Letter Of The Week

Richly undeserved

Re Anya Kamenetz's "Rich Little 'Poor' Kids" [July 27-August 2]: Aren't there enough truly troubled and needy young people in this city to profile without resorting to providing a forum for the overindulged, whining offspring of the super-rich? It takes truly self-involved and deluded individuals to worry over "finding themselves" while never having to worry about finding a way to pay bills—ever. Even the so-called philanthropists profiled in the sidebar aren't really changing their circumstances by donating a few million to a pet cause. They're just assuaging the minimal guilt they may have over being in that position in the first place.

I have two words for any of the unhappy young people in your profile: Trade ya!

Ira Sperling
Dix Hills, New York

Editor's note: Chisun Lee's article about Tony Lu, an immigrant rights activist who designed T-shirts declaring his objection to the new random bag search policy in New York's transit systems ["NYers to NYPD: 'I Do Not Consent to Being Searched,' " July 21, villagevoice.com], received an extraordinary response from readers. Nearly all disagreed with Lu's protest, many were angry, and some voiced their opinions in the most extreme terms. At deadline, the Voice had not received a letter from a New Yorker.

Search me!

This is such a reasonable action, I cannot believe that any U.S. citizen would object to random searches. If I had my way, I would immediately institute "racial profiling." Search me, let's make America safer!

Bob Andrews
Atlanta, Georgia

In Lu of privacy

Is it fair to say those who are guilty have something to hide? During a time when one person's perverted mission can destroy the lives of many, we still have the audacity to scream our privacy is being invaded through acts of protection put forth by our government? Reactions like those of Tony Lu just inflame people at a time when unity should be our only objective.

Ivan Clymer
Mount Juliet, Tennessee

No Batman?

Though I can see Lee's view regarding the right to privacy, we must come to real terms. There is no Batman protecting Gotham from evildoers. The government has the responsibility to protect its citizens, and if backpacks are randomly checked, a potential terrorist just might think twice before picking a target. On Long Island, it already proved to be successful. The police arrested a man with weapons at the Brentwood train station who had a prior arrest for explosives. I feel, hey, if I'm not doing anything wrong, I have nothing to fear. But God forbid, if something did happen, you will be the first to report what our government did not do.

Reinaldo DelValle
Centereach, New York

Some rights are bigger than others

I believe my right to not be blown up by a terrorist bomb takes precedence over someone's right not to be searched.

Kenneth Drew
Georgetown, South Carolina

This is to those that choose not to be searched by the police in New York: Stay home or find another way to get around. How dare you think that your petty little self-centered selves should be more important than the safety of all those who use the transit systems.

Earl Rogers
Talent, Oregon

Doofus and his cant

Tony Lu sounds like the kind of doofus who likes to hear the sound of his own voice but has zero common sense. When you ride public transportation you are at the whim of people who are trying to keep you and me safe from radicals and terrorists. It is their call when you decide to ride the subway, not that of idiots like Tony Lu.

Lanny Phelps
College Station, Texas

Thoughts on a T-shirt

What is this Tony Lu bastard thinking? People are being literally blown apart by homemade bombs, and this fuck, this fuck is wearing a self-designed T-shirt saying he doesn't consent to being searched?

Rhea Galloway
Sloatsburg, New York

I guess Lu consents to being blown up then.

Stephen Hughes
Soda Springs, Idaho

The words on the T-shirt should probably be printed in German, Russian, and Chinese as well—more in line with today's police state mentality than the once free United States of America.

Ted Church
Memphis, Tennessee

Maybe the next bombs will target some of the people wearing these T-shirts. What is a little inconvenience compared to saving lives?

Billie Griffis
Madison, Alabama

The libertarians

Anyone unwilling to be searched is suspect of doing something illegal. I have no sympathy for search protesters. By the way, you do not have a lock on what or who is a civil libertarian, and I don't accept this description of search protesters.

Art Laramee
Billerica, Massachusetts

I don't understand Lee's concern with the search of baggage in the subways, or the profiling issue. I am a libertarian by party and would like to have the ability to self-govern, but these are extraordinary times. As such, I welcome the search of my personal belongings. Regarding the racial profiling, my father and grandfather were not able to find work during WW II because they had a German last name. So they joined the armed forces to fight for their country. Part of the price we pay for a free society is relative insecurity during the best of times. If you do not like the searches and profiling, don't ride the subway or buses.

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