The Other War

Opinion Journal ^ | 8/11/05 | Dorothy Rabinowitz

[Crackingham]

A solemn handful of plaintiffs surrounded New York Civil Liberties Union head Donna Lieberman last week as she announced the agency's latest lawsuit--this one targeted at new procedures allowing for the random inspection of bags carried onto the subways. This will not come as a surprise--the agency has had an exceptionally busy few years, since 9/11, campaigning against expanding police powers, increased surveillance and other antiterror measures, all of which, the NYCLU and likeminded watchdogs regularly inform us, pose a greater danger than any that might come from the terrorists themselves. How Americans of normal intelligence respond to this reasoning should make entertaining reading someday. Most of those entering the subways these days are, it seems, unperturbed by the prospect of a bag check, and not a few have made clear their approval of such precautions. Indeed, in its latest war on the security search, the NYCLU has entered on decidedly iffy terrain: one close to home, psychologically, for masses of Americans (and not just those who take city trains and buses), all in a good position to weigh the sort of argument which holds that government security methods are a greater threat to them than terrorism.

It was a war undertaken even as the pictures of the London bombings remain fresh in memory--along, of course, with those of the devoted jihadists, shown (via surveillance cameras) sprinting through that city's transportation system after their attempt at a second strike. Who can forget the faces of this crew, as it rushed furtively about through empty corridors and train cars--a sight that lent a special touch of nightmare immediacy to the picture unfolding in Britain these last weeks.

[Hawk1976]

I hate this but they might be right on this one. Think of this Police across the nation regularly violate the fourth and fifth amendments in the name of safety, that is those drunk driving check points. They are a violation whether they are for "safety" or not. They seem to say just because you are on a public road on a Friday night they have a right to search you.

All the checking they call themselves doing at the airport in the name of safety. They say just because you bought a plane ticket they have a right to search you. I admit that this is necessary if distasteful, still I try to avoid planes because of it.

Now they want to take it to the next level, and start checking anyone who happens to want to use public transportation.

I don't fear the government now, I fear what allowing the government to do now will lead to next.

[dervish]

Rabinowitz is the voice of reason.

"If we have learned anything, the mayor recently declared, "it's that you can't predict what a terrorist looks like."

No "if." Clearly Mayor Bloomberg has learned nothing.

[podkane]

I hate this but they might be right on this one. Think of this Police across the nation regularly violate the fourth and fifth amendments in the name of safety, that is those drunk driving check points. They are a violation whether they are for "safety" or not. They seem to say just because you are on a public road on a Friday night they have a right to search you.

It's so easy to scuttle freedom when we're under assault. But as patriots we have to remind ourselves that most anyone in positions of authority want that authority augmented - regardless of politics. Convinced that they can get the job down with a few more "tools" i.e., they ALL want to take liberties with OUR liberties.

We may live to regret some of the new laws, including provisions of the Patriot Act, if the next president's initials are HRC!

[StonyBurk]

quickest way to end the war on terror-every member of the ACLU ought be deported as an enemy of the Unite dStates of America. With them out of the way we th epeople can then work to rmeove any others who intend to destroy/or harm our Country.

[okie01]

We may live to regret some of the new laws, including provisions of the Patriot Act, if the next president's initials are HRC!

Recall that when the last president's initials were WJC, he and HRC did pretty much what they wanted -- irrespective of the law enabled them or not.

The best -- indeed, the only -- defense against corrupt politicians is the ballot.

[George W. Bush]

We may live to regret some of the new laws, including provisions of the Patriot Act, if the next president's initials are HRC!

How quickly some people forget, eh?

Eternal vigilance is the watchword of freedom.

We need to worry more about what happens if the Dims ever get hold of the machinery of government again. They were dangerous enough before we had such laws.

[Hawk1976]

Republicans can run to tyranny as easily as democrats, vigilance is all that we have against any enemy, foreign or domestic.

[sefarkas]

As at the airport, the random searches are a show put on by politicians to give the illusion of safety and protection. As an occasional strap-hanger, the provision ordering subway rider searches is feckless. The inspections after the London bombings were done at high profile stations like Times Square. Many stations went unobserved (once you are in one station you can end up on the inside nearly any other station). The selection of patrons to inspect was truly random and effectively left to the whim of the policeman.

The inspections are lazy and low risk ways of giving the appearance of police work. As with the drug dealers and other criminal activity, the police know where the activity is, yet they'd rather spend time giving speeding tickets and patrolling from inside their cars. With the MSM stoking fear in the general population (re other FR posts), the government can secure more money for their business friends selling surveillance cameras, identification cards and the data bases to go with them. They know who is preaching harm against the U.S. They know where bulk drug dealing is underway. The police need to go and round'm all up and leave the rest of us alone. I don't buy it that they don't know where the cells are or who are in them. See the latest news on "Able Danger."

[podkane]

The inspections are lazy and low risk ways of giving the appearance of police work. As with the drug dealers and other criminal activity, the police know where the activity is, yet they'd rather spend time giving speeding tickets and patrolling from inside their cars. With the MSM stoking fear in the general population (re other FR posts), the government can secure more money for their business friends selling surveillance cameras, identification cards and the data bases to go with them. They know who is preaching harm against the U.S. They know where bulk drug dealing is underway. The police need to go and round'm all up and leave the rest of us alone. I don't buy it that they don't know where the cells are or who are in them. See the latest news on "Able Danger."

Fear is business!

I'm always leery of government wanting to "protect" me from anything. Even the inept Clinton admin. could stop several Y2K incidents before they happened. Why is the current administration creating a security state monster for HRC to take over? Britain didn't need to create another sprawling bureacracy to zero in on its dangerous elements..