US Doles out Millions for Street Cameras

A recent article I found on STR is quite disturbing. As any sensible person should know, the fear mongering that took place after 9/11 stripped this country of many liberties. Namely the handing over of governmental power to the Executive Branch, but that is another issue. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has doled out43 Billion dollars to US cities to increase their ability to "combat terrorism". In most cases this money has been used to militarize the police forces with the purchase of tactical weapons, equipment, armored vehicles and military helicopters. Needless to say these have not been used to fight terrorism since it doesn't exist as portrayed nor is that what the DHS is concerned with (see previous Homeland Security, How Safe do You Feel June Posting). With this increase in militarism we are seeing a more aggresive and violent police force via SWAT teams being used for almost everything (misdemeanor drug raids), far from the legitimate reasons to use them (hostages and the like).

But anyways, much of this money is also being used for a more intrusive purpose. Many cities are taking advantage of federal funding to install closed circuit surveillance cameras in public settings to keep an eye on the citizenry. Obviously DHS will not tell how much of the money is being used to spy directly on you in public, but a Global search of local newspapers indicates that the amount runs into the tens and probably hundreds of millions of dollars in many cities. This is the case in large cities:

"In the last month, cities that have moved forward on plans for surveillance networks financed by the Homeland Security Department include St. Paul, which got a $1.2 million grant for 60 cameras for downtown; Madison, Wis., which is buying a 32-camera network with a $388,000 grant; and Pittsburgh, which is adding 83 cameras to its downtown with a $2.58 million grant."

As well as in very small cities:

"Recent examples include Liberty, Kan. (population 95), which accepted a federal grant to install a $5,000 G2 Sentinel camera in its park, and Scottsbluff, Neb. (population 14,000), where police used a $180,000 Homeland Security Department grant to purchase four closed-circuit digital cameras and two monitors, a system originally designed for Times Square in New York City."

Now I cannot see any reason why a town of 95 needs to spend any money on surveillance equipment or even a town of 14,000 other than they want to spend money they can get which is another problem with government on all levels. Even larger cities have very little reason for cameras of this like except to spy on and observe the actions of the citizens. Very rarely do these cameras deter crime, and very rarely are they able to identify criminals, they are not the same as the camera in the convenience store.

My main problem with cameras is the fact that I am doing nothing wrong therefore I do not need to be watched. People who say that they are not doing anything so they dont care have it all wrong, that is why it is even worse. A prisoner is under cameras eye, I a free citizen exercising my personal rights have no need to be watched by the government (i.e. Big Brother). Once we begin to make strides towards a society like this we will end up like England, with millions of cameras and listening devices planted all over the country and everyone being filmed numerous times a day. The more we are willing to give up our freedoms under the guise of security the worse off this country will be. Even the founding fathers understood this and I will defer to the words of Benjamin Franklin on this one "He who would trade liberty for some temporary security, deserves neither liberty nor security" We as a people need to stand up for ourselves and at the very least take the power away from the Boy King (George W Bush) and give it back to the representative legislator to end this criminal series of actions against the people of this country.

Three Cheers for Socialized Medical Care

A woman who had complained to her GP of severe headaches for almost a year collapsed and died of an undiagnosed brain tumour.

Jennifer Bell, 22, had been told she was suffering from stress but after months of illness had finally been referred to a neurologist.

She then faced a 13-week wait before a 'relatively urgent' MRI scan could be carried out.

Three days before the longawaited appointment she collapsed at home and died later in hospital.

More here: Daily Mail

Fantasy Football

I am currently involved in a Fantasy Football keeper league which I have participated in for the last 2 years. For those of you not familiar with fantasy football, you pick a team of players they get points based on their performance, add the points up and you have your total score. Anyways I digress, I am currently owner of a team by the name of Tax Free Injuns. Racially insensitive i know, but amusing along with the logo I have. I am debating on a new name for the team and am willing to take suggestions from what meager readers I have on this blog. Please leave a comment with proposed team names and they will be taken under advisement. I will notify of any change in team names as the situation warrants.

Whatever happened to Hearts and Minds?

"SANGIN, Afghanistan — A senior British commander in southern Afghanistan said in recent weeks that he had asked that American Special Forces leave his area of operations because the high level of civilian casualties they had caused was making it difficult to win over local people."

This is a direct quote from the New York Times regarding an article about how even the British are now opposed to the US strategy of "strategic bombing" along with special forces due to the large number of "collateral damage".

The fact of the matter is that large scale air support and bombing operations are only effective against another organized military with specific targets which can be destroyed. When air power and bombing are brought to bear on a guerilla or an insurgent force disaster is lurking around the corner. The smartest bomb in the US arsenal can not distinguish the difference between the guerilla fighter or the innocent family in the building next to him or even with him. Time and time again we see the failure of large scale mechanized and air forces to eliminate the threat of guerilla fighters. Vietnam, Israels failed attempts at controlling the Palestinians, Israel against Hezbollah and now the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Other nations in the current conflicts have take a less aggresive posture with good results, mainly the Dutch in Afghanistan who practice small patrols who aid and assist the citizens rather than intimidate and the British in Iraq who learned their lessons from a bitter conflict with the IRA on their home turf. The US sticks with its heavy handed tactics of Tanks, Armor, Artillery and Air Power only to see the populace of the countries turn against them. As the stated mission in Vietnam turned into winning over the hearts and minds of the people it is supposedly the same now. Yet we continue to see "collateral damage" as a necessary cost of bringing these people freedom. I find the whole concept and practice laughable.

Francois Tremblay over at Check Your Premises raised the issue that the US Military suffers an image problem in its current conflicts. This is an image problem of our own doing and as a direct consequence of our heavy handed and brutal tactics in the name of "freedom" and "liberty" for the Iraqi people. He also offers up some creative slogans for the Military such as:

“US Foreign Policy: Killing Freedom-Loving People, Financing Our Own Enemies and Installing Puppet Dictators Since 1861″

“Sure, We Shoot Innocent Protesters and Bomb Babies, But We’re Here to Help You.”

“Dethroning Hussein Created General Chaos, But At Least You Can Vote Now!”

“Sure Your Whole Family Was Massacred, But Now You Guys Have a McDonalds, So We’re Not So Bad After All.”

These are all apt slogans for our military and its endeavors maybe they should adopt these instead of weak slogans like "Army Strong".