2d Circuit: Shove it, ACLU

[DesertFox]

Random bag searches by New York police at subway stations are constitutional and an effective means of combating terrorism, a federal appeals court ruled on Friday.

"In light of the thwarted plots to bomb New York City's subway system, its continued desirability as a target, and the recent bombings of transportation systems in Madrid, Moscow, and London, the risk to public safety is substantial and real," the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals said in its ruling.

The court disagreed with the New York Civil Liberties Union, which last year sued the city claiming that the random bag searches police have conducted since July 2005 bombings on the London underground rail system were unconstitutional and would not deter an attack on America's largest subway system.

More (http://reuters.myway.com/article/20060811/2006-08-11T203422Z_01_N11455727_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-SECURITY-NEWYORK-DC.html)

[Beowulf]

:roar: ACLU

[Black Phoenix]

The fourth amendment does state a lot of things cannot be searched, but really only condenms "unreasonable" searches. I really don't think airport security falls there normally.

However, when people have fingernail clippers confiscated because we're so paranoid that anything can be used as a weapon, I start to wonder if rights are being violated. For example, if I carry a weapon, don't I have a second amendment right to do so for my own security? Also, if they're searching that much, isn't it getting unreasonable?

I might take some issues with the way security is going these day to.

[gnome]

Eh. I'm going to have to disagree with the ACLU on this one. It seems to me a good example of a reasonble and not too intrusive security precaution.

[BarkleUSA]

RE: (BlokPhoenix)

I really don't think airport security falls there normally.

Umm, er, the ACLU case involved “subways”, not airports. But since you brought it up, the era of passengers sitting by like sheep while idiots with box cutters (or nail clippers) try to crash the plane into buildings ended in Shanksville, PA.

Now liquid explosives are another matter.

[DesertFox]

Agreed. Political correctness was just as responsible as those terrorists for 9-11.