Homework Assignment #3

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Get a load of this shit.

The N.Y. Post is a Murdoch-owned rag, so we must take the story with a tablespoon of salt, but honestly, it doesn’t matter if the owner’s allegations are true or not.  If there was merit to the violations, then the inspector wasn’t doing anything wrong, and should be commended for his professionalism in continuing to write them while on-camera.  Frankly, he should get a raise.  If, on the other hand, they were bogus, then it is absolutely within the rights of the owner to document evidence of such, so that he can challenge them, thus preventing an injustice.  Either way, the inspector had no legitimate reason to object to being recorded.  A public servant, performing his official public function, in a public place no less, has no reasonable expectation of privacy, whatsoever.  None.  As the authoritarians like to say, “If you’re not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to fear.”  That statement applies to everyone, not just the little people.

This heavy-handed punishment of Citizens who record public officials, going about their official public duties, IN PUBLIC, and then dare to demand one Goddamn iota of accountability from them, has got to stop.  It’s happened in Rochester and elsewhere, it’s already been challenged in court, it’s widespread, and it’s unequivocally unconstitutional.  The Police know it’s unconstitutional, too, which is why they’ve had to resort to intimidation so that people will back off.

Isn’t it funny that The Powers That Be keep saying that widespread surveillance is a good thing and makes us all safer, but as soon as Citizens take that to heart and start using cameras to promote the rule of Law, everybody gets their panties in a twist?  Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?