Spend $16.99 so you can wear this to your grave
Posted on 07/22/2005 11:06:07 AM PDT by BigFinn
Reacting to the NYPD's announcement Thursday afternoon that police would randomly—but routinely—search the bags of commuters, one concerned New Yorker quickly created a way for civil libertarians to make their views black-and-white. In a few outraged moments, local immigrant rights activist Tony Lu designed t-shirts bearing the text, "i do not consent to being searched." The minimalist protest-wear can be purchased here, in various styles and sizes. (Lu will not get a cut. The shirts' manufacture, sale, and shipment, will be handled by the online retailer. Lu encourages budget-conscious New Yorkers to make their own and wear them everywhere.)
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly had announced the legally obvious—that New Yorkers are free to decline a search and "turn around and leave." But Lu, who is a lawyer at Urban Justice Center, warned that even well-intentioned cops could interpret people's natural nervousness or anger as "reasonable suspicion." The possibility of unjustified interrogation and even arrest is real, Lu said.
Although police promised they would not engage in racial profiling, Lu said that, as with all street-level policing, people of color and poor immigrants would be particularly vulnerable, especially if encounters lead to arrests.
You're offended? I'm offended that Mayor Bloomberg doesn't trust me with a gun on his subway.
I'm offended that the leadership in NYC feel it's necessary to randomly search grandma's backpack for SEMTEX in order to promote the illusion of "security".
Sheeple is, as Sheeple does. Adams, Jefferson, Jackson would have none of it.
Quote: I'm counting on the Mole People to come through for us!
That was a good movie for a 1950's b movie.
Acknowledged.
Therefore, they are a violation of the 5th Amendment.
I have to say that I agree with you, and that if they search a few people entering the subway they should have to search everyone.
I suspect that it will be defended on the same grounds that they use to randomly stop cars at DWI checkpoints though. It's sad that the terrorist scum is bringing us to this level. I just pray that we win the war in my lifetime.
There are actually several thousand people -- nobody knows how many for certain -- living in the subway system. I've talked to cops who have gone down there and seen entire "compounds" with furniture and families. About two years ago I saw a "mole couple" emerge from the tracks under Penn Station.
And then the citizen files suit: unreasonable search without a warrant, and being denied a public accomidation without a breach of the peace.
And they will win, because the Constitution is NOT a "Living documents", it says, flat out, "no search and seizure without a warrant". . .
If you get nothing else from this discussion, please get this:
THEY'RE ALREADY HERE...
OK, lets say we have several hundred, or thousand that are already here.
Are you suggesting we just continue to leave our borders, and immigration policies as they are?
I never said that, nor will you ever hear me say it.
My point is that closing the border will not make the problem go away, as somebody further up the thread suggested.
But you can either accept it in perpetuity, or like our forefathers, try to change it.
We've got about one hundred and fifty years of judicial mistakes to undo, then.
Because it all traces back to Lincoln when federal supremacy over the states was established.
Better get started.
If we followed your lead, we would be sipping tea at noon and saluting the Queen.
I'm compliant with police because common sense dictates that I behave accordingly. I also write letters to my Senators and Representatives, and badger the State Legislature no end.
Things have gotten bad in this country, but it would suck if everyone gave up. Even though I think they have, I like to hope they haven't.
Here's an essay a guy wrote on what the courts have gradually done to the First Amendment.
And I lived in NYC, had a front row seat for 9/11, know people who died, and had to wait hours before learning whether my wife was dead or alive.
And the problem isn't law enforcement (per se) it's the people who make the policies.
At airports, one does not have a choice, in order to commute, does one?
If one refuses to be searched in an airport.....one does not get on the plane.
A random search means you have absolutely no reason to believe the citizen being detained has committed a crime. This is the very definition of unreasonable.
Its also incredibly ineffective. Do you think the Israelis primarily rely upon random detection of terrorists?
For those that want no searchs anywhere you need to get your heads out of your butts.
Look, if you want to repeal the 4th amendment, fine, there are ways to legally do so.
We need to secure our borders by putting US troops on them in patrols.
Never happen. The CongressCritters are counting on immigration to prevent our population and socialist ponzi schemes from collapsing.
ou can't tell me the FBI and CIA and NSA and all those agencies don't have a handle on who's who in the bad guy world.
Last time I checked the FBI had 3 opportunities to stop the 1st WTC bombing and botched every one of them.
I have ridden the New York subways at least four times since the random searches were announced and have seen no searches at all.
Your point is what exactly?
I won't be taking the subway anytime soon.
The key word is "unreasonable" - I don't call stopping a bomber from killing people being an "unreasonable" request to randomly search backpacks.
Unless .. you'd rather be blown up ..??
The mullahs do not shave beards...but mohamed told his punks to grow beards. But living in the west, they do not want to draw attention to themselves...they want to be blow themselves up as well as all the infidels.
You said "they are already here".
So do you agree our border security and immigration policies should be dramatically reformed and increased?
Racial profiling(especially at the borders) would save NYC from all this trash, but since NYC wants no racial profiling, they get this treatment. Maybe they will learn some day.
Airlines are private, subways are public. Like sidewalks. if they can leagally search you on the subway without probable cause, they can legally search you without probably cause on the sidewalk.
The 4th Ammendment prohibis that.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.