Sunday, July 30, 2006
Lasciate ogne speranza, Voi ch'intrate.
I think the last thing the internet needs is another asshole with a blog, but I'm doing it anyway. I'm not implying that I'm an asshole, though. I don't know what I'm really going to write about, but I hope a lot of people read. I guess I'll start out by introducing myself. I'm Anthony. I'm a sophomore in college. I go to University of the Arts in Philadelphia as a film major. I live there too. Actually, I'm living in South Jersey until August 15th. Then I move in to a house with 2 friends of mine from school. Jake and Aidan. Let's see, what else? I like music a lot too, although I really wish I were better at playing it. My favorite band is the Beatles. I'm listening to Revolver right now, in fact. "I was alone, I took a ride, I didn't know what I would find there..." (Italics mean singing) So anyway, I think what I'm going to use this for mainly is to talk about stuff that is happening. Yeah, that's what I'll do. So let's start.
Fuck Big Brother. Not the TV show, the government entity. They're installing cameras on Philadelphia corners as a result of the 7% incline in the homicide rate. Our civil liberties are gradually being encroached upon more and more and more. I don't even think it will be helpful in preventing crime, all it will do is displace it to areas that have no cameras. Then the bad areas get even worse. If we throw a camera on every corner, then we're pretty much officially in a police state.
They will be placed in clear sight. I presume that this is for an added intimidation factor. The attitude of "Well, If you've got nothing to hide..." Is the exact attitude that is going to eventually land us into a complete Big Brother way of life. Remember innocent until proven guilty? Mass surveillance is a way for them to make us feel like we have something to hide. I just feel very uncomfortable with the idea of the government watching my every move.
I ask the question: What happens after outdoor cameras? Tapping everyone's phone lines? Mandatory home surveillance? Who knows what they'll think of next? All "just in case" one decides to do something wrong? When Orwell wrote 1984 it was science fiction. Now it's becoming reality. The government and the public are slowly but very surely becoming two distinct, seperate entities. That's not democracy.
What's even worse is the general public seems to not even be bothered by this concept. This is because it's been a gradual process. The government's main goal seems to make us feel as though we have to hand over our liberty in return for security. But, to quote Alex Jones, "When we give up liberty, we dont get security. We get tyrrany." This is what we're doing. I think Americans need to realize that and act.
I have more to say on this subject (and related subjects) but for the sake of brevity I'll stop now. If you live in Philadelphia and you have a problem with being watched like a criminal 24/7, call/write John Street and tell him so. Ask him if he'd like a government-monitored camera mounted in front of his home.
Contact The Mayor's Commission on Technology (MCOT)
Address:
990 Spring Garden Street
7th floor
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Phone:
215.685.0770 (office)
215.685.0765 (fax)
Thanks. I just want to make it known also that I love conversation and dissenting opinions. Comment if you agree or disagree!
PEACE,
Ant
Fuck Big Brother. Not the TV show, the government entity. They're installing cameras on Philadelphia corners as a result of the 7% incline in the homicide rate. Our civil liberties are gradually being encroached upon more and more and more. I don't even think it will be helpful in preventing crime, all it will do is displace it to areas that have no cameras. Then the bad areas get even worse. If we throw a camera on every corner, then we're pretty much officially in a police state.
They will be placed in clear sight. I presume that this is for an added intimidation factor. The attitude of "Well, If you've got nothing to hide..." Is the exact attitude that is going to eventually land us into a complete Big Brother way of life. Remember innocent until proven guilty? Mass surveillance is a way for them to make us feel like we have something to hide. I just feel very uncomfortable with the idea of the government watching my every move.
I ask the question: What happens after outdoor cameras? Tapping everyone's phone lines? Mandatory home surveillance? Who knows what they'll think of next? All "just in case" one decides to do something wrong? When Orwell wrote 1984 it was science fiction. Now it's becoming reality. The government and the public are slowly but very surely becoming two distinct, seperate entities. That's not democracy.
What's even worse is the general public seems to not even be bothered by this concept. This is because it's been a gradual process. The government's main goal seems to make us feel as though we have to hand over our liberty in return for security. But, to quote Alex Jones, "When we give up liberty, we dont get security. We get tyrrany." This is what we're doing. I think Americans need to realize that and act.
I have more to say on this subject (and related subjects) but for the sake of brevity I'll stop now. If you live in Philadelphia and you have a problem with being watched like a criminal 24/7, call/write John Street and tell him so. Ask him if he'd like a government-monitored camera mounted in front of his home.
Contact The Mayor's Commission on Technology (MCOT)
Address:
990 Spring Garden Street
7th floor
Philadelphia, PA 19123
Phone:
215.685.0770 (office)
215.685.0765 (fax)
Thanks. I just want to make it known also that I love conversation and dissenting opinions. Comment if you agree or disagree!
PEACE,
Ant
