NYC recently started a screening process in light of the events in London. They will post police people at random subway stops and have them check random bags. Anyone with a bag is subject to search. You do have the right to refuse, but then you can’t ride the train. And NJ has followed their lead.

So far neither of us have even been at a stop where they are checking, but we are both a little annoyed with the idea. I understand wanting to ensure people’s safety and I don’t claim to have a better answer, but I really feel this is a huge loss of freedom. And I also don’t understand how it can solve any problems. Unless they check every person at every stop, how do they know the will find whatever there may be to find? While I think it would be impossible to do this, that would be the only way to actually accomplish anything. And even if they do want to check someone, all that person has to do is refuse and then go to the next stop and get on. It just seems like another band aid to make people feel safe while actually accomplishing nothing.

And then when I came home today I read another article that annoyed me. I always skim the headlines on the Yahoo news section and in the health area anything on diabetes always catches my eye. I think I’m hoping they publish an article that says it actually is ok to eat as much chocolate as you want! So anyway, this article I read was saying that NYC wants to start tracking and monitoring diabetics, a practice so far reserved for diseases such as HIV. They say that because the number of diabetes related deaths has increased so much in the last 20 years which is costing the city money, they should monitor who has their illness under control and who doesn’t and gently intervene with those that don’t. They could then do things like send you reminder notes to make a doctors appointment if you have gone recently enough.

This really bothers me. I’m responsible enough to take care of my own health without getting notes from the government. I realize some people won’t take care of themselves, but isn’t that one of the freedom’s we as American’s have? And unless I’m missing something the only way that this is costing the city money is if people die with absolutely no one in their life to handle their deaths. In which case that person probably has a few bigger issues.

Ok, there is my controversial 2 cents. Discuss amongst yourselves.