Boston Police to Randomly Search Rail Riders

[denverbill]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=5&u=/nm/20040608/ts_nm/security_boston_dc

BOSTON (Reuters) - Boston's transit police will randomly search subway and commuter train riders' bags and packages, making it the first American city to do so after March's deadly bombings in Spain, officials said on Tuesday.

"This is a proactive policy designed to deter and prevent a terrorist attack," Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police Chief Joseph Carter said.

The random searches will begin in July, before July 4 Independence Day celebrations and ahead of the Democratic National Convention at the end of July.

<snip>

[tom_paine]

1. And we travel a little more down the road to Imperial Tyranny

When I see stuff like this I wonder if a Kerry victory will only have the effect of giving us a precious few extra years, and that nothing can stop the Fall of the Old American Republic as well as the Rise of Imperial Amerika.

That is not going to deter me from my course of working my ASS OFF for a Kerry Victory in November!

[havocmom]

2. Every single passenger should carry a copy of the Bill of Rights

that way the police will be exposed to it no matter who gets searched.
:evilgrin:

edited to add: Hi tom_paine :hi: Should've known we would meet at this thread! LOL

[Warpy]

3. I used to move furniture on the Boston subway

I suppose that would be out now.

If anybody approached me to search my person or belongings, I would insist they accuse me of a crime and arrest me or produce a warrant to search.

The quickest way to lose our rights is not to insist on them at every opportunity. Yes, we'll get arrested. Yes, we'll be a big enough pain in the butt that they'll soon drop the policy.

[Romulus]

4. it's OK

after all, the "random" searches won't be made on the "right sort" of people :eyes:

[shanti]

6. thank you!

we all know that the ones who will be searched will be of a "swarthy" complexion, don't we?

[htuttle]

5. "Ihre Papiere, bitte"

"Ihre Papiere sind nicht im Auftrag. Kommen Sie bitte mit uns!"

Das Commissar's in town...