Police Stopping All Cars Entering BWI (Baltimore-Washington Int'l Airport)

ABC 7 News ^

[Sub-Driver]

Police Stopping All Cars Entering BWI Tuesday January 06, 2004 11:20am

Linthicum, Md. (AP) - Maryland Transportation Authority police are stopping all cars entering Baltimore-Washington International Airport for security checks.

Police officials say that the "100 percent security checks" began after 10 a.m. Police say the sweeps are not a response to a specific threat.

Police aren't saying how long they will continue checking every car that enters the airport.

Airport officials say that the sweeps are not expected to create major delays entering the airport. And they still recommend that passengers plan on arriving 90 minutes before their scheduled flights.

[Naspino]

I don't understand your thinking at all. If we were at war with a nation and being invaded would you still be offended at the security checks? What does free mean -- freedom to commit crimes -- blow up LA and NYC? I'd rather live in this country as it is today at 3:06PM than in one where NYC is sending smoke 1000's of feet into the sky, our military is recalled to assist the survivors and our economy collapses relugating us to third world status for 20 years.

[palmer]

AFAIK, security is already switchable based on specific threats. The exceptions to the 4th amendment posted above in #137 listed emergencies as an exception.

[norton]

Of course consrvatives dislike searches, random or otherwise, unless a specific writ can be provided giving specific (lawful) purpose to the search.
And that's where you and I part; I travel enough to have been near strip searched several times (hating it each time) but I'd rather land inside an airplane than as part of the debris field.
We now that airlines (innocent citizens) are being targeted. We have hundreds of images stored that show what an airliner can do to a skyscraper, others to show what one can do to a weirdly shaped command structure.
Dislike it all you want. Demand that they end as soon as the threat has been defeated (if it can be defeated). But don't risk my life of another's because the constitution did not forsee intercontinental jet travel and crazed third worlders with C4 suitcases.

PS: Orange County CA Airport (John Wayne) appears to have mandatory stop check points at incoming offramps. Saw the sign and saw the line but it wasn't backing up the 405.

[B Knotts]

But I for one do not want a bunch of people who are ready to play russian roulette with my safety on a plane by invoking the constitution because they somehow think this is all about them.

Wait a minute. It is all about them, isn't it? If not, who is it all about?

I thought this was all about preserving our way of life. If it isn't, I've been misled by someone.

[palmer]

constitution did not forsee intercontinental jet travel and crazed third worlders with C4 suitcases.

But the Founders did foresee that government would incrementally ratchet up its power using various excuses like wartime security. There is a vast spectrum of security measures from tracking suspects through technologies like explosive chemical detection. Many of these have no impact on personal liberties but were not being used for protecting the public prior to 9/11 because government was more interested in detecting drugs and bundles of money inside of luggage. Now the security bureaucrats want to flex their muscle restricting the 4th amendment rights of the public. Is there a corresponding security benefit? I doubt it since the action was announced as it was ongoing. BWI is also known as a lab to test public acceptance of new "security" measures.

This is no different than my local "drunk driving" road block which has AFAIK yet to stop a drunk driver but always takes place during the first day or two of the month for obvious reasons. These steady incremental increases in "security" measures are nothing more than increases in government power for its own sake.

[Sender]

Question: If during the course of one of these searches they were to find something illegal but not related to terrorism, could they arrest you?

They would probably say that by driving into an airport during known code orange conditions, you have waived any expectation of privacy, and God help you if you have anything illegal in there.

[dozer7]

"the constitution is not a suicide pact, if you don't want your car searched, make a u-turn and drive home."

well said Thank you

[Graymatter]

Of course it's going to increase the delay! Sheesh.

Never thought I'd see the day when I wouldn't mind being questioned and fingerprinted and patted down, but the terror threat will continue for many years, I think.

Maybe we'll see better train service if this keeps up.

And I don't think we're nearly strict enough about air travel security. The terrorists are going to go all out to prevent Bush's reelection this year, the danger is great and our response should be greater.

[BlackbirdSST]

That would mean you are opposed to security searches as airports which is the equivalent of surrendering our airports to the terrorists.

Some of you guy's/gal's can't seem to grasp that this was just one of "their" infamous trial balloon's. What will we put up with? There was no specific threat, per the head of HS for the State of Maryland. As a Free Man, I wholeheartedly resent being treated as a terrorist and will not fly again until the Gestapo is removed from the Airport's. You submit as you see fit, don't expect the same from me. Lighten my chains and the chains of all the other Patriot's in this Country and the "presumed" threat will all but vanish for ALL Free Men. Blackbird.