I remember debating this before, and I have some questions. First, we already have cameras in banks, convenience stores, elevators, stairways in public buildings, parking lots. Is the argument against having them on CERTAIN intersections also arguments for taking them down in all the locations where they are already up? Is the real complaint the fact that the tape would be in the hands of law enforcement? If law enforcement having the photographic record is the mail complaint, should we have laws preventing law enforcement from subpoenaing any of the tape now being made?
Finally, if I took my car to 38th and Nicollet (or Chicago or whatever) and made videotape of what goes on and turned it over to the Minneapolis police (as a private citizen did in LA with the Rodney King tape), would that be part of a "slippery slope"? I'm paranoid about surveillance, but hey anyone who didn't want to be on a photocop tape could simply not use the intersection where it got mounted? Isn't the slippery slope really more about a growing tolerance of the population to more and more coordinated information gathering by the government? And doesnt that require a LOT of work to undo the activity already begun? I mean you have a master snoop running the country now with high approval ratings. Seems to me the Minneapolis Traffic Division is a very small matter compared to that. My personal feeling is that we shouldnt tear our garments over a dead pedestrian if we really refuse to do anything about it. Here's an alternative idea. What if we changed the laws that make it so hard for the police to nail offenders unless they are lucky enough to be ON the spot. That might help in cases like the guy who got knifed recently. Some want "more police, more police", but more police is of limited value if they always have to be RIGHT THERE when the crime goes down. There simply cannot be ENOUGH police to be on the spot when violent crimes occur. That's why they target gangs because gangs are likely to be involved in something most of the time, and if you nail them on whatever it is, they won't be free to knife people. -------------- Jim Mork--Cooper "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be call the Children of God." Matt 5:9 http://www.unitedforpeace.org Get your free Web-based E-mail at http://www.startribune.com/stribmail _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
