(no subject)

[camwyn]

So.

New York City's gonna do random searches of people's bags if they wanna get on the subway and 'people who don't want to be searched are perfectly free to turn around and leave the station'.

Show of hands- do I start carrying a bag full of mousetraps, or should I start carrying a bag full of some formulation of Play-Doh that feels like dog crap if a cop puts his hand on it? Not that I dislike the members of the NYPD; I'm very fond of cops in general. But since the city doesn't seem to think that the Constitution matters any more (small surprise, since Washington doesn't either)- or that this constitutes a reasonable search and seizure- I'd like to make it plain that if you're going to search me, ever, you are going to have to pay for that privilege.

I'm thinkin' the play-doh. Or a can of non-dairy creamer with a lid that comes off easily- no, then they'd go "ACK ANTHRAX" and I'd be late for work. But you get the idea.

Suggestions?

Comments

[just-the-ash.livejournal.com]

I'd go with a combination: mousetraps (painted black, of course, so they would be all but invisible at the bottom of a large bag) and the "I Do Not Consent" message or button.

[camwyn]

Possibility that just occurred to me: glitter. Kids' glitter. The red and green kind, so it can't be mistaken for 'white powder'. It gets everywhere and it takes forever to clean up. Search my bag? You will SPARKLE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, DAMN YOU.

[maps-or-guitars.livejournal.com]

Now that's beautiful, if you yourself are cool with everything you're schlepping being all twinkly too.

(There's a very Buddhist (?) lesson about aggression in this: how every blow you strike, is in a real way a blow against oneself. You will sparkle, and so will I...)

[camwyn]

Hey, if I find the right colour, I'm down with that. I'd use the Lush dusting powder that not only has glitter in it but smells nice, except:

- People might have scent allergies
- AIEEE WHITE POWDER AIEEE
- I'd have to dump the stuff into my bag and franky, the bag I have at the moment is enough of a mess with the accidental chai powder spill I had yesterday that I don't want dusting powder all over my History of Middle-earth books, too

I'm good with glitter and I don't mind it in my books, so now I just have to find a craft store in reachable distance.

[maps-or-guitars.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a plan!

[eor.livejournal.com]

My mom gave me some magic pixie dust (ala the IBM commercial from a few years ago) as a gift a while back. The stuff is purple and very, very, very fine. It's spreads quicker than aerosol anthrax.

I think it's a very good statement. Completely non-violent, won't cause harm to the searching peon, visible as a statement long after you've toddled off to work.

[derien.livejournal.com]

That's a GOOD idea! That should be popularized! If everyone started doing that, it would be seen. eor has some incredibly fine glitter-dust that sticks to everything really nicely, it would be perfect. :)

[metalfatigue]

Mousetraps are a very poor choice unless you want to be arrested. Injuring cops' fingers is not civil disobedience.

[camwyn]

Yeah, I know, which is why I thought about it and dropped the idea in favour of the spiders/glitter/product of the gift shop of the Museum of Sex. Theoretically I might almost justify a mousetrap in a particularly tempting purse- "I was afraid of pickpockets"- but I would be carrying a tote bag rather than a purse. And the mousetrap ought to be reserved for if Mayor Bloomberg himself searches my bag, since he's the one who thinks the policy is so great, whereas the cops are just doing their jobs.