March 15, 2005

Hello Nashville, Meet Big Brother

Fellow Nashvillians! Welcome our new friend, Big Brother:

Metro police within months will set up a network of surveillance cameras so officers can monitor residents' activities and eavesdrop on conversations in the popular downtown area and other crime hotspots, Police Chief Ronal Serpas said last week.

Eavesdrop on conversations??? WHAT???

Oh, but wait...they do want us to feel better about the system:

Such police-monitored surveillance systems have been deployed in other major cities across the country, amid complaints by privacy advocates. Serpas hopes to sidestep similar criticism by not hiding Metro's cameras. The local cameras will have visible police logos and flashing, blue lights that rotate.

''There is something to be said about the overt nature of it,'' Serpas said in an interview this week. ''We're not playing hide-and-seek with criminals. This is going to say, 'We're right here and we're watching this block.' ''

Ah yes...nothing like rotating lights to ease the suffering of the masses under Big Brother's ever present, watchful eye.

It's times like these that I actually end up agreeing with the ACLU:

''Nashvillians need to seriously examine and debate the extent to which we want to have cameras and other automated technologies perform law enforcement functions,'' said Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee. ''We are troubled by the reliance on technology rather than human beings to enforce the laws.''

Serpas countered that the audio equipment is necessary to find out, for example, who was the aggressor during a street brawl or to capture incriminating statements during drug deals.

Yes...we have so many street brawls around town that it's necessary that we do something about it.

Listen up, everyone. No matter how they candycoat this idea, it's bad all the way around. Even if Nashville had the need for such drastic measures (which it doesn't), it would STILL be a bad idea. Our privacy rights, as citizens, are eroding away every day.

What can we do? Oppose such things at every turn.

First, concact all of the Nashville Metro Council here.
(Also, see "There's More" below for a completely list of email addresses.)

Second, contact the Mayor's office here.

Lastly, tell Serpas he's crossing the line here.

Are we creating a friendlier Nashville or an Orwellian, Big Brother Nashville where we have cameras on each corner watching our every move?

Exactly.

More from Pith in the Wind.

List of relevant email addresses for the Nashville Metro Council, Mayor, and Police Chief...copy and paste:

ronal.serpas@nashville.gov; mayor@metro.nashville.org; howard.gentry@nashville.gov; buck.dozier@nashville.gov; diane.neighbors@nashville.gov; carolyn.tucker@nashville.gov; david.briley@nashville.gov; adam.dread@nashville.gov; brenda.gilmore@nashville.gov; jamie.isabel@nashville.gov; michael.craddock@nashville.gov; pam.murray@nashville.gov; mike.jameson@nashville.gov; erik.cole@nashville.gov; jason.hart@nashville.gov; jim.forkum@nashville.gov; rip.ryman@nashville.gov; feller.brown@nashville.gov; jim.gotto@nashville.gov; carl.burch@nashville.gov; whw777@comcast.net; j.b.loring@nashville.gov; amanda.mcclendon@nashville.gov; ronnie.greer@nashville.gov; ginger.hausser@nashville.gov; ludye.wallace@nashville.gov; billyjoe.walls@nashville.gov; edward.whitmore@nashville.gov; eric.crafton@nashville.gov; chris.whitson@nashville.gov; john.summers@nashville.gov; jim.shulman@nashville.gov; greg.adkins@nashville.gov; randy.foster@nashville.gov; jason.alexander@nashville.gov; vivian.wilhoite@nashville.gov; michael.kerstetter@nashville.gov; parker.toler@nashville.gov; sam.coleman@nashville.gov; tommy.bradley@nashville.gov; tommy.bradley@nashville.gov; lynn.williams@nashville.gov; charlie.tygard@nashville.gov

Comments:

Please Note! Failure to abide by the following may result in your comments being edited or deleted: Remain on topic. Foul language and/or personal attacks are not permitted. Excessive links (more than three per thread) must be approved first. If you do include a link in your comment, make sure it is a short link (go to tinyurl.com if it is too long). Try to keep comments to 125 words or less. Thank you.

Rockwell says it best:

I always feel that somebody's watchin' me
And I have no privacy
I always feel that somebody's watchin' me
Is it just a dream?
When I come home at night
I bolt the door real tight
People call me on the phone I'm trying to avoid
Well, can the people on TV see me or am I just paranoid

Posted by: Jakester at March 15, 2005 03:04 PM

Since when did republicans object to Big Brother? They elected King Goerge, who then gave us the wonderful DeptHomeSec to protect us from all the terists they can't seem to locate. Your king is responsible for the police state atmosphere in this country. So take it up with him, and don't blame me...I held my nose and voted for Kerry.

But, if you've seen the light at long last, we ACLUvians are glad you've renounced the dark side of the force, and welcome you to Free America where all Ten Amendments are created equal.

Now, about those WMDs and 9/11...

Posted by: christianlibrul at March 15, 2005 04:52 PM

The proposed cameras will be installed in PUBLIC places; not our bedrooms for crying out loud.

If it's improper to install a camera on 2nd Avenue, then it's also improper for a police officer to stand there and watch happenings.

Of course there are some who lobby for criminals who will say that either scenario is not to be tolerated.

Posted by: at May 9, 2005 04:29 PM