"The program's legal, it's designed to protect civil liberties, and it's necessary,"
Jan 26, 2006
I often wonder if Bush cares at all about how absurd his statements are. To propose that spying on AMERICAN CITIZENS without obtaining a warrant is "legal", and "designed to protect civil liberties" is simply outrageous.
Someone asked me the other day, "well, don't you think that if they (the State) strongly believe someone is involved in terrorism that they should be monitoring that person?" My answer was very simple...
"When it comes to invading a person's privacy, the law is VERY clear... the State must get a warrant. If the State has even a shred of evidence that someone is doing something wrong and feel the need to conduct intrusive surveillance, go get a warrant. Why is Bush so adamant about avoiding a very clear process? The laws our founding fathers set up were pretty good, and the relatively few amendments made over the past several centuries have made a great rule book even better. If Bush doesn't like the rules, then change them, don't just act as if they don't exist."
I think in this "war" on terrorism, Bush & the majority of Americans he's successfully frightened have forgotten the war is on terrorism, not our civil liberties. One of the principles this country was founded on was that the State is "for the people, by the people." At no point should the State forget that it must fear the people, rather than vice-versa. Today we can see that our State is in no way frightened of the people... and the people have much to fear from our State. I wouldn't be surprised if this posting gets me put on some "watch-list" for anti-American ideology.
The other night at around 12am I walked into the Bleecker St. Uptown 6 train station with Lon. There were two cops there who asked me to put my bag on the table so they could search it. They didn't ask me if they could search it, they simply asserted the State's right to search my private property without any reasonable cause. I looked at them and said, "you're joking, right?" And one of the said, "no." And I said, "without any probable cause, you're not searching my bag." His response was, "well then you're not getting into this train station." I asked Lon if he minded walking three blocks North to the Astor Place Uptown 6 station. He responded, "absolutely - under no circumstances should you let them search you."
At that point, Lon and I were geared up for a debate, and couldn't hold back. I asked the cops to put their badge aside, pretend they're civilians, and consider what they're doing. To consider that they're clearly breaking the law, which provides that all citizens have the right to private property, and that without probable cause (something I learned about in Social Sciences in 7th grade) he can't just search me or my property. Hell I've seen many episodes on Law & Order where cases were thrown out because a cop searched someone, searched someone's car or apartment, etc... general personal property, without a warrant or probable cause.
Their response was that you can't get on an airplane without being searched. Lon & I responded that when taking a plane there are several factors:
1. Airlines aren't run by the state.
They retorted that neither is the MTA... to which we asked what other private company has it's board members appointed by the Governor of a given state? And what other private company is funded almost exclusively by tax dollars? They gave up quickly. In case you're wondering... the MTA writes on their homepage: "A public-benefit corporation chartered by the State of New York." Wikipedia does a good job of describing a Public-Benefit Corp. They also give a good explanation of Public-Benefit Corporations in New York.
2. When flying, you almost always have other options of transportation. If you don't want to be searched, you can take a bus, a train, a car, etc... Furthermore, flying is often the most expensive option, and therefore, highly elective.
They said we don't have to take a subway.... to which we both responded that in general in NYC, more than any other city in the world, where few people have cars, the Subway is the main form of transportation - especially when traveling inter-borough. Furthermore, it is the most cost-effective, and an option most people can't afford not to take.
They also didn't have much of a response to this.
3. You are inspected at EVERY airport. There isn't a plane you can board without being checked. There is no chance for discrimination or cause for someone to feel as though they were being targeted by the government. Furthermore, it is difficult for the government to actually try to target one group when they have to check everyone.
This they had no answer to.
I asked the cop, "you think there's something in my bag, yet you'll let me walk out of here and go to another station 2 minutes away, and potentially cause havoc over there?" And he said, "if you want to go there, that's your option."
Lon & I thanked them for talking with us & doing their job, asked them to consider what we had discussed, and wished them a safe evening.
The laws this country is based on give the people the fundamental right to dismantle the gov't when the gov't isn't doing what the majority of people want. Bush is working hard to make sure that's not the case. If you're in NYC and are asked to be inspected, don't give in to the State's misguided attempt at protecting us. You're just helping them do more harm to our way of living than the terrorists could have ever hoped. While this issue is being debated in court - the state will go as far as the people will let them, regardless of what the court says. Send a message to the State - your state.
I leave you with, as Jon Stewart puts it, "your moment of zen:"
Associated Press
Update 4: Bush Confident Surveillance Is Legal
01.26.2006, 10:47 AM
President Bush defended anew his program of warrantless surveillance Thursday, saying "there's no doubt in my mind it is legal." He suggested that he might resist congressional efforts to change it.
"The program's legal, it's designed to protect civil liberties, and it's necessary," Bush told a White House news conference.
"I'm going to continue using my authority. That's what the American people expect."
Bush used the beginning of his first news conference of the year, and 10th in office, to preview some of the issues he will discuss in his upcoming State of the Union speech.
Stumble
glad to hear, that you went to another station, that would have been my choice.
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