LA\'s Eye In The Sky
 

In this story in a British paper, it talks about the LA sheriff department's testing of a drone spy plane, similar to those used by intel agencies though not as advanced, and whose purpose is to provide a cheaper alternative to helicopters. What is really amusing is a typical lib argument against this:

"A helicopter can be seen and heard and one can make behaviour choices based on that," said Beth Givens of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. "Do we really want to live in a society where our backyard barbecues will be open to police scrutiny?"

Police say the concerns are unwarranted because everybody is already under surveillance.

"You shouldn't be worried about being spied on by your government," said Commander Heal. "These days you can't go anywhere without a camera watching you, whether you're in a grocery store or walking down the street."


Besides the police response which was accurate as to the prevalence of surveillance already existing, it is utterly comical that garbage such as that in bold above in that woman's statement is used. As if one has a right to be aware of surveillance so that one can make a "behaviour choice" not to commit a crime at that time, but to wait for opportunities when one isn't being watched. Or maybe she just thinks they are waiting to catch her firing up a joint in her backyard.

andy et. al.: you're being watched!

Lucy
 

All the "pro-freedom" chest thumbing by conservatives (including a lot of libertarians!) is just pretense.

They could not care less for others' freedom.

Re: Lucy
 

[ QUOTE ]
They could not care less for others' freedom.

[/ QUOTE ]

Surveillance doesn't restrict one's freedom.

Re: Lucy
 

Freedom to do what? Be unobserved while committing a crime in a public place or open space? If they start looking into people's windows without probable cause I'll have a problem with it, but otherwise not.

Re: Lucy
 

i suppose i'd rather not have a drone helicopter hovering over my barbeque...or at least when we're passing a joint around!

Re: LA\'s Eye In The Sky
 

Why do you assume that people who don't want to be watched are criminals?

Re: LA\'s Eye In The Sky
 

We are talking here about surveillance of public places and open spaces, i.e. where one has NO expectation of privacy.

God is great
 

[ QUOTE ]
Freedom to do what? Be unobserved while committing a crime in a public place or open space? If they start looking into people's windows without probable cause I'll have a problem with it, but otherwise not.

[/ QUOTE ]So you wouldn't want the government spying into your window without probable cause but you don't have any objection to the government monitoring everything in the streets and avenues and every public place you go to -- without probable cause. That's just brilliant.

FYI, you are supposed to have a right to privacy even in "open or public places". This is why, for example nobody can take a picture of you sitting on a park bench and use it in a publication without your prior permission. (There are exceptions.) This is why you could not have (not until the recent, un-patriotic PATRIOT) your car searched in the street without a search warrant. (There were exceptions.) And so on. Stepping out of your home should not mean that you are surrendering your rights as a citizen!

The 9/11 terrorists were right : Their 9/11 attack was indeed sent from God. To the American neo-conservatives.

Restrain, limit and inhibit
 

[ QUOTE ]


Surveillance doesn't restrict one's freedom.

[/ QUOTE ]This is very wrong.

If you think about it more carefully, you'll see why.

Re: Restrain, limit and inhibit
 

[ QUOTE ]
This is very wrong.

If you think about it more carefully, you'll see why.

[/ QUOTE ]

If someone looks at you, in a public place, it isn't infringing on your freedom.

We're not talking about them tying your ass up, shipping you off to somewhere else, holding you hostage, and forcing you to do manual labor here.

We're talking about people looking at you when you are out in public.

Surveillance devices have been vastly helpful in law enforcement and as crime deterrents. The put tons of people in jail thanks to cameras.

And in exchange, someone could be capturing your picture when you walk down the street.

No more restrictive of your personal freedoms that the people walking around you looking at you.

I mean seriously...jesus christ, what is next, lawsuits filed by paranoid goofballs against people walking down the street....for looking at them??