From: John Marlow (johnmarlow@gmx.net)
Date: Thu Feb 01 2001 - 17:50:53 MST
Hey--name a tech that HASN'T been abused by government/police.
jm
On 1 Feb 2001, at 11:38, Michael Lorrey wrote:
> Chris Russo wrote:
>
> If this system is only used to find and catch wanted serious
criminals,
> that is one thing. If it's used to keep tabs on the whereabouts of
> politically active people who oppose the government in power, or
else
> things so minor as apprehending people like you and me when we
forget to
> pay a parking ticket, and trussing us up like enemy number one in
front
> of people we know, then such technology is most certainly violating
> people's rights.
>
> >
> > >Makes you afraid to show your face in public--criminal or no.
> > >Next the thing will trap suspected criminals as they pass through a
> > >gateway.
> > >
> > >Welcome to the future.
> >
> > What's the difference between this system and being in a small town,
> > where the local police officers know who the typical "trouble makers"
> > are?
> > What's the difference between this system and having a large team of
> > police officers, who have thoroughly studied hundreds of photos of
> > felons and wanted criminals, watching near the gate?
> > No matter how you slice it, law enforcement is intrusive. It's hard
> > to make a case against the use of technology in law enforcement just
> > because it's more thorough at its job. They're not breaking into
> > anyones' houses. They're not tapping anyones' phone conversations.
> > They're not racially profiling and detaining people. So what's the
> > problem besides the fact that they're now better at their jobs?
> > Personally, I think that there's too much real crime in our society,
> > so solutions like this that don't violate anyones' rights don't
> > bother me.
>
> If this system is only used to find and catch wanted serious criminals,
> that is one thing. If it's used to keep tabs on the whereabouts of
> politically active people who oppose the government in power, or else
> things so minor as apprehending people like you and me when we forget to
> pay a parking ticket, and trussing us up like enemy number one in front
> of people we know, then such technology is most certainly violating
> people's rights.
>
John Marlow
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