One of the most important liberties that we have in our country is the right to be safe in our own homes.
We have a legal right to privacy – and personal safety. We treasure the principle that “My home is my castle.”
Even law enforcement officials cannot generally invade our personal privacy without a legal search warrant, issued by a judge after there is a sworn statement of “probable cause” that a law has been violated.
The Fourth Amendment of our Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States provides, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
Given our assumption that we are safe in our homes, it is shocking when someone invades a home and threatens the lives of its occupants.
Such a terrifying event occurred Monday in Chattanooga. A woman heard someone knocking at her door. She opened it – and was confronted by a man wearing a red bandanna over his face and holding a shotgun!
The intruder reportedly shouted the nickname of one of the home’s occupants, and tried to enter the house. One occupant of the home reportedly wrestled with the intruder. Both fell to the porch floor, and the shotgun fired during the struggle.
What a frightening situation!
Fortunately, the home’s occupants were able to subdue the intruder and hold him as police were called! He was arrested.
What would you do in such a situation? No one should ever have to face such a horror.
But as bad as it was, fortunately it was not worse. Just imagine what might have happened.