Posted on 11/10/2004 5:47:25 PM PST by Joe Taranto
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit questioning the security policies of a Boston airport today, according to a press release. They say the policies are unconstitutional and led to the illegal detainment of an ACLU coordinator.
King Downing, a black man who works as National Coordinator for the ACLU’s “Campaign Against Racial Profiling,” was stopped and questioned last year at Logan International Airport. According to the ACLU, officials used “behavioral profiling” in their decision to approach him.
The group also claims that racial factors were involved. Ironically, Downing was at the airport last October, on his way to a meeting on racial profiling.
Logan International Airport, which was praised for its sweeping security changes after September 11, is now watching those new measures come under attack by the ACLU. State law allows police to use behavioral profiling if a subject looks “anxious” or exhibits “unusual” behavior.
According to Massachusetts police, specific behaviors monitored in the Boston airport also include loitering with no luggage, wearing heavy clothes on a warm day and observing security methods. These security measures are called the "Behavior Assessment Screening System" and there have been talks of expanding the policies across the nation.
A defendant in the case, the Massachusetts Port Authority, said in a statement this evening that the program protects civil rights, and that there are no racial factors in behavior pattern recognition. State police also commented that they are "committed to protecting the constitutional civil rights of all citizens."
On October 16, 2003, Downing was making a telephone call at Logan Airport, when officials stopped him and “demanded that he produce some identification,” according to the ACLU press release.
Downing declined to give his information, and as he was leaving the airport, was arrested for failing to do so. Finally, Downing provided his identification, and after further threats, also handed over his travel documents to police. Downing was then permitted to leave and there were no charges pressed.
The question is -- why couldn’t Downing just give up his information outright? Shouldn’t everyone be willing to cooperate with officials who are ultimately trying to keep us safe from another attack? Not according to the ACLU.
"This program is another unfortunate example of the extent to which we are being asked to surrender basic freedoms in the name of security," said John Reinstein, the Massachusetts Legal Director of the ACLU. "This allows the police to stop anyone, any time, for any reason."
Clearly, protecting those basic freedoms is more important to the ACLU than protecting the freedom which was attacked by terrorists a little over three years ago. How quickly they’ve forgotten.
And this is a problem to who? Socialists, Communists, Democrat's.
THE ACLU goes looking for a fight. Too many lawyers, not enough tobacco money to go around.
"unconstitutional and led to the illegal detainment of an ACLU coordinator."
I'm all in favor of that.
The ACLU has sided so often with the terrorists regarding our need to be secure against them that only a madman could conclude that the ACLU is not also a terrorist agency.
The same Boston airport where two 9-11 palnes were highjacked. Logan Airport supposedly employs loads of Islamic workers.
If you are the ACLU looking to make a case over this, you send one of your people to the airport and have them look sketchy and anxious as they wait in line.
Boston's Logan is my airport and I want it as secure as can be.
God,I hate the ACLU!
Now if only ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX would express that truth!
New Acronym: ACTU
Accommodating
Criminals &
Terrorists
Union
Maybe someone could bring a civil suit against the ACLU for aiding and abetting terrorists and creating a public hazard.
I think we need a new regulation that every ACLU member has to spend three months in Iran to get an idea of what REAL civil-rights violations are. Maybe then they'll get over this pansy-assed attention-seeking behavior.
"...Ironically, Downing was at the airport last October,
on his way to a meeting on racial profiling...."
- - -
Properly speaking, that is not called irony, it is called coincidence,
but if someone is a pretentious, pompous, bombastic (high-falutin') journalist,
it doesn't matter if the word is used correctly or not,
it just matters that it sounds mo' better.
Pretty soon, these lawsuits by the ACLU are going to mean nothing.
New acronym: “Campaign Against Racial Profiling" = CARP.
Kinda appropriate.
So, according to the ACLU, detaining or questioning someone for 'suspicious behavior' is wrong; we should only search little old lady farmers from Iowa. To do anything else may unfairly subject a criminal to scrutiny?
Or, did I read this wrong?
It's about time someone started fighting back, and put them on the defensive for a change.
Mark Levine, where are you?
California Senate Fact Finding Committee on Un-American Activities, 1948 report, page 107: "The ACLU may be definitely classified as a Communist front or transmission belt organization." "At least 90 percent of its efforts are on behalf of Communists who come in conflict with the law.". . .House Committee To Investigate Communist Activities in the United States, report 2290 entitled, "Investigation of Communist Propaganda": "It is quite apparent that the main function of the ACLU is to protect the Communists in their advocacy of force and vilence to overthrow the U.S. Government."
I guess this guy and Ted Kennedy are the worst casualties to this fascist program so far - looking good to me.
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