Interesting: the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee is suing to stop bag searches around the convention in Boston. Now, why would they care? Is this an instance of anti-Arab discrimination? As far as I know everyone, Nordic, Far Eastern, whatever, is being searched. Here is a question of whether individual civil rights should trump public safety concerns.
So tell me: when you saw those videos of the 9/11 hijackers passing through airport security, did you think they should have been searched more carefully? Or waved through for fear of anti-Arab discrimination?
BOSTON - Two civil rights groups filed a lawsuit in federal court to stop the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority from randomly inspecting passengers' bags, saying it's an unconstitutional violation of personal privacy.A judge scheduled an emergency hearing for Tuesday in the case filed by the National Lawyers Guild and the American Anti-Discrimination Committee.
The random inspections began Thursday, just in time for the Democratic National Convention this week at Boston's FleetCenter. The policy is the first of its kind in the country.
The groups say the searches violate the Fourth Amendment because they don't require information that the person searched is suspected of criminal activity. They've urged customers not to consent to the searches.
"There is no way the MBTA can implement this policy in a constitutional manner," said National Lawyers Guild national president Michael Avery.
MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said the bags aren't opened. Instead, they are run through a machine that detects explosives. Pesaturo said so far no one has objected to having their bags inspected.
If they win this case, won't that stop bag searches in places like museums as well? Not long ago I was in Washington, and I saw that places such as the Smithsonian buildings and even parking garages inspect bags. (I took a break from work long enough to stop by the National Archives, where I was searched going in, but not going out. I guess I could have carried the Constitution home in my socks.)
You have to ask these simple questions to see how idiotic people are that want to stop security checks:
1) Do good people carry around items they are afraid of anyone seeing, especially in an area that they are warned of in advance will be a search area?
2) What in the world could people be carrying around that they would need to hide from inspection anyway IF THEY AREN'T UP TO NO GOOD TO BEGIN WITH?
3) A little embarrassment never killed anyone, right?
3 out of 4 Bostonians have left Boston for the DNC. Wonder why?
Surely to god the fourth ammendment should only apply to true US citizens , not green card holders, and before anyone says some arabs/muslims have US citizenships then maybe it's high-time the laws on becoming a US citizen were far, far stricter to people who've emigrated from a muslim country. If they don't like this and cry "discrimination" , then point out to them that there religious book(koran) and laws(sharia) raise hugh doubts about their patriotism and their agenda for becoming an american ( Voltaire take note).Their backgrounds should be properly checked to see if anywhere along the line they could have had any kind of contact with terrorists or involement in terrorist acts, if even the slightest , m,ost minute query is raised then the should be immediately turned away. Of course this is obvious to us but it really does need hammering into your politicians, write letters, send emails even sink to the level of protesting.
Checks should be given to all airline passengers, epecially arabs who should be FORCED to undergo THOROUGH searches before being alowed on a plane. Screw their civil rights, innocent civilians flying on a plane , which is a scary enough prospect for some without the added fear of terrorists, have a right to feel safe and not spend 2-12 hours of their life in a state of sheer fright.
Ah Foehammer, your points have but one flaw: the come from a position that values common sense over political correctness.
Government has routinely demonstrated that it values political correctness above all else - including public safety.
Until that changes, more lives will be sacrificed to keep the ultimate crime from being committed, that of offending someone…
Why would anyone want to lug around a back pack during a rally anyway?
Civil liberties aren't worth much if your DEAD!
Can't agree with Foehammer here unless he's exaggerated his position. I've nothing against searches proclaimed in advance for sensitive areas....like airports and the *republican* national convention, but to mandate them across the line on the basis of "only bad people need to worry"; I'm against it. Searches with no real reason for them are offenses against privacy and diginity; especially when so many cops have heads as big as Mentat's posts.
Just to add: I'm not against what the MBTA claims they were doing in the article; running bags through explosive testing equipment....I don't consider that intrusive.
Only an idiot or an American hater would put at risk by allowing unchecked bags anywhere in today's climate of vicious bombers, poisoners, and all around thugs.
It's hard to believe that any civil right's organization would not recognize the danger we are in. To me its obvious that these people are collaborating with the terrorists.
FearNot for the Dems
I just did a couple of blanket searches using the words "Kerry,ISLAM,Muslim..etc.etc."
IE...(Kerry Muslim)
I dont think they want to do anything to thier little apoligist buddy Kerry..But when the Republican convention gets going ,it might be a good idea to be far far away
People who have nothing to hide, hide nothing.
Let me see...
A bunch of tie-dyed, chip-munching hippies with glazed, bloodshot eyes are nervous about their bags being searched?
Why could that be?
Hey, Thanks for proving my point there, Bob....especially for the Democratic National Convention....look at some of the performers showing up there...who wants to spoil their fun?
I've got mixed emotions about these searches. Let me cut to the chase..
If a bomber sees that they are about to be searched by, for instance, a couple of quickly approaching officers shouting "Hey you!", the bomber is going to detonate their package of peace right then and there gleefully departing this life for their awaiting 72 virgins with the hope that allah the merciful will maximize the resulting carnage with the assistance of all that rat poison they pre-soaked the bolts, nails, and ball-bearing so carefully packed with the explosives.
Which is why the Israelis have concrete barrier encircled areas where the bombers must first enter wherein they must lift their jackets and shirts to prove they are un-armed..
So.. Searches only cause our good men and women in uniform to be placed in a position of being in closer proximity to a bomber prior to detonation.
I guess the only way to handle this for our officers' and civilians' safety is to shoot young middle eastern men on sight then search their bullet-ridden carcasses for explosives afterwards. Certainly this will mean that some middle eastern men will be shot who didn't have any bombs strapped around their waists but... well.. that's one less future bomber you've got to worry about..
Mahdi,
How do Irish babies taste?
Don't be surprised if in the future rallies will have the speakers on video links and displayed on huge screens. The real irony with searching is that Richard Reed would have been forced to remove his shoes if visiting a Mosque.As for non-Muslim meeting in large areas,they don't appear to care about our safety.
Nice of them to be willing to take the risk with our lives.
Bob Owens,
You asked: How do Irish babies taste?
Presumably with their mouths.. You think?
MBTA say they run bags through a machine which sounds a pretty quick proccess.Surely people would rather be safe than sorry regarding reality
of terrorist attacks? Don't understand these absurd reactions to govt. security. Unless of course someone has something to hide...
Bob Owens,
I don't mean to be terse nor flippant and I realize that your post was a tongue-in-cheek response to my raw meat approach to solving the searching issue...
Thing is, if anybody hasn't guessed it already, I really really really don't like Islam nor do I think much for its knuckle-dragging death-purveying homo-erectus-wannabe deathcult followers.
We don't have a right to board an airplane. The plane is private property, and we ride it at the discretion of the owner(s).
The owner(s) may properly place on us any requirements they wish before consenting to allow us to ride the plane.
Common-sense requirements include: That we pay for the ride; that our baggage be limited as to size and/or weight; or that we not bring aboard materials that might endanger the flight.
In order to pay for the ride, we might buy a ticket at the counter or via computer; in order to meet the size requirement, we buy luggage that doesn't exceed the limits; in order to meet the weight requirements, we must be selective about what we pack. In order to be certain that none of the materials we bring aboard endanger the flight, our bags or bodies can be X-rayed or otherwise examined in order to be certain that this requirement is met.
We are not forced to do any of these things. Our right to privacy is not violated. We can, if we object to the precautions, simply choose another means of reaching our destination. There is no law that says that we are legally obliged to go to the airport and strip--that WOULD be a violation of our rights. The rule is simply, if you voluntarily choose to travel by plane, you must consent to certain requirements which satisfy the need for economic necessity or safety precautions.
If the cost or inconvenience (neither of which is a violation of your rights) isn't worth it to you, you are free to find another way to get to your destination.
People had plenty of ways to travel before the Wright brothers got into the act, and we still do.
I don't know about anyone else but were I a middle eastern male between 18 and 60, attending ANY public event Political or otherwise in the US, I would make it a point to NOT carry bags or back packs and I would make it a point to wear snuggish fitting clothing. I would do this to calm the fears of anyone that might be afraid that I might be a Islamists bend on the destruction of innocent men women and children.
If at a glance they can plainly see I am not wearing a belt loaded with explosives or carrying a bag that might contain a bomb, I think I might get a better reception.
This just seems like comonsense to me?
Mr.Spencer
Liked that you have been out and about!!
What do you think Sandy Berger stuffed in his pants I hear there are still papers missing?
In your socks LOL
Part of the American Tribe
God Bless the USA and her Fighting Forces and All who Fight with her give them Wisdom,Strength and Courage to stay the course to Vctory Amen
Will we have to change our laws to make this Legal where you have to produce a reciet to prove purchase Yes the Gardial Finicia Yes with the UCLA Of course this will cost the tax payers more money for the extra force on the streets!!!
Part of the American Tribe
God Bless the USA and her Fighting Forces and All who Fight with her give them Wisdom,Strength and Courage to stay the course to Victory Amen
mulsums follow YELLOW men ubl and arafat? heard today that some of arafats followers are leaving araft?
Many of Arafat's followers have left him. In fact, the blood stains can still be seen just about head level on the wall outside his office.