As if you need a reason to stay away from NYC

[mhdishere]

OK folks, here's a first-hand account, I live in NJ, work in NYC and ride the subways five days a week. I've seen the bag searches although never been searched myself.

These searches accomplish nothing, nada, zip, zero.

You can refuse and exit the station. They won't force you to be searched.

If someone with intent to commit mayhem is tagged for a search, he can refuse and enter the subway system some other way. If you've never been on the subways you have no idea how porous the system is. From where I'm sitting right now I can list at least a half-dozen completely separate entrances to the subway within a five-minute walk, if a checkpoint is set up at one place I can easily get in thru another, and there's not likely to be checkpoints at both AND I'm not likely to get picked for a search at both anyway.

I have seen people go up to the cops and OFFER their bags for searching (which the cops will then do).

As far as how successful they've been, there have been a few drug arrests (idiots who forgot they had dope in their bag and let it be searched), a few disorderly conduct arrests (people who objected loudly to being searched). That's it, no bombs, no poison gas.

The program is a feel-good measure to show the sheep that the city is "doing something", it doesn't accomplish a thing.

 

[Werewolf]

I have seen people go up to the cops and OFFER their bags for searching (which the cops will then do).

OK! That is just plain sickening. But for NYC - a hot bed of Tory sympathizers during the revolution not really surprising - sheep after all breed sheep.

 

[rangermonroe]

a few disorderly conduct arrests (people who objected loudly to being searched).

Oh, Dear God!

The day has arrived.

 

[romma]

Our Government

stands for, and cherishes our freedoms... As long as they define what freedom is.

 

[benEzra]

As far as how successful they've been, there have been a few drug arrests (idiots who forgot they had dope in their bag and let it be searched)

Apparently, it's also a convenient way to get around probable cause requirements in order to do drug searches.

If the Powers that Be were serious about balancing the 4th Amendment with the perceived need to stop terrorists, they'd make any contraband found subject to the exclusionary rule unless the person searched actually turned out to be a terrorist.

As it is, it seems to me that terrorism is merely a convenient excuse to avoid that pesky 4th Amendment.

a few disorderly conduct arrests (people who objected loudly to being searched).

Now THAT is scary...

 

[NoPhilly]

As it is, it seems to me that terrorism is merely a convenient excuse to avoid that pesky 4th Amendment.

That's what I think as well.

A person could duct-tape a farly large amout of explosives to his body. How will searching his bag stop that?

 

[mhdishere]

benEzra,
Actually that's not applicable, these people consented to the search. You can refuse (as I plan to do if I'm ever asked, just on general principles).

My annoyance with this program is two-fold, one is the people who say "If you've got nothing to hide you've got nothing to worry about" and the second is that it does absolutely nothing to prevent a terrorist attack. People aren't giving up liberty to gain freedom, they're giving up liberty to gain a good feeling about being safe unless they actually think about it, then they realize they're not gaining anything.

Ok, rant off.

 

[Mr. James]

My annoyance with this program is two-fold, one is the people who say "If you've got nothing to hide you've got nothing to worry about" and the second is that it does absolutely nothing to prevent a terrorist attack. People aren't giving up liberty to gain freedom, they're giving up liberty to gain a good feeling about being safe unless they actually think about it, then they realize they're not gaining anything.

Precisely so.