NFL fan sues over searches at Florida stadium

[Dr. Jones]

ACLU officials said the NFL policy required a pat-down search only from the waist up, leaving open the possibility that someone could smuggle contraband or weapons into the stadium in pant legs.

the ACLU sucks.

 

[justAndy]

I guess civil liberties are not important???

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I've got zero problem with the pat-downs.

:nothingtohide:

 

[justAndy]

I've got zero problem with the pat-downs.

:nothingtohide:

I drink all mine while waiting in line...
I agree with the point that a good place to go suicide bomber at a game is in the big, dense line... for the pat downs.

 

[joeshmo]

I drink all mine while waiting in line...
I agree with the point that a good place to go suicide bomber at a game is in the big, dense line... for the pat downs.

Or in a big dense crowd inside a stadium making part of the stadium crumble onto another big dense crowd below.

You guys have no idea what a long line is until you try to get into mile high in the Winter. They have no complaints.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I agree it's a waste time and totally stupid. They back up the lines for miles just to touch you on the belt. What the hell is that supposed to find? Why are you even wasting my time with this BS.

It's a complete Joke! Anyone that can't see that is blind.

I don't feel an ounce safer once I get into the stadium! I'm more scared waiting in line than if they would just let us in with a basic bag check.

 

[MadCardDisease]

"We need to do what the NFL has mandated," she said. "We're going on what the NFL lawyers have said, that it is constitutional."

This is the real reason why there are pat downs. The NFL realizes that it is nearly impossible to stop someone from sneaking a bomb into a game if they really wanted to. This is just the NFL Lawyers requiring the NFL to make the motions to cover their ass in case something does happen at a game. Then if someone sues them they can say they "Tried".

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I don't know if I support his stance or not...

NFL fan sues over searches at Florida stadium


By Jim Loney
MIAMI (Reuters) - A Tampa Bay Buccaneers season ticket holder sued on Thursday to halt pat-down searches of fans entering the football team's stadium, saying such a search without any suspicion of wrongdoing violated his constitutional rights.

The suit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida on behalf of high school teacher Gordon Johnston, challenges a policy approved by the Tampa Sports Authority in September requiring physical searches of every fan entering Raymond James Stadium for National Football League games.

"Football fans should not be forced to surrender our constitutional rights as the price of admission to the stadium," Johnston said in a release. "I am challenging these pat-down searches because I don't like the idea of myself, my wife and my friends being touched without our consent.

The suit, filed in Hillsborough County Circuit Court in Tampa, asks for a ruling that "suspicionless" searches of fans violate the constitutional right to freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures.

The authority, which is a government body, approved a policy imposed by the NFL requiring security personnel to pat down every fan entering an NFL stadium.

Barbara Casey, a spokeswoman for the Tampa Sports Authority, said she could not comment specifically on the lawsuit because authority officials had not seen it.

"We need to do what the NFL has mandated," she said. "We're going on what the NFL lawyers have said, that it is constitutional."

ACLU officials said the NFL policy required a pat-down search only from the waist up, leaving open the possibility that someone could smuggle contraband or weapons into the stadium in pant legs.

"That's just one of the absurdities of the policy. We're not any safer, just a lot less free," said Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU of Florida.



© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.

Whoops! Too late you buddy, and too late for everyone. Most of you were to stupid not to elect Bush in the first place, and he insituted the Patriot Act.

The Patriot Act takes all of our rights away, and all they have to say in order to enforce it is. "National Security"

Kinda like the Salem Witchhunt but on a larger scale.

So to little to late. Get your pat down and shut up.

 

[Pariah]

Whoops! Too late you buddy, and too late for everyone. Most of you were to stupid not to elect Bush in the first place, and he insituted the Patriot Act.

This has ZERO to do with the patriot act. Zero.

 

[Shane]

Well, I would imagine a line that takes 45 minutes to get through in the blistering heat would be considered long in my mind.

And after that wait, you get to the front, and you get a couple of quick pats that could not possibly determine if you are carrying a weapon.

So whats the point? I think anyone defending this crap hasn't actually been through a line at SDS.

I have and it is hardly anything that anyone should be bithching at.

The pat down isnt meant to look for weapons IMO. Thats what a police officer does. What these people are doing by the way the search is conducted is merely looking for some sort of suicide device. Which would be big and bulky around the torso or legs and would easily be detected.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

This has ZERO to do with the patriot act. Zero.

Pariah. I am not going to get into a political battle with anyone on this board especially you.

That is my look at it, and above is yours.

That is it.

 

[Pariah]

Pariah. I am not going to get into a political battle with anyone on this board especially you.

That is my look at it, and above is yours.

That is it.

It's not political--that's my point. It's the law--and part of the law that's been around forever.

Private business can do what it wants.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

The pat down isnt meant to look for weapons IMO. Thats what a police officer does. What these people are doing by the way the search is conducted is merely looking for some sort of suicide device. Which would be big and bulky around the torso or legs and would easily be detected.

That's a good point. They have been rather vague about why they are doing it and to say "we are looking for suicide bombers" would probably freak some people out.

I think the NFL has a good record of doing the right thing, so I'll trust 'em. Had this been MLB, though....

 

[40yearfan]

I have and it is hardly anything that anyone should be bithching at.

The pat down isnt meant to look for weapons IMO. Thats what a police officer does. What these people are doing by the way the search is conducted is merely looking for some sort of suicide device. Which would be big and bulky around the torso or legs and would easily be detected.

You're wasting your time trying to explain it Shane. It's an inconvienence, so it's not necessary.

 

[Ryanwb]

The pat down is the only action I'll get on Sunday

 

[ryanshaug]

You're right. I haven't. But I have been through plenty of other lines with pat-downs as a reason for the hold up.

Maybe they need to open more gates or have more security preforming the pat-downs. But a long line isn't a reason to not increase security.

PS--isn't is just as "blistering" hot once inside the stadium? It was the times I've been there.

Standing outside on the pavement on a day like it was before the St. Louis in the direct sunlight without beer was definitely more blistering then inside the stadium. My seats are in the shade of the SEZ, though, so I guess I can't comment on the comparison that day.

I think my main point was, why have pat downs if they aren't going to accomplish anything? I wouldn't have such a problem with them if they were done properly. Its just a waste of our time if they aren't actually trying to accomplish their goals.

 

[Duckjake]

The guy has no case whatsoever--the NFL is a private business.

There is no such thing as a "private" business being exempt from laws. Every business in America is highly regulated by every level of government. From the ADA to OSHA to smoking bans.

We have a constitutional right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure if I remember correctly.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

But then this is better suited for the P&R board.

 

[KingofCards]

I almost proved how stupid it is last game.


I walked up to the pat down guy with a beer in my hand. When he went to pat me down, I raised my hands out and held the beer in the air. The guy did not notice it. I started to walk on, when I was stopped from behind by the guy patting down people one line over.

 

[Shane]

I almost proved how stupid it is last game.


I walked up to the pat down guy with a beer in my hand. When he went to pat me down, I raised my hands out and held the beer in the air. The guy did not notice it. I started to walk on, when I was stopped from behind by the guy patting down people one line over.

I would be inclined to believe you if that was what the guy was looking for.

 

[KingofCards]

I would be inclined to believe you if that was what the guy was looking for.

You don't believe me?

I am many things, but I am not a liar. I am honest to a fault.

 

[Capital Card]

As most teams play in public facilities, I don't think any private property, ie private business, claims would stand merit.

 

[Shane]

You don't believe me?

I am many things, but I am not a liar. I am honest to a fault.

No I believe you that he didnt see the beer.

Im saying I would believe your comment that it was worthless if the point of the patdown was for a beer. Its not.

 

[KingofCards]

No I believe you that he didnt see the beer.

Im saying I would believe your comment that it was worthless if the point of the patdown was for a beer. Its not.

I am totally for the pat down then. I always snuck in tailgate beer to every game. Now I can continue!

 

[Pariah]

There is no such thing as a "private" business being exempt from laws. Every business in America is highly regulated by every level of government. From the ADA to OSHA to smoking bans.

We have a constitutional right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure if I remember correctly.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

But then this is better suited for the P&R board.

But by entering the game, you are volunteering for the search. It's not forced upon you.

Is it always illegal if someone takes your money? No, it's not if you give it to them. Think of the search as part of the price of admission.

 

[CardinalChris]

It's not like he's not being permitted to go into the public library without a pat-down. By going into the stadium he understands he needs to be searched; if he doesn't want to be searched, he doesn't need to go into the stadium. The NFL is not the US Government and is not forcing a search on him--he's volunteering for it.

Isn't this like saying "No shirts, no shoes, no service", then suing them for infringing on your rights to not wear a shirt? Go somewhere else then. It is a private business with every right to determine that searches are important for the safety of its customers. To enter a stadium you have to be searched. It is your choice to pay and enter, thus subjecting yourself to the search, or sit at home and not get searched.

So are airport searches illegal? I think the rule of thumb is that your constitutional rights are yours until they infringe on another person's rights. If searching an individual is done because of previous disturbances where individuals brought something into the stadium, then I would be upset if the security DIDN'T search everyone.