more on NYC to search transit riders' bags -- but ...

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
Date: July 22, 2005 10:08:32 AM EDT
To: krulwich () yahoo com
Cc: dave () farber net, lauren () vortex com
Subject: Re: [IP] NYC to search transit riders' bags -- but ...


Bruce,

I agree with you 100% about the likely shift in targets, and in fact
that was a key point in my original discussion.  And the actions of
the security guards you describe are as heroic as their deaths are
tragic.  However, I can't detect anything at all "flip" about my
referenced comments -- so I'm a bit mystified by your closing
sentence.  In any case, my point is that I'm asking for the
authorities to stop treating us like children when it comes to what
they're saying about the real risks and the true effectiveness
(or lack thereof) of the public measures they're taking in these  
regards.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () pfir org or lauren () vortex com or lauren () eepi org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
  - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, EEPI
  - Electronic Entertainment Policy Initiative - http://www.eepi.org
Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
DayThink: http://daythink.vortex.com

 - - -


> Dave,
>
> I just got back from a visit to the NY area (I live in Israel), and  
> agree that
> anti-terror policies in the U.S. seem silly and ineffective.  But  
> in response
> to:
>
>
> > And most depressingly, exactly how will this policy prevent
> > suicide bombers (presumably a key demographic) from exploding
> > their payloads in the terminals prior to or during inspections,
> > or bombers in general simply shifting from mass transit to any
> > number of other "soft" targets around the metropolitan area
> > (sidewalks?  stores?  shopping centers?  Times Square?)
>
> On the one hand, I think it's clear that if/when terrorist get  
> serious about
> terrorizing Americans, they'll avoid the so-called "big targets"  
> completely
> and hit run-of-the-mill supermarkets in all the "Podunk Iowa"'s of the
> country.  This will avoid security and will more effectively terrorize
> Americans.  In Israel there have been virtually zero terrorist acts  
> at major
> government or military places, or at "big targets," they've all  
> been targets
> close to entry points or targets that were easy.
>
> On the other hand, over a dozen Israeli security guards at coffee  
> shops have
> given their lives so that terrorists would explode outside coffee  
> shops
> instead of inside, resulting in much less loss of life.  So let's  
> watch the
> flip comments a bit.
>
> --Bruce


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