Strolling along Comm. Ave. today near Newton City Hall increased security measures were obvious.
There were some positive signs too …
“Boston University’s Daily Free Press reports that 100,000 daffodils were planted along the Boston Marathon route.
Diane Valle and Kathy Thomas got the idea to plant the daffodils along the route after attending the Daffodil Festival on the day of the marathon bombing. The duo went on to raise over $26,000 for the project and hope they bloom in time
for the famed race on April 21, 2014.” According to The Daffodil Society web site.
Is Newton Police making that sign available for the “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quote Marks? http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com
Maybe they making the point that is you don’t have all of the following — they won’t inspect?
They “reserve the right to inspect”? Where did they get that right in the first place? The Fourth Amendment takes another hit!
You cannot “reserve” a right that isn’t yours to begin with. I find it astounding that on the anniversary of Patriot’s Day, our fair city announces the intent to disregard a fundamental right that our forefathers fought and died to preserve – the right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures of our persons and personal effects.
While I know and respect a handful of Newton cops, they can stick it where the sun don’t shine.
Massachusetts has perverted 4a enough with an overbroad understanding of what is allowed with terry stops… this is straight BS, and probably illegal.
Mike
Saturday morning our Newton Tree Conservancy president Katherine Howard, and this shady looking character were out on Comm Ave pulling the new mulch away from the tree trunks.
It must have looked suspicious because someone called the police. So Katherine explained to a very nice woman police officer why mulch against the trunk is bad for trees.
I hope people have noticed how much better the mulch situation looks this year. The city has gotten criticism in the past from people who know mulch volcanos are bad, about the pre-Marathon mulching. In fact, little new mulch was being added, but overmulching in years past had resulted in trees putting out roots in old mulch that had basically turned into soil and was hard to remove. This year, both volunteers and the tree crew removed as much old mulch as possible before the new mulch was put down for the Marathon, so in most places the mulch is nice and flat. The last step was brushing it away from the base of the trunks. We didn’t want hundreds or thousands of spectators to see wrong mulching.
You don’t have to let them inspect. If is your right but you will be escorted off of the event route. The orange cones with ropes represent the event route and if you are within 10 feet of it you are attending the event and subject to search.
It’s not unlike checking you bags when you go into Fenway or the Hatch Shell.
Sign or no sign, if someone walks up to an officer with a scenario that seems very suspicious, the officer needs to react in some way. Say there’s a man standing alone in the crowd that’s been on his cell phone since he arrived and he’s clearly not interested in the race — he’s not looking at the runners. He’s talking in a foreign language, etc and happens to have a duffel bag…. Guess what, the office isn’t going to give a long story about the constitution and tell the person reporting this to move along.
On the other hand — if there are students on private property that happen to have a large cooler… That’s another scenario that doesn’t warrant the same policing. Even if the sign suggests otherwise
Yes it is my right to decline, but the point is that it is not their right to stop and ask without some particular suspicion. As for what constitutes the course, if the 10 foot rule is true then the anyone living on the eastbound side of Comm Ave along the route is effectively imprisoned in their home today (unless they “consent” to a search to step off their lawn).
What sad commentary on Patriot’s Day.
Those who give up liberty for [perceived] safety deserve neither.
Mike
Let’s remember Feb last year when Deval Patrick took it upon himself to sign an executive order prohibiting travel on any road in Massachusetts due to a snow storm. That order meant anyone on the road would be subject to all sorts of police action. At least with the Marathon we have the option to stay away.
Let us remember that the human beings who made those decisions last year and this year, were just doing their best keeping us safe.
That’s BS, Greg. They’re not “just doing their best keeping us safe.” They’re doing it in a way that hands terrorists a victory by eroding our Constitution and American’s rights. Our last two national governments have decimated the Fourth Amendment, [warrantless spying, secret courts], and they’ve had help from at the former Mayor of New York, [“stop and frisk”]. Now Mayor Warren, has joined this “I don’t give a damn about the Constitution” crowd. Let me be the first to say it… Warren should resign!
Some interesting stats for the U.S.:
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2013/06/youre-more-likely-to-be-killed-by-a-toddler-than-a-terrorist.html
You are 11,000 times more likely to die in an airplane accident than from a terrorist plot involving an airplane
— You are 1048 times more likely to die from a car accident than from a terrorist attack.
–You are 404 times more likely to die in a fall than from a terrorist attack
— You are 87 times more likely to drown than die in a terrorist attack
– You are 13 times more likely to die in a railway accident than from a terrorist attack
–You are 12 times more likely to die from accidental suffocation in bed than from a terrorist attack
–You are 9 times more likely to choke to death on your own vomit than die in a terrorist attack
–You are 8 times more likely to be killed by a police officer than by a terrorist
–You are 8 times more likely to die from accidental electrocution than from a terrorist attack
– You are 6 times more likely to die from hot weather than from a terrorist attack.
If we allow our liberties to be chipped away, then we will surrender more rights to tyranny than any terrorist could ever take from us by force.
At least they being open about the approach. The alternative is not to say anything and do their own profiling and none of us would be taking about rights to refuse
BTW — listening to the police scanner, there’s been a few people stopped more than once. One was a BC student returning to campus carrying packages and wearing a backpack. Another a man standing in the same spot by a Wellesley bank, wearing sunglasses and had a backpack. It feels like if the incident last year involved a falling piano, all the efforts would be to look for pianos.
Geesh. While a million people were out enjoying an amazing marathon today, Hoss, Lisap and a pair of Mike’s were apparently cowering inside fretting about their lost liberty.
Greg, you wish. Actually I was outside armed with my well worn copy of the constitution. I don’t cower and I’m not afraid to stand up for my liberties. In that regard, I think I am remembering the spirit of what this day means.
I was on Comm Ave near the fire station for about 4 hours today. It was packed. There were lots of parties, picnics, cookouts, etc., just like past years. I didn’t see anyone getting hassled about their bags or anything else. The only major difference as a spectator were the barriers.
Lisap – As you sat with your copy of the Constitution, a million people marveled at the courage of 4 people who overcame all odds to win their division of the Boston Marathon – a young woman born with spinal bifida adopted when she was 6 years old from an orphanage in Russia; a young man born with a congenital absence of both legs; a women who broke the Boston Marathon course record today and won for the third time; and a (soon to be) 39 year old man whose father devoted his life to giving his 10 children an opportunity for a better life as citizens of the United States. All four participated in this event because we have a Constitution that enabled these remarkable people to participate fully in an event such as we witnessed today.
While lawyers love to dig deeply into the Constitution, I happen to love the Preamble, as it addresses our values as a nation in good times and the tough times:
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
It was an extraordinary day.
I watched most of the Marathon from my backyard. Beautiful day. Great race. Pretty awesome outcome.
I don’t live my life in fear of much, especially not terrorism. I do fear very much for our country though. When our leaders ignore the Constitution for the sake of expediency, they put our nation at far greater risk than any terrorist ever could.
Here’s part of the oath Setti Warren took. See if you think it’s consistent with the NPD sign near the top of this post…
“I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same…”
I’m generally I’m wary of creeping police powers but I think all this talk of constitutional issues and loss of 4th amendment rights in connection with today’s marathon is off base and way overblown.
There were no forced searches of anyone today. If you chose to go to the marathon route and if you chose to bring a backpack etc, you could choose to submit to a search if you wanted to remain in the crowd … or not.
Indeed an extra ordinary day !
But not the same marathon I ran a number of years ago. Today I saw ropes each side of Commonwealth Ave keeping terrorists off the course. I saw US Coast Guard helicopters overhead patrolling our waterways and keeping the terrorists away. I saw US military soldiers patrolling the sidewalks holding back the terrorists. I saw numerous black uniformed swat team members, from some sort of eastern Massachusetts anti crime organization, pistols at the ready to fire away at terrorists when they attack. I couldn’t pick out bandit runners very easily, terrorists that they must be. They may be lucky to have snuck by without getting shot. $3.00 cowbells for sale wont send them fleeing. And what about the Poland Springs Corporate donations of water to all, what was that about ? No more kids orange slices and watermelon, it might be poisoned by the parental terrorists living here.
And the big winner,” TERROR “, from Massachusetts, in todays marathon
My only gripe about an otherwise wonderful event today was the banning of unregistered runners (aka bandits) vaguely under the guise of security. The unregistered runners have been an essential part of the event for ever. The serious runners and organizers have never liked them being part of the event.
Claiming “security concerns” was a transparently bogus rationale for getting rid of the unregistered runners. I think the Boston Marathon just lost an important part of its heritage. In our neighborhood, 70 year old “running John” sat out this year’s marathon for the first time in years. That was a real shame.
Otherwise though it was a great event on a perfect day.
When Im less exhausted (though I have little license to be) Ill come up with a longer response… But Ill sum it up briefly for now.
I watched all my friends complete the race from heartbreak from 11-5 then had a BBq for some of them at my folks place off ward. I wasnt clutching my constitution all day… but it was in mind. Its hard for it not to be when your oath to it lands you in Afghanistan 4 years into “the president for peaces term.” Sorry some of you dont take it so seriously, but other mike and I as well as others do our best to pick up your slack.
It was a great race, despite the security theater (as a Marine I actually ran into a cop I deployed with, one of the dudes in black, who confirmed as much), as well as the lack of costumed runners and military units hiking for charity… because screw those military terrorists.
My camera bag wasnt searched, but I would have been arrested before I consented to a search on a public way.
As far as the helos go… thats more for show, the pilots need to log hours anyway, may as well look cool doing it. The blackhawks with the Red Crosses are part of the MA guard dustoff unit, and as the pilots are reserves they need hours logged regardless… I only know this as I am ultimately hoping to go from USMC over to the guard to fly.
But this was a loss for freedom, despite what some of you think. To those who dont understand the importance of the BOR, I truly pity you. We need more people with an appreciation for what civil liberties actually are.
Mike
@Jane, that would be a million and one because I did both at the same time. I also managed to reflect upon “the shot heard round the world” and the battles and sacrifices that launched this nation. I like to remember that this day is about far more than a road race.
It was more than a road race, and yesterday’s Marathon is being hailed as such around the country and the world. This, from the Washington Post:
Afterward, Keflezighi acknowledged he used the crowd’s energy and the emotion of the day to power himself through the finish line.
“I knew [the Kenyan pursuers] were coming for me,” Keflezighi said. “But I kept thinking, ‘Boston Strong. Boston Strong. Meb Strong. Meb Strong.’ . . . It couldn’t happen at a better time, to win for America.”
A year ago, Keflezighi, injured at the time, was among the spectators lining Boylston Street near the finish line. He left to go to his hotel room about five minutes before the bombs detonated not far from the spot he had just vacated. Aside from the three who were killed that day, more than 260 spectators were injured, including more than a dozen who lost limbs. On that day, just as on this one, Keflezighi clutched a loved one and cried. Only this time, he said, “They were tears of joy.”
In other headlines, five bloggers in Newton find fault with Spring.
“In other headlines, five bloggers in Newton find fault with Spring.”
Really, Bill? Where did you see that? You must have been reading another thread because I have not read anything by any Bloggers here taking issue with Mother Nature or Spring. I do, however, see individuals like myself who take great issue with government action which is clearly, patently illegal. I do take issue when the Mayor and the Police Department propose a course of conduct which, if carried out as described, can expose the city to significant liability for civil rights violations (pesky little statute 42 U.S. C. sec. 1983). What I do not see here though are any genuine efforts to engage in thoughtful discussions of the concerns raised by myself, Hoss, Mike Striar or Mike (Not Striar). That’s okay though cause me and my brothers from different mothers have got you all covered.
When I think of Spring, I think of baby strollers and mom identifying contents of the diaper bag. http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/04/21/increased-security-felt-along-marathon-route/UChhomrOqiEe8vzLcOb6iN/story.html
Don’t worry about how short Spring is though, the significance of this precedence will carry into summer, fall and anywhere people gather. Close roads once for snow plowing, next your closing them for police work and don’t stop until the President tells you to knock it off. Search a diaper bag, wallet contents is next
Going back before those heady days of the Federalist Letters, the founders of this nation knew full well that trade-offs were required to balance the interest of security and personal freedom. As such, there are no absolutes. So, we can argue about breathalizers, x-rays or random bag checks all that we want. You call it infringement; I call it public safety. It’s just two different perspectives on the measure of balance. And the question in play was whether after last year’s Marathon, would most reasonable people accept the security trade-off to ensure that this event went forward? They did. Resoundingly so.
Now, you may still disagree with that perspective. That’s fine. However, it does not make you right. Nor does it mean that you are doing me or anyone else any favors by bemoaning it on this blog. It just means that you differ, which has already been voiced.
Of course there are absolutes, if there weren’t Supreme Court Justice would be a vocation of the past.
Wrong. It does make us right.
Bill,
Constitutional principles are not settled by public whim and it matters not one whit whether the public views safety precautions as reasonable or unreasonable if the actions represent an unlawful usurpation by the government. You have your opinion and I have mine, but the difference is that I have a whole lot of Supreme Court cases behind my opinion, so here’s just a taste. Have an awesome day.
“The Fourth Amendment provides that ‘the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated . This inestimable right of personal security belongs as much to the citizen on the streets of our cities as to the homeowner closeted in his study to dispose of his secret affairs. . .
‘No right is held more sacred, or is more carefully guarded, by the common law, than the right of every individual to the possession and control of his own person, free from all restraint or interference of others, unless by clear and unquestionable authority of law.’
Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1 (1968).
Bill (since we are throwing out constitutional precedent for your “safety”), I think we would be much safer if prior to the Marathon the police searched every house on the Marathon route, and searched every vehicle within 3 streets of the route. It’s common sense public safety, right?
You are a foolish man if you think so little of your civil liberties that you raise no objection to law enforcement being able to stop people at random on the streets and search through their bags for no reason whatsoever.
As I’ll say again, none of this made you safer. I have many friends in law enforcement, and I ran into a few of them yesterday. Security. Theater…. but at the expense of your freedom. You may not mind public pat downs for no reason, but many of us do, and we have a constitutional right to be free of them.
Mike
Safety it is not. Just think of what would happen if searches were used as a method of intimidation for groups like the NRA and anti-abortion advocates. We’d have another Detroit riot on our hands. Frisking comfort dogs and opening small purses? Come on now, it’s that’s not uncontrolled policing, what is?
Bill– I’m gonna call it like I see it… You’re a coward! You’re not only willing to give away your freedom, you’re willing to give away mine as well. And all for some perceived, but wholly illogical sense of security. To make it worse, you have the audacity to criticize those of us who vocally defend freedom, the Constitution, and the Fourth Amendment. The exact same principles other Americans have fought and died for. You may not recognize this Bill, but you have allowed yourself to be terrorized into sacrificing freedom. That kind of capitulation and cowardice is exactly what terrorists hope to achieve when they attack buildings and innocent people.
I think the Tsaernaev’s got exactly what they wanted… Wit help from people like Bill
Mike
Oh Mike (Striar), chill out. I have been out three times today, and I have not been asked for my papers once. In fact, I don’t even have papers.
Yesterday was an extraordinary day, following last year’s tragedy. There was no way that another stunt like last year was going to be easily allowed. Everyone knew that. The fact that I or most people went along with it is because it was a reasonable trade-off under the circumstances. Much like boarding a flight or attending a Red Sox game. If you and Lisa want to take the government to court– go for it. But one day of tightened security didn’t turn Boston into a police-state, or the public into cowards.
Boston Strong, baby!
@Julia: am so glad that you were protecting the trees this weekend! You Go! Now, let us know more about that tree ordinance in the Newton Muni-Wonk comments, will you?
My final comment on this: the comparison has been made several times to attending a private event and passing through screening there i.e. a Red Sox game. Passing through private screening to attend a private event where one holds a revocable license is not the functional equivalent of police action aimed at individuals in public spaces. There is no comparison between what may be carried out by private parties in private places and what may be carried out by the government under color of law. Without a reasonable suspicion, the police have no legal authority to stop and search an individual in public. It truly is that very simple and fundamental.
Yesterday, there was a man in wellesley wearing his military fatigues. One officer asked for id (his “papers” Bill) and he said he didn’t have his wallet. A second officer approached and said he was shown an expired military id. Fairly certain the second officer was just covering for a vet.
But thats just it Bill, you werent any safer. And no, ZERO days should my civil liberties be traded for security, especially when that security is fake. What did or didnt happen in practice is irrelevent.
Cowardice was pretty obvious. So much so that full size flags could not be run with, ROTC could not hike, and runners could not be costumed.
As I said, I know many LEOs… all of them agreed it was rediculous. Common sense suggests the same.
Mike