From: nobody@REPLAY.COM (Anonymous)
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 16:37:09 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: CCTV Cameras in Britain
Message-ID: <199707160817.KAA04433@basement.replay.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Damaged Justice wrote:

>     Privacy International says that in Britain, there are an estimated
>     300,000 CCTV surveillance cameras in public areas, housing estates,
>     car parks, public facilities, phone booths, vending machines,
>     buses, trains, taxis, alongside motorways and inside Automatic
>     Teller (ATM) Machines.

> Yes, there are many cameras, and more going up all the time. The vast
> majority of the population is glad that these cameras are being
> introduced. Ordinary crime has been reduced greatly in those areas
> (proven fact) where the cameras are in use.

  Does this 'move' the crime to a different area? If so, then the
next step will be to add cameras to the other areas. Eventually,
I suppose, it will only be safe to commit crimes in the homes of
the (unarmed) citizens. By then, I am sure the citizens will 
protest very little when the government decides that cameras are
needed in every home to fight "drug dealers and child pornographers."
 
> A very popular and effective program on UK TV is called 'Crimewatch'
> where video footage, from these cameras, of crimes and suspects is
> shown not for sensationalism and ratings but in order to ask for help
> identifying the perpetrators.  It is very effective and crimes featured
> have a very high clear-up rate.

  The U.S. is now inundated with a plethora of "Good Cop" shows and
an increasing variety of "Dumb Criminal" video shows, including a
few specials that are blatantly geared to spread the message, "The
Surveillance Camera Is Your Friend!"
  This is not the result of happenstance. The whitewashing of LEA's
and other government agencies, as well as the promotion of the belief
that Constitutional rights are our enemy (and the friend of crime),
are the result of conscious, active direction on the part of those
in power.
 
> Unfortunately there are immoral,
> irresponsible and downright antisocial 
> people who will not abide by the law
> and persist in infringing our rights.
> As long as those people exist...
> then we need such laws and technology.

  This type of thinking is exactly the reason that government
interests lie in creating more crimes and more criminals.
  Since an ounce of good marijuana costs $300.00 instead of merely
$3.00, it is profitable to not abide by the law. Since it is also
cause for imprisonment, it makes it worthwhile to use violence in
order not to get caught with it. Under the "life imprisonment for
a third felony" laws, you might as well rob and kill someone as
write them a $1.00 bad check (or be better off, in some states).

> I would feel very ashamed if my attempts to protect my rights caused
> the death of innocent people because security against those who are
> irresponsible had to be drastically cut back.

  If so, then consider feeling ashamed *now* for that fact that your
lack of attempt to protect your rights, and other's rights, is causing
the death of innocent people because security against those who want
their freedom has been increased.
  Both the U.S. and Britain send armed thugs to foreign soil to force
their citizens to live according to our belief in what is right, and
then we call them *terrorists* when they respond to armed force with
armed force.

  With the use of radar to create "speed traps," government realized
the profits to be had from *creating* crime and they have never
looked back.
  I have no doubt that the surveillance industry will prove every
bit as profitable as the prison industry, and just as easy to sell
to a citizenry that is being frightened and held hostage by a
government which should be protecting them and helping them to
protect themselves.

  Save your "In order to save the patient, we had to kill him."
laws-and-technology speech for forums where freedom and privacy
are considered less precious than comfort and security.

TruthMonger