Homeland Security

For the past two days, my normal 10 minute commute to work has taken 20-30 minutes on the L. Yesterday, the train operator announced there was an "emergency" at the Merchandise Mart station. Well, this morning, the train operator announced that the "Chicago Police are conducting security searches of every train entering the Merchandise Mart station to protect the city from terrorist activities. These random searches will continue on the Brown Line every morning this week."

How random are searches if they are announced for rest of the week? They are six other CTA L lines that run into the Loop, not to mention another 12 Metra commuter rail lines. And, why the Brown Line? Isn't one of the CTA lines that runs underground more of a threat for terrorist activities than an above-ground line? The Brown Line seems quite ripe for terrorism, too. All the trixies in Lincoln Park. Gays in Lakeview. Families in Lincoln Square and Ravenswood. Frankly, I would argue that the Brown Line is generally the "safest" L line. But I am probably fooling myself in this time of elevated terror threats.

According to an article in this morning's Sun-Times, the train searches will continue indefinitely. And the delay should be minimal -- "3 to 5 minutes." Unfortunately, 3 to 5 minutes PER train for each search means that EVERY train will be delayed for that amount of time, and the delays become cumulative - which explains my extra-long commute.

Isn't it a bit ironic that the same day the Bush Administration allowed the ban on semi-automatic guns (AK-47s and the like) expire, the random security searches on Chicago public transit?