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The Practical Nomad Update: Ferry passenger searches challenged
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Sat, 16 Oct 2004 14:49:47 +0100
(((( The Practical Nomad Update: Ferry passenger searches challenged ))))
October 05, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://hasbrouck.org/blog/archives/000417.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A "Vermont commuter":http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041005 /NEWS/410050360/1002 who has been required to submit to warrantless, suspicionless searches of his car and belongings as a condition of travel on ferries across Lake Champlain between Vermont and New York has "filed a Federal lawsuit":http://www.thechamplainchannel.com/news/3783040/detail.html , with the assistance of the Vermont chapter of the ACLU, against the "Lake Champlain Transportation Co.":http://www.ferries.com/ and the USA Department of Homeland Security. I've been on the Lake Champlain ferries. They are all operated by the same company, so there is no alternative with a different search policy. And, as the lawsuit notes, the alternative to a 10-20 minute ferry ride is a 2-3 hour drive -- not feasible for a daily commute, or for a pedestrian or bicyclist. Meanwhile, the "Washington State Ferries":http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/ are reportedly planning "random searches":http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transportation/192878_ferrysear ches29.html to begin as early as this weekend. While the Lake Champlian ferries are privately operated, the Washington ferries -- overwhelmingly the largest passenger ferry system in the USA -- are run by the state Department of Transportation, making the Constitutional violation in the warrantless, suspicionless searches even more direct. As all possible modes of transport come to be subject to these sorts of restrictions, the argument that there tose who don't want to surrender their other freedoms, in order to exercise their freedom to assemble as guaranteed in the First Amendment, can simply "choose another mode of travel", becomes more and more untenable. -- Powered by Movable Type Version 2.661 http://www.movabletype.org/ ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- The Practical Nomad Update: Ferry passenger searches challenged David Farber (Oct 16)