PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

New Amtrak Security
by Nick Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008 at 8:27 PM

"Amtrak will start randomly screening passengers' carry-on bags this week in a new security push that includes officers with automatic weapons and bomb-sniffing dogs patrolling platforms and trains."

From: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080219/ap_on_bi_ge/amtrak_security

Rail passengers are not criminals, why are we going to be treated like ones?

As someone who regularly takes the train in and out of Pittsburgh this article was of concern to me. I think the last sentence of this news article summarizes the whole situation pretty well:

"There is no new or different specific threat," Kummant said. "This is just the correct step to take."

This is yet another expansion of the police state which has no basis in actual threats yet is justified by the possibility of threats. Clearly, the popular trust in the leaders is the problem because their assurance that this is "correct" is enough without debate. The American people are still paralyzed by fear. Therefore, I think it would be healthy to begin to overcome our fears.

I am not afraid of terrorists. I have no beef with them, nor they with me. They just want to control the resources of their homelands and thats perfectly understandable and fine with me. Their war is against the US government-corporation, not with me.

However, I AM afraid of men with automatic weapons. I AM afraid of guard dogs. I AM afraid of losing my freedoms and I AM afraid of the government of this country. I feel threatened when I see armed guards. Instead of being treated like a person taking the train I will be treated like a criminal and subject to search and intimidation. This is an insult to my dignity and a threat to freedom.

Living in this country is increasingly like living in a prison, thats something which is extremely frightening and is actually REAL. The police state is not an empty threat, like orange alerts are. The police state is here.

While I'm not convinced this will change anything, its all I can think of right now: You can write Amtrak and tell them to stop this.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/ContactUs