Campus Libertarians hold civil-liberties-themed movie viewing

A group of 10 politically active students gathered around a TV last night — not to watch Paul…A group of 10 politically active students gathered around a TV last night — not to watch Paul Ryan speak at the Republican National Convention, but to learn how to exercise their civil liberties when interacting with the police.

The Pitt College Libertarians held an event in Posvar Hall at 8:45 on Wednesday night to show the video “Busted: The Citizen’s Guide to Surviving Police Encounters.” The video, which is available for free on Youtube, stresses three points: Never consent to a search, never answer police questions without a lawyer present, and ask the police if you’re free to go instead of waiting for them to dismiss you.

The Pitt College Libertarians hosting the event said they felt it was important for everyone to know the law and how to use it.

“We stand for civil rights,” said Cameron Gray, vice president of the College Libertarians. “We have the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendments for a reason.”

For other members of the College Libertarians, it wasn’t just about staying out of trouble.

“Everybody likes getting out of a ticket,” said Colin Jones, Pitt senior and member of the College Libertarians, “but it’s also good to show people in power that we know our rights.”

The Pitt College Libertarians is a campus group dedicated to supporting and advocating Libertarian ideals of personal freedom, a limited governmental role in society and principles of non-aggression.

Libertarian ideals are most prominently represented by the Texas Republican congressman and frequent presidential candidate Ron Paul, who ran as the Libertarian Party’s candidate for president in 1988.

“Busted” featured Ira Glasser, former executive director of the ACLU. Glasser explained the rights given to citizens by the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendments using three different stories: three young people in a car with marijuana who get pulled over, a young man on the street who gets interrogated by police and a young woman who has police show up at her house party.

In the traffic-stop situation, Glasser recommends not answering the classic “do you know why I pulled you over” question to avoid incriminating yourself. Instead, ask the officer if you’re being detained or if you are free to go. Glasser advises not consenting to any searches of the car and accepting a ticket without complaint.

In the situation involving the street stop, the video reminds viewers that while you can verbally refuse a search, never physically resist police or run because these actions can lead to added charges. Glasser also advises being polite to officers and not talking back. If the police arrest you, Glasser instructs viewers not to sign any confessions without a lawyer present, even if the cops offer you a better deal.

During the house party incident, Glasser reminds viewers to speak to officers outside the house and not to consent to a search, as officers need a search warrant from a judge to enter.

“Busted” also went over exceptions in citizens’ civil rights. Americans consent to a search every time they cross a border, board a commercial airplane or enter a private event, like a sporting event or a concert, where security personnel are present.

Police can also search your house or car without your consent if they have probable cause to suspect illegal activity. Glasser explained that the law around probable cause is murky, but police cannot search based on a hunch; they need something more concrete like the smell of marijuana or illegal substances in plain view.

Gray admitted that the event was sparsely attended because he had made a mistake in printing the flyer, posting the time of the event to be 7:30 p.m. instead of 8:45 p.m. Last year the College Libertarians viewed the same film at an event co-sponsored by the campus chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, and it was attended by 24 people.

The students who were there were fully behind the video’s message, and for reasons beyond just getting out of trouble.

Jamie McKibbin, president of the College Libertarians, agreed with that sentiment, saying that the ignorance of civil rights is detrimental to our society.

“Your rights are like muscles: If you don’t use them, they atrophy,” McKibbin said.