The ACLU or the New York branch of the ACLU (NYCLU) failed in its attempt to stop random bag searches on New York’s subways. The NYCLU said it wasn’t an adequate attempt to stop terrorism and was an invasion of privacy, citing the 4th Amendment (“unreasonable search and seizure”).
NEW YORK, NY — A US appeals court ruled in favor of New York City Police Department conducting random bag searches at subway station entrances throughout the city. The court said that it viewed the random searches “as an adequate method to curb terrorism.”
“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 US Second Circuit Court of Appeals said in its ruling.
The court shot down the New York (American) Civil Liberties Union position that random bag searches were unconstitutional and ineffective for pinning terrorists. The NYCLU had filed a lawsuit against the NYPD upon learning of the random subway station searches in what many police officers — including this writer’s cousin who is involved in supervising the searches — characterize as a knee-jerk reaction to protecting New Yorkers from terrorism.
The court had heard testimony from counterterrorism experts who argued and demonstrated the effectiveness of the searches.
“The expert testimony established that terrorists seek predictable and vulnerable targets, and the program generates uncertainty that frustrates that goal, which in turn, deters and attack,” the court said.
While the court concurred that the searches do invade the riders’ privacy, “the kind of search at issue here minimally intrudes upon that interest” as random searches were limited to bags and only last seconds. The searches are viewed as unobtrusive by NYPD officers. This writer’s police officer cousin said that of the thousands of subway passengers who’ve had bags searched, perhaps two or three complained about the procedure.
“Most New Yorkers look at the searches as something to talk about at the water cooler and they take them in good stride. You’ll always have a couple of people who will mouth-off, but they’re few and far between,” said Officer Edna Aguayo.
The court’s final decision follows the events in the United Kingdom revealing the terrorist plot to bomb passenger aircraft destined for US citizens. (TCV)
As far as I can tell the ACLU is against anything that involves keeping our country secure. They don’t want airport searches, terrorists calls tapped, bag searches and forget profiling because that is just “the worst” as far as they are concerned, but let’s look at who these terrorists are…they are men ages 18-40 (or so) of Middle Eastern decent. I haven’t heard of any 4-year-olds boys or 80 year-old women blowing things up or posing for pictures with masks and guns, but what do I know?! So for me, anything that the ACLU is against is generally going to be something that will keep us safe, so when they fail in their law suits, I am happy!
Gribbit of Stop the ACLU has a partial list of things the ACLU is for and things they are against and you tell me if they have the safety and security of America in mind:
Look at just a few of the countless things this deviant group supports and even actively promotes:
• Abortion on demand throughout pregnancy
• Eradication of any reference to the Ten Commandments or the Bible from public buildings or hillsides or even cemeteries
• Extended constitutional protection for our sworn enemies!
• Free access to pornography, including Internet pornography access for children
• Freedom to desecrate the American flag
• Tax-exempt status for Satanists
• Actively pro-homosexual school curriculums
• Legalized prostitution
• Legalized drugs
• Nudist camps for teenagers
• Same sex “marriage”And that’s just a brief, partial list of their heavy-handed, activist campaigns!
And what does the Anti Christian Litigation Union oppose?• “God Bless America” banners in schools!
• “Abstinence before marriage” sex education
• Christian Homeschooling
• Legalized voluntary, majority-approved prayer in schools
• Sobriety checkpoints and drug searches
• Medical safety reporting of AIDS cases
• Parental consent for teen abortions
• Most post-9/11 security measures
• Any Christian display in public
• Any use of religious symbols for even historical displays
• Any reference to God, let alone Jesus, in a school child’s speech, paper or essay answer!
You are looking at the ACLU backwards.
They protect individual rights.
Do you want Muslim displays in schools? They are against that, too.
Do you want the government forcing pople to have abortions? They are against that, too.
The ACLU is all about protecting the freedom of people, even if they are not in the majority.
Our Constitution is the same way. Freedom of speech is to protect those who say things the majority doesn’t like.
The same with Freedom of religion. It’s their to protect Satanist along with Christians and Muslims.
Just like our constitution protects the minority, so does stands of the ACLU.
So people like you, against the ACLU, are Anti-American.
Oh chartreuse, you sweet sweet misguided person you.
The ACLU picks it’s battles in the strangest ways. Your statements are skewed. For instance, Freedom of speech isn’t to protect those who say things the majority doesn’t like, it is to allow all of us the freedom to say what we will REGARDLESS OF WHO LIKES OR DISLIKES IT. This was done because England had strict controls on religion and did not put up with any dissent. You were killed. It’s in the history books. Read up. The fact that the ACLU picks the battles that the majority is against is a slam on democracy. I recommend you wiki that word prior to pronouncement that I’m a fascist trying to repress you.
The ACLU has a long history of pissing off everyone except socialists and the insane. In fact, they’re a big reason that profiling isn’t widely used in combatting terrorism.
GASP! Profiling!!! How horrible! Except:
ALI, Abdula, Ahmed
ALI, Cossor
ALI, Shazad, Khuram
HUSSAIN, Nabeel
HUSSAIN, Tanvir
HUSSAIN, Umair
ISLAM, Umar
KAYANI, Waseem
KHAN, Assan, Abdullah
KHAN, Waheed, Arafat
KHATIB, Osman, Adam
PATEL, Abdul, Muneem
RAUF, Tayib
SADDIQUE, Muhammed, Usman
SARWAR, Assad
SAVANT, Ibrahim
TARIQ, Amin, Asmin
UDDIN, Shamin, Mohammed
ZAMAN, Waheed
Care to guess where these guys got their notoriety? They are terrorists trying to blow up airplanes. It’s in the news, perhaps you’ve heard of it.
Thanks to the ACLU the government is looking for ITEMS OF TERROR rather than the terrorists themselves. Really thanks for that ACLU, great job there.
So in closure, if the ACLU would stop trying to:
Eradicate the death penalty
Defend convicted felons in bs litigation
Get HIV/AIDS accepted as the norm
Generally erode America’s freedom
and it’s other “picked” battles, the world might just be a nicer place.
Annanonymous, sorry to do battle on your blog. I’ll behave now.
Oh, OK, so the fact that I despise their defense of terrorist’s right (refering to more then just the bag checks) over this country’s security, I am anti-American. That’s a pretty twisted concept.
Personally, I don’t care what people say nor do I care what religion they practice. I am talking about national security, not freedom of speech or religion, though the ACLU has shown on many, many occasions that they are anti-Christian and that they are NOT an unbiased organization.
That’s quite alright, Stew. I appreciate your input. Most people don’t realize that the ACLU was founded on socialist and communist principles, that the founders were self-proclaimed communists and their principles have been carried on.
Thanks for the mention. I have a quote to back up the claim made by Anna…
“I am for socialism, disarmament, and, ultimately, for abolishing the state itself… I seek the social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class, and the sole control of those who produce wealth. Communism is the goal.” – Roger Baldwin, co-founder of the ACLU
You’re welcome Gribbit. I believe we would all be a lot safer were it not for the ACLU and the like. I used a link to the Stop the ACLU post about the founders in my comment, but I doubt the other commentator will go there.
I can quote Christian leaders who supported slavery and Popes who supported the inquisition. His personal beliefs don’t speak for the organization.
The American system of government is founded on two counterbalancing principles: that the majority of the people governs, through democratically elected representatives; and that the power even of a democratic majority must be limited, to ensure individual rights.
Majority power is limited by the Constitution’s Bill of Rights, which consists of the original ten amendments ratified in 1791, plus the three post-Civil War amendments (the 13th, 14th and 15th) and the 19th Amendment (women’s suffrage), adopted in 1920.
The mission of the ACLU is to preserve all of these protections and guarantees:
* Your First Amendment rights-freedom of speech, association and assembly. Freedom of the press, and freedom of religion supported by the strict separation of church and state.
* Your right to equal protection under the law – equal treatment regardless of race, sex, religion or national origin.
* Your right to due process – fair treatment by the government whenever the loss of your liberty or property is at stake.
* Your right to privacy – freedom from unwarranted government intrusion into your personal and private affairs.
Here’s the deal about rights, if we don’t protect the rights of those we hate, we will end up like Nazi Germany. Look up how Hitler was able to convince the people who lived their whole lives with Jews to destroy them.
I’m sure you lov this country.
So does the ACLU.
They just want to make it fair for everyone.
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
–Pastor Martin Niemöller
Thank God for the ACLU
No need for history or government lessons. I am well aware and knowledgeable of both. You may thank God for the ACLU, but I do not. I do not like how they do business nor what they stand for despite what they “say” they stand for.
When is the American Communist League United going to sue the Council on American Islamic Radicals for trying to force their religion on the rest of us?
Need an example? How about the Muslim call to prayer broadcast over loud speakers in Hamtramck, Michigan?
Interesting question, Mike.
Yeah We neo-cons hate the ACLU except wehen it comes to the defense of Rush (never met a percocet I didn’t take) Limbaugh…
Seriously though, if the ACLU goes around making people feel empowered and standing up for the Constitution and Civil Liberties it undermines the agenda of true ‘Merican values: ignorance, total dependence on the state to thik for us and tell us who to fear, and hate, hate, hate. Did I mention that we need to be afraid? Terror is the new pet rock.
Not a neo-con, not a Republican and I don’t like Rush. So, I guess that kind of blows your theory.