Nothing To See Here, Move Along Please

The bureaucratic and media spin that New Yorkers welcome bag searches with kisses and rose petals continues:

N.Y., N.J. commuters OK with bag searches

By Charisse Jones, USA TODAY

NEW YORK — Stepping off the subway Monday, Roberta Nelson said she hadn't been stopped yet by a police officer wanting to search her bag. If it happens, she said, she won't mind.

"I think it's necessary," Nelson, 30, said. "But I agree with a lot of people that it's not going to be a deterrent."

Transportation officials reported no delays because of the inspections and few complaints from passengers. "I think they know it's for their added safety," MTA spokesman Tom Kelly said. "In fact, most people have been very willing to do it and appreciative of it."

Robert Kramer, who travels from his home in Hoboken, N.J., to Manhattan each day for work, said the searches are fine provided they don't prolong his commute.

"As long as it does not double my commuting time ... I'm for it," he said.

So we have some people gladly submitting to this because they have a vague notion that "it's necessary"---but they don't think it will be a deterrent. And others are all for it as long as their precious "commuting time" is not affected.

Incredible.

What I find just as interesting as the basic issue of bag searches is the way in which some people not only accept this but welcome it, apparently without much thought. Remember learning how these sorts of things happened in other countries, wondering why there was no resistance or even debate, and confidently thinking it could never happen that way here? We've experienced a lot of "living history" over the past few years, and this is the latest chapter.

And this issue illustrates perfectly the intellectual hypocrisy and conspicuous silence of some who call themselves "conservatives" today. If this happened while Bill Clinton was president, Mario Cuomo was governor, and David Dinkins was mayor, what would those same conservatives be saying right now?