July 12, 2004
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CSO
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Bostons subway system, the nations first, is making history again. This month, riders of the T, as it is known to locals, will be subject to random bag checks before boarding. The measures are part of the citys effort to gear up
According to the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA), the agency that runs the commuter train system and the bus system in Boston, all large bags and suitcases will be searched by MBTA police. Smaller bags like backpacks, briefcases and purses will be searched randomly. In some locations, bomb-sniffing dogs will be used. Michael Mulhern, general manager of the MBTA, told the Boston Globe that there was a compelling public interest in instituting the new policy. A reported one million weekday riders will be affected by the new measures, and anyone who refuses to be searched will not be allowed on the T.
Civil liberties groups are outraged by the new policy. Some even plan to sue the MBTA on grounds that the random searches are unconstitutional. Critics are also wary of the randomness of the searches, and some fear that racial profiling may creep into the program. The American Civil Liberties Union, the National Lawyers Guild, the Arab-American Anti-Defamation Committee and several other groups have formed something called the Safe and Free T Alliance to rally opposition to the new measures. ACLU representative Nancy Murray told the Globe, The Ts going to have a real problem with this, as people realize its fake security and a [public relations] exercise, and what their rights are and what theyre giving up.
The MBTA appears unimpressed. An agency spokesperson has said that even when the convention is over, the MBTA may continue its searches.
The March 11 train bombing that killed 191 people in Madrid, Spain, reminded us just how vulnerable mass transit systems are to terrorist action. A similar bomb exploding beneath a train car in Boston during convention week would be no less devastating.
But whats the answer? Are random searches really an effective deterrent, or are they a public relations stunt with no real value, and with serious harm to our civil rights? Tell us what you think.
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