The problem of airport searches highlighted by Wendy McElroy directly below is unfortunately spreading to other venues. They are now doing random searches of NYC subway riders and today's Washington Times reports that local Metro officials are seriously contemplating following that disturbing example.

There are ways to resist this trend and avoid the trouble that Phyllis Dintenfass (see post directly below) now finds herself in. For those who wish demonstrate their displeasure with our ever growing security state the organization Flex Your Rights has put out The Citizen's Guide to Refusing New York Subway Searches.

At the beginning of the guide the author’s state that they take “no position on the usefulness of these searches for preventing future attacks.” However, I will, these intrusions are totally useless. We are dealing with suicide bombers and the searches create choke points with extra people around them. Someone intent on mayhem about to be randomly searched will simply set off their explosive at that time, perhaps killing more persons than if they had been on the train.