Sheeple!

I am constantly amazed at how fiercly many people will attack those that try to highlight how the state is eroding our liberties and civil rights.

On a local email list recently the issue of automatic numberplate recognition cameras was raised after someone discovered that their town had a large number of cameras installed, some of which the police had complained were unsuitable for ANPR and should be upgraded.

A number of members of the list vehemently defended their right to be monitored and applauded each other for shouting down the original poster.

I thought I'd share my response with you, I don't imagine it will change anybody's mind and to be honest I am not interested in converting people, I just want to share what I find and voice my outrage at injustice and oppression.

I am truly amazed!

We see more and more surveillance around us, we are subject to more and more opressive legislation, yet you delight in putting down anyone who tries to warn you about what is going on around us.

Any degree of opression can be shown to cut crime. Yes we need to deal with criminals, but in a responsible manner and with respect for the innocent. Just where do we draw the line?

Would you be willing for the police to intercept and inspect every single letter or parcel that gets sent? I'm sure this would catch some criminals!

Would you be willing to have police cameras in every room in your house? This would catch child abusers and paedophiles!

Would you be willing to turn up at the police station every week to be interrogated whilst wired to a lie detector? This would catch some criminals and anti social yobs!

I'm not saying that any of the above are likely but just where do you draw the line between reasonable policing of a generally law abiding society and totalitarian government where people get arrested and jailed for years on 'suspicion' of commiting some crime against society?

Many recent laws in the UK have been drafted to be so vague that the police can pretty much decide for themselves whether you have broken the law - you have no idea in advance!

Fancy going out for a day trip sightseeing and take a few snaps? From Monday, a police officer can decide that your picture could be 'useful to a terrorist' and hey presto you face a 10 year prison sentence. Don't believe me? then look up the answer to question 717 on the police national legal database :-

Quote - "From Monday 16th February 2009 there is a new offence concerning eliciting information about members of armed forces, police officers and intelligence services which is likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, or publishes or communicates information of that kind. does not state that the person who gets the information has to use the information for terrorism purposes, just that the information is likely to be useful to a terrorist."

 I could go on and on quoting the laws and examples of people who have been wrongly accused such as the 15 year old schoolboy arrested for taking a photo at a railway station with his mobile phone but frankly there are too many of them and I don't have the energy to argue with
those that are happy to accept what is happening.

I do not knowingly break any laws and do my best not to cause harm to others by my actions or inactions but I deeply resent the unnecessary intrusions of the authorities whilst I go about my lawful daily life.

I resent the amount of money that the government take off me in taxes to pay for this unnecessary monitoring and control, just think how much less your income tax and council tax would be if billions of pounds were not being spent on excessive policing and surveillance, if it actually cut crime then one might argue its merits yet we are constantly being told that crime is rising, vandalism is rising, the threat of terrorism is rising. I FOR ONE DON'T BELIEVE IT FOR ONE MOMENT.