Posted on 08/11/2006 12:14:28 PM PDT by freepatriot32
I'd thumb my nose at the judge and tell the fans, if you don't want to be searched, you ain't getting in.
I remember the thread a week or 2 about this ruling. I think the main issue is it is a public stadium that is leased by the team. Therfore public property. I am opposed to the searches.
One big difference is that its hot here. So they are patting down people wearing shorts and a tshirt. It's not Green Bay where people are wearing huge coats.
Pretty hard to hide a belt of explosives when anyone wearing a jacket is already considered suspicious.
That's okay. Everyone knows that if a terrorist strikes at an NFL game it will be from the Goodyear Blimp and not a fan in seat H347.
The ruling was actually against the Tampa Sports Authority. As far as I know, pat downs will be allowed at every other stadium but not in Tampa. My "guys" (hubby and son) are going to a football game at Raymond James tonight (first pre-season home game.) Guess they won't be patted down.
I work for the Philly baseball and football teams. Even the employees are subject to a search before entering the stadium. I'm not a big fan of warrantless searches by the police that can lead to an arrest...at the stadiums, if you have contraband, you are simply refused admission. (Don't know what would happen if, indeed, a bomb of some sort was found). Seems reasonable to me, espeially since the stadiums are privately owned (despit the tax doallars involved in their construction, but that's another argument.)
I guess this "doubting Thomas" judge will change his mind when a few hundered are blown up by a terrorist? Maybe not. But, if that happens, the NFL will suffer more than the airlines. Many need to fly but nobody needs to attend a football game.
Ah, but will they be allowed to bring in a "sports drink" bottle.
Truth is, I don't think you can bring any beverages into the stadium, but that has nothing to do with preventing terrroism, and everything to do with raising revenue.
These searches are more designed to boost concession sales by eliminating the food and drink items people can sneak in.
For the record, in Philly you are allowed to bring in your own food and (non-alcoholic) drinks in clear wrap and plastic bottles. No glass or cans allowed. I don't blame people for trying to sneak beer into the game, who wants to pay $7.00 for a watered-down Coors Light?
"Ah, but will they be allowed to bring in a "sports drink" bottle."
The times I've been there you can't take much in. If you are carrying a jacket it is searched. If you have it on they you have to open it for a visual.
And this was before the "pat downs" so IMO this new policy is about insurance premiums and not about safety.
For example, Lets say this judge was forced to sit in a section at a football game in San Francisco on a nice fall day, 60 degrees...not too cold...
In the surrounding 5 sections are 5 muslim males, aged 18-24 wearing winter coats. It is just cool enough that it is reasonable that they may just be cold. Certainly after the fact, a judge could convince himself that was the case.
I wonder if it happened that they were hiding suicide belts and they blew themselves up, or automatic weapons and opened fire on the crowd, and the judge lived through it what his opinion on searches before entering stadiums might be?
Do you think this judge's opinion would change? If that is the case, should it not change beforehand in the interest of safety? Why does it always take being attacked before people think about safety?
Raymond James Stadium is operated by the Tampa Sports Authority, a government authority with oversight and funding from the Hillsborough County Commission, built with government bonds. It ain't like a mall.
Unfortunately, what with public financing of these venues, that is less and less true these days.
I personally don't like living in a world where I am perpetually a suspect. If that's the way we have to be, then the terrorists Islamofacists and other totalitarians have already won. Bravo to the judge who is courageously taking the risk on himself because you can't pat down everybody, all the time, anyway.
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.