NationStates Jolt Archive

I decided to remake the thread because the question I was asking in the origional thread did not really ask what I wanted. Many people said "It's just DNA, why do I care?". So I am remaking the question. How would you react in the following situation?

THe date is January 21, 2007. 3 weeks ago, on New Years Day, a bomb exloded in Los Angles, killing thousands. Homeland security is almost 100% sure its an act of terrorism. You are now walking the streets, and a new policy they have implemented for the next month or two is similar to the one they had in New York a few months/years ago; the police now have the right to search your bag when you are entering a subway or are on one. You are in the car of one, and a cop asks you to open your bag and allow him to search it. How do you respond to him?

Edit: I did not mean it like a lwa, I meant it like a policy per say, or a new "right" of the police. Sorry for the bad wording.

THe date is January 21, 2007. 3 weeks ago, on New Years Day, a bomb exloded in Los Angles, killing thousands. Homeland security is almost 100% sure its an act of terrorism. You are now walking the streets, and a new law they have implemented for the next month or two is similar to the one they had in New York a few months/years ago; the police now have the right to search your bag when you are entering a subway or are on one. You are in the car of one, and a cop asks you to open your bag and allow him to search it. How do you respond to him?

"Go ahead, officer. Keep up the good work."

You are essentially talking about a state of martial law.

Frightening, but it is the LAW.
I would submit to the search, or perhaps I could refuse to submit to the police officer who isnt just doing his job but is actually an evil goose stepper fo the great illuminati conspiracy to revoke my civil rights and enslave...not like corporations and television havnt already done that...so I resist this sadistic fiend behind the badge because IN MY OPINION the law is morally objectionable---then i get beaten and go to jail...and rightfully so...I was breaking the Law.

These scenarios are ...dull.

Oh, and the Iranian kid in California should have gotten shot...for real. I cant express that enough.

Of course I let him. The law says he can search my bag, so I'm not about the get in his way.

I am, however, about to leave the country.

I am, however, about to leave the country.
Yeah, I would agree with that course of action.

no, i couldn't bow to martial law, which is what this amounts to.

something like this would never be taken seriously in Poland.

"Go ahead, officer. Keep up the good work."

Ditto.

I inform him that he will be in violation of my fourth ammendmant rights if he searches my bag without a warrant or without reasonable cause. I ask if he intends to still do so.

He answers yes, and I pull my cell phone and call my lawyer. I then place my bag firmly behind me and begin taking film with my phone.

I get the shit beaten out of me (although NYPD are less violent than the cretins in LA), thrown in jail, and am charged with resisting arrest. The ACLU brings the issue to court and the charges are thrown out on the grounds of the violation of my Fourth Ammendment rights.

All in a good day's work.

I inform him that he will be in violation of my fourth ammendmant rights if he searches my bag without a warrant or without reasonable cause. I ask if he intends to still do so.

He answers yes, and I pull my cell phone and call my lawyer. I then place my bag firmly behind me and begin taking film with my phone.

I get the shit beaten out of me (although NYPD are less violent than the cretins in LA), thrown in jail, and am charged with resisting arrest. The ACLU brings the issue to court and the charges are thrown out on the grounds of the violation of my Fourth Ammendment rights.

All in a good day's work.

Absolutley, 100% perfect. I'm all for political protests and resistance and the like, but it's better to follow the laws and try to change the bad ones legally than it is to resist them because they offend your own petty morals.

As long as it's illegal for the cop to search my bag, I'll refuse to let him search it.

I inform him that he will be in violation of my fourth ammendmant rights if he searches my bag without a warrant or without reasonable cause. I ask if he intends to still do so.

He answers yes, and I pull my cell phone and call my lawyer. I then place my bag firmly behind me and begin taking film with my phone.

I get the shit beaten out of me (although NYPD are less violent than the cretins in LA), thrown in jail, and am charged with resisting arrest. The ACLU brings the issue to court and the charges are thrown out on the grounds of the violation of my Fourth Ammendment rights.

All in a good day's work.chances are you would be ejected from the Subway, or like the Airports now... you won't even get into the subway.

I'd make sure to always put a lubed vibrator in my hand bag,

chances are you would be ejected from the Subway, or like the Airports now... you won't even get into the subway.

If they ask prior to my entery of the Subway, that is correct. I file a lawsuit through the ACLU for denial of service, and the law is oveturned.

But since the OP specifies that I am already on the Subway, I am almost certain that I would arrested either for obstructing an officer in the line of duty or for resisting arrest, given that removing me from the train would be impossible until the next stop, and they would want to stop me immediately.

Yes officer, as long as it doesn't make me miss my stop.

No, I will not consent to improper search and seizure.

I would slap him on the ass and run away (Myrth)

What about a simple, Yes officer, go right ahead, I want to thank you for the sacrifice you make in keeping my streets safe.

Absolutley, 100% perfect. I'm all for political protests and resistance and the like, but it's better to follow the laws and try to change the bad ones legally than it is to resist them because they offend your own petty morals.

Oh, don't get me wrong, the actions I specify are civil dissobediance, and I'm reisisting them because they offend my petty morals. I am not following the word of law in the scenerio laid out. I am, in fact, guilty of obstructing an officer in the line of duty.

But civil dissobediance is the lifeblood of liberty.

What about a simple, Yes officer, go right ahead, I want to thank you for the sacrifice you make in keeping my streets safe.

So you brown-nose the officer to make him look less closely at what you're carrying?

I suppose it might work...

Yes officer, as long as it doesn't make me miss my stop.

No, I will not consent to improper search and seizure.

I would slap him on the ass and run away (Myrth)

What about a simple, Yes officer, go right ahead, I want to thank you for the sacrifice you make in keeping my streets safe.

Goddamn it. Why do people try to make conversation with others in situations liek this? A simple yes or no would suffice. Moravia.

Or you could just have respect for law enforcement personnel. I know that is like supporting fascism here on the general boards but some of us do have respect for them.

Or you could just have respect for law enforcement personnel. I know that is like supporting fascism here on the general boards but some of us do have respect for them.

And some of us desire to be protected by the Constitution, and if they are disrespecting the Law of the Land, then they should be equally disrespected.

And some of us desire to be protected by the Constitution, and if they are disrespecting the Law of the Land, then they should be equally disrespected.

Protect yourself with the Constitution? That's madness! It's not even bullet proof.

Or you could just have respect for law enforcement personnel. I know that is like supporting fascism here on the general boards but some of us do have respect for them.

Yeah... Respect and hero worship are two different things. You displayed behaviour that seemed more along the lines of kissing ass and blindly following than respect. Respect would have been either.

"Yes, officer."

Or "I'm sorry officer, but I cannot comply with your request."

Coincidentally, I'm not a big fan of cops in general because I don't trust them any more, but its still a good idea to treat them respectfully. They're less likely to decide that they want to hurt you that way. Brown nosing is just annoying, though.

Protect yourself with the Constitution? That's madness! It's not even bullet proof.

...I'm too full and tired to even begin to say something smart ass like. :p

Protect yourself with the Constitution? That's madness! It's not even bullet proof.

The Constitution has a magical +5 to Resist Opression (Will Save/2 + Resist Opression Skill) checks attatched to it.

Jeez... You'd think I was the only one with the DM's guide for "Hypothetical Real-World Crisis D20" or something.

I would just detonate the bomb.

something like this would never be taken seriously in Poland.

We're talking about the Poland located in europe, right? The Poland that tolerated communist rule for decades? The same polish people that helped exterminate jews during WWII?

Your people and government are just as susceptible to extremism as any other.

I'd let him search my bags (after all, I'd have nothing to hide except perhaps a box of tampons) but all the while I'd be mentally challenging him to bite me.

Then I would hop on a flight to the UK. Or Canada.

We're talking about the Poland located in europe, right? The Poland that tolerated communist rule for decades? The same polish people that helped exterminate jews during WWII?

Your people and government are just as susceptible to extremism as any other.

we did not tolerate nazi or communist rule.

I would go ahead and let him search my bag. After all, this is only a temporary measure, and there is a clear danger.

I should mention that this is normal in public places in Israel - entrances to shopping malls have metal detectors and guards.

I'd let him search my bags (after all, I'd have nothing to hide except perhaps a box of tampons) but all the while I'd be mentally challenging him to bite me.

Then I would hop on a flight to the UK. Or Canada.

This isn't a hypothetical scenario. It's legal in the UK right now and has been for many years. It's called stop and search - and as long as you're given a paper chit explaining what stop and search is, an officer can stop anyone in the steet and search anything they're carrying plus their 'outer garments'. No warrant, no specific purpose required. So before we start bashing the 'authoritarian' US (as per every self-respecting board...) remember that in SOME respects you have more rights.

"Sure here it is...wait let me take out this book first." *clenches fist and lobs it into police officer's face knocking him out and then eagerly awaiting next stop* :D

I would say no. Unless he has a very good* reason to search my bag, he'd better keep his hands well away from me and my stuff.


*Good reason would, in this case, be a warrent signed by a judge.