NYCLU Loses In NYC Subway Bag Search Case
Posted on December 2, 2005
In a victory for National Security, and the American citizen not to be blown up, a judge ruled today against the ACLU, and for NYC Subways in their effort to protect their citizens.
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A federal judge ruled on Friday that police had a constitutional right to randomly search passengers’ bags on the New York City subway to deter terrorist attacks.
U.S. District Judge Richard Berman ruled the searches were an effective and appropriate means to fight terrorism, and constituted only a “minimal intrusion” of privacy.
“The risk to public safety of a terrorist bombing of New York City’s subway system is substantial and real,” Berman wrote in his opinion.
“The need for implementing counter-terrorism measures is indisputable, pressing, ongoing and evolving.”
Random bag searches began on July 22 after a second set of bomb attacks on London’s transit system.
In a statement, Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the ruling, calling bag searches a “reasonable precaution” that police would continue to take.
The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), which had sued to stop the searches, plans to appeal, Executive Director Donna Lieberman said in a statement. She said the “unprecedented” bag search program violated a basic freedom.
Well of course they plan to appeal, they wouldn’t want common sense to prevail! I understand the ACLU’s concern on this. No one wants to live in a police state. However, I think they are completely overzealous in this. The majority of people do not mind being searched if it means they will live another day. Besides, the ACLU would have another fit if we were to try to implement profiled searches. And they have even proven through their lawsuit in Tampa against Raymond James Stadium that they are against searches across the board. The irony is that on their own building they have a sign that says you may be subject to search upon entering. The ACLU have twisted a legitimate attempt to protect NY’s citizens into a scare tactic method completely overexaggerated. Why can’t they see what most people can? The threat of being blown up is a greater risk, than the far fetched idea of a police state.
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5 Responses to “NYCLU Loses In NYC Subway Bag Search Case”
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In a victory for National Security, and the American citizen not to be blown up…
Oh, come on. These searches are completely useless.
Whodathunk, and in New York no less. I guess the district judge’s jurisprudence included a little memory of 9/11. Encouraging.
Oh, come on. These searches are completely useless.
Then why is the NYCLU demanding that anyone entering their building submit to such a search being allowed to get past the lobby?
‘Safety for me, but not for thee’, eh?
Farkin hypocrites…
There is a huge difference between a private organization and the government doing searches. It seems that most people have their selective blinders on, as usual.
I can vouch that the searches are pointless. They don’t do searching at every station. What is stopping bombers from just going to another station and taking the train to their intended station, then going boom? Nothing. The searches are there to make the citizens feel good and safe. In reality searching make the subways no more safe.
Do you actually think that if a bomber wanted to do a killing in the nyc subway that they would be deterred by random searches? No. If someone were intent, then they would do it despite the searches. So why have them other than to make people feel all good and goshie inside?
If you think doing random searching at a few stations makes the subway system any safer then I have to tell you that you have been suckered.
I would rather face the reality that the money is better spent else where because it isn’t doing a single thing to make people safer. Given that it isn’t, it should be spent else where.
Forget the arguement of legality. Doing searches is a waste of tax payer money. THIS is common sense. Common sense says that if you are going to do searches then make sure they actually make a difference. Common sense does NOT say that they should be done, period because that doesn’t account for effectiveness (other than the public psychology/pathology)
I can feel your arguement, “but then you would say to not search at the airport.” At the airport the searching has a chance of making people safer because they do EVERYONE.
I was hoping the ACLU would win the case only because it would stop the ephin waste.
This brings up a great question, do you choose your the value set of Republican money grubbing or the Republican values of (false) “security”?
“THIS is common sense. Common sense says that if you are going to do searches then make sure they actually make a difference.”
“Common sense” tells me to wait until there is actually a bombing in the NYC subways, before saying that searches make no difference.