I had hopes that Hochul, a backbencher, behind the scenes person, would given the opportunity get stuff done. This was dashed by among things her big idea to spend a gazillionty dollars on a stadium in Buffalo instead of I dunno housing, transit, some other less expensive way to get tourists to an old time city filled with architectual gems, historical underground railroad stop, a state university center, famous bar food, and minutes away from Niagara Falls. Here she is with another self-inflicted wound. She already was tough enough on crime to beat back a Repubican rival in an election. Why this?
Looks like every day on the subways in Italy and Spain back in the mid eighties. Carabinieri and Guardia Civil everywhere on the subways in Rome and Madrid.
And thanks to the NRA and Republicans, guns are everywhere, and can be concealed on anyone. It’s one thing to attempt to fight crime by militarizing public places. That would be scary enough for people if there was reason to be confident that citizens are not armed. But America is America, and we furiously masterbate to the misinterpreted 2nd Amendment here. So the National Guard and local police in metropolitan areas have reason to be nervous and in a state of high alert. This is the environment Republicans claim they want and will make everyone safe. Tense soldiers with machine guns standing around in the open, wondering which of the civilians are also armed with intent to harm.
Unless facing a similarly-armed and trained military force, letting loose on full auto in a big tunnel made of stone and steal would seem tactically inadvisable.
“People, frankly, also like to see politicians acting rashly and thoughtlessly and doing things that are far more likely to make things worse when it comes to dealing with the problem of crime. They want to see it handled cowboy-style,”
I remember when they were doing this after 9/11, although I am pretty sure it was the police. They stopped me, middle aged white woman, three times. They were very polite, but I always left the encounter in a rage.
I did not believe that it was prevention. Any evil doer with an actual bomb would just refuse the search and go to another station. They wanted us to be afraid, as if everyone didn't already feel their stomachs drop any time the subway stopped in a tunnel. Then I realized I could refuse the search and go to another station. They never asked to search my bag again
I ride the subway several times a week, including after midnight a few days ago. It's been completely uneventful.
The NY Times said the most common crime in the subway is "theft without force," or picking up something that somebody else put down. How is a someone with a military-style rifle going to help? Likewise, people who jump the turnstile, and unhinged people who attack other people; what are soldiers supposed to do in that situation? Open fire in a crowded station?
B b b but I saw Bruce Willis in this one movie (or was it that Liam guy) and he instantly made each bad guy regret stealing the old lady's handbag. All those NG soldiers could do the same thing! It'll be great! Just like in Top Die Hard Gun III: Toledo Grift!
Isn't searching random bags of random people sort of unconstitutional in some way? I, being a Canadian only know the famous bits, but I vaguely remember something about search and seizure?
I ride the NY subway sometimes, mostly during the day on the weekends. This latest theatrical did more to scare me that anything on the subway ever has or ever will. Men in all manner of uniform with all manner of giant guns. Bag searches; all very police state.
I cannot speak for New Yorkers who ride the subway under more sinister circumstances - late at night, to some of the creepier stations - but I don’t think they are as frightened as people seem to think. I saw an elegantly dressed woman kick a live, scurrying, rat out of her way with her d’Orsay pump. She is not afraid of much.
I'm on the west coast and admittedly out of the loop, but why are they even doing bag checks in the first place? Like what is the ostensible goal here?
To detect bombs or whatnot. Random bag checking by the NY police was instituted about twenty years ago, I think in response to a poison gas attack in the Tokyo subways.
I fly a lot for work. About half the time I land somewhere, there are guys in uniform walking around the baggage claim area with machine guns and attack dogs.
I often write to the airport commissions running those airports, and tell them that if their baggage claim areas are so dangerous that it's reasonable to have guys walking around with machine guns and attack dogs, the area is clearly too dangerous for tourist families and business travelers such as myself.
I never get any response. I'm sure my messages are deleted and letters just shredded. But I don't want The Authorities to be able to assume US citizens don't notice guys walking around with machine guns and attack dogs in regular normal everyday America.
Hochul has it all wrong. The only proper way to search a bag is to stir the contents with the muzzle of your automatic rifle! Really keeps the populace on their toes!
I had hopes that Hochul, a backbencher, behind the scenes person, would given the opportunity get stuff done. This was dashed by among things her big idea to spend a gazillionty dollars on a stadium in Buffalo instead of I dunno housing, transit, some other less expensive way to get tourists to an old time city filled with architectual gems, historical underground railroad stop, a state university center, famous bar food, and minutes away from Niagara Falls. Here she is with another self-inflicted wound. She already was tough enough on crime to beat back a Repubican rival in an election. Why this?
Ta, Robyn. There are loads of cops on the subway platforms, watching their phones and chatting with each other.
Looks like every day on the subways in Italy and Spain back in the mid eighties. Carabinieri and Guardia Civil everywhere on the subways in Rome and Madrid.
And thanks to the NRA and Republicans, guns are everywhere, and can be concealed on anyone. It’s one thing to attempt to fight crime by militarizing public places. That would be scary enough for people if there was reason to be confident that citizens are not armed. But America is America, and we furiously masterbate to the misinterpreted 2nd Amendment here. So the National Guard and local police in metropolitan areas have reason to be nervous and in a state of high alert. This is the environment Republicans claim they want and will make everyone safe. Tense soldiers with machine guns standing around in the open, wondering which of the civilians are also armed with intent to harm.
Unless facing a similarly-armed and trained military force, letting loose on full auto in a big tunnel made of stone and steal would seem tactically inadvisable.
"They want to see it handled cowboy-style..."
A lot of people are really stupid and have trouble telling the difference between reality and 80s action movies.
George Carlin said it best:
"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that."
“People, frankly, also like to see politicians acting rashly and thoughtlessly and doing things that are far more likely to make things worse when it comes to dealing with the problem of crime. They want to see it handled cowboy-style,”
Good to know I’m not “people” then.
Any Republican in the country could have told you that.
Hochul has a history of being a republican in disguise. I hope she’s primaried by a real democrat next time.
She's in disguise?????
I remember when they were doing this after 9/11, although I am pretty sure it was the police. They stopped me, middle aged white woman, three times. They were very polite, but I always left the encounter in a rage.
I did not believe that it was prevention. Any evil doer with an actual bomb would just refuse the search and go to another station. They wanted us to be afraid, as if everyone didn't already feel their stomachs drop any time the subway stopped in a tunnel. Then I realized I could refuse the search and go to another station. They never asked to search my bag again
I'm glad that worked. Not all cops take no for an answer. Forgive me linking to libertarians, but I'm too lazy to find another source: https://reason.com/2024/02/28/pennsylvania-police-settle-lawsuit-with-woman-forced-to-undergo-humiliating-strip-search/.
They did that after 911. The National Guard had guns, but no bullets. I tried to ride the bus whenever it was an option after that.
I ride the subway several times a week, including after midnight a few days ago. It's been completely uneventful.
The NY Times said the most common crime in the subway is "theft without force," or picking up something that somebody else put down. How is a someone with a military-style rifle going to help? Likewise, people who jump the turnstile, and unhinged people who attack other people; what are soldiers supposed to do in that situation? Open fire in a crowded station?
B b b but I saw Bruce Willis in this one movie (or was it that Liam guy) and he instantly made each bad guy regret stealing the old lady's handbag. All those NG soldiers could do the same thing! It'll be great! Just like in Top Die Hard Gun III: Toledo Grift!
It says so much about our culture that now I want to see Top Die Hard Gun III: Toledo Grift.
Isn't searching random bags of random people sort of unconstitutional in some way? I, being a Canadian only know the famous bits, but I vaguely remember something about search and seizure?
They ask them for “permission” to search, if the riders don’t give “permission” to search then they are told they can’t ride the subway.
This is perfectly legal (if by “perfectly legal” you mean “fucking unconstitutional”).
I ride the NY subway sometimes, mostly during the day on the weekends. This latest theatrical did more to scare me that anything on the subway ever has or ever will. Men in all manner of uniform with all manner of giant guns. Bag searches; all very police state.
I cannot speak for New Yorkers who ride the subway under more sinister circumstances - late at night, to some of the creepier stations - but I don’t think they are as frightened as people seem to think. I saw an elegantly dressed woman kick a live, scurrying, rat out of her way with her d’Orsay pump. She is not afraid of much.
Maybe the rat owed her money.
As they so often do…
I'm on the west coast and admittedly out of the loop, but why are they even doing bag checks in the first place? Like what is the ostensible goal here?
to harass the citizens.
Google "security theater".
To detect bombs or whatnot. Random bag checking by the NY police was instituted about twenty years ago, I think in response to a poison gas attack in the Tokyo subways.
Oh okay, I never encountered anything like that on my trips to NYC so I was wondering if something new had happened recently.
I fly a lot for work. About half the time I land somewhere, there are guys in uniform walking around the baggage claim area with machine guns and attack dogs.
I often write to the airport commissions running those airports, and tell them that if their baggage claim areas are so dangerous that it's reasonable to have guys walking around with machine guns and attack dogs, the area is clearly too dangerous for tourist families and business travelers such as myself.
I never get any response. I'm sure my messages are deleted and letters just shredded. But I don't want The Authorities to be able to assume US citizens don't notice guys walking around with machine guns and attack dogs in regular normal everyday America.
Hochul has it all wrong. The only proper way to search a bag is to stir the contents with the muzzle of your automatic rifle! Really keeps the populace on their toes!
I really wish Democrats would just stop trying to me-too ANY kind of Republican memes. Especially with regard to the border.