a slippery slope we are about to fall from, leaving all rights behind and establishing a totalitarian state. Look at the use of cameras at intersections, we were told they would only be installed to catch those running red lights - to protect the general welfare of the people at large. Now we have cameras everywhere, in neighbourhoods, shops, parking lots, you name it, the eye is there, urban denizens know, rurals are just now popping the cherry. Some express relief that, well, these where for "incidental" reasons. Shops must protect their wares, parking lots could be cesspools of illicit goings-on, etc., etc. . Now Homeland Security will be in charge of a federal network to incorporate these installed monitors. Part of this is mentioned in the month-old Intel reform bill, but it's roots go deeper - back to the Infrastructure / transportation appropriations bill passed in the mid 90's wherein money was alloted for cameras on highways.
Ready for your National ID card? You get to be big brother's bitch when, in 17 months, new smartcard Driver's Id's will be linked to a federal database containing much personal information. How, exactly it will be implemented is being kept in wraps in case of public outcry. Just like Iraq, we'll be in another f*ck-up and people will simply have to wag their heads and say,"Well nothing can be done about it now, we may as well take it."
Enjoy!
