PRIVACY

PRIVACY

There has been controversy in the past year about a new phenomenon in the Southern California area. The City of Los Angeles has been putting little cameras at strategic places in the city so that they can monitor potential crimes in progress. There have been cameras installed in a public park and now, a few of them have been placed on Hollywood Boulevard. Both locations are recognized as hotbeds of drug activity.

Critics of such policies say that the cameras are an invasion of privacy. Protect my privacy” in Americanese is usually code for, “Stay away from my sex life”.

To them I can only say – How can you be in a public place and be “private” at the same time? What kinds of “private” activities did you have planned for the next time you’re strolling down Hollywood Boulevard or feeding the ducks in Silverlake? Did you plan to strip naked for a lark? Maybe you had plans to have an illicit affair out in broad daylight? Come on, folks. If you don’t like the idea of cameras in the street, I’m guessing you’re not an exhibitionist. But even if you did something so stupid: 1) You wouldn’t be the first or the last, so get over yourself; 2) The risk of getting arrested would exist with or without cameras; and 3) Nobody really cares.

For myself, I say, go ahead! Take a good look! You will see me caught in the act of walking, perhaps singing to myself, petting a dog, saying hello to a stranger, window shopping, or picking up a free newspaper. Maybe I’ll be spied upon as I enter a Middle Eastern restaurant or a nail salon. You might even see me kiss my husband. Oooooooooooooooooooooh! Big stuff! In other words, behaviorally, I will be exactly like almost anyone else walking down the street. Visually, you may see me in glasses, without glasses, wearing sunglasses, having a bad hair day, having a good hair day, wearing jeans, wearing slacks, wearing a coat, or wearing a sweater. Again – What an invasion of my privacy!

But, why risk it? I say – Dismantle the cameras. Better safe than sorry! So what if a few drug deals go down? So what if a few cars are stolen? So what if some criminal element is allowed to kidnap a few kids and get away with it, even? A drive-by shooting, ah well, it can’t be helped. At least, we’ll all have our precious “privacy”.

I know, I know. This is not the position a “liberal” is supposed to take. But one of my own dearly held beliefs about freedom is that, no matter what label they slap on you, you still have the right to side with the opposition if they’re right about something. To me, that’s what true individuality is about, and it’s nothing that shows up on a camera. As for “privacy”, until the day the government trains cameras on our home, I’m okay.

© 2005, Robin Munson

INAUGURATION DAY

INAUGURATION DAY

The other day I got an anonymous e-mail from someone who had somehow interpreted one of my blogs to mean that I was a fan of the President. I have to say for the record, I am not a fan. Politically and socially, I have too many disagreements with Mr. Bush for me to feel that way. On a personal level, he rubs me the wrong way, too. That part is not his fault. But I know that somewhere around fifty percent of the American people feel pretty much the way I do. So it’s especially painful for me to see the airwaves filled with news of the inauguration today. It’s like watching a scary movie – I just can’t look.

On the other hand, as my husband reminds me whenever I begin to wax eloquent on the subject, this administration is having its day, and soon the tide will turn. The pendulum always swings, and I have great hope that I will live to see it swing again – soon.

What is absolutely amazing to me about this country is that – in spite of the fact that virtually half the population is opposed to just about everything this administration is and all it stands for – the protests remain peaceful and lawful. There is no hint of civil war. There will be no bloody coup. Blue states and red states continue to do trade and there is civility between neighbors who voted for Bush and neighbors who voted for Kerry. Congress may be lopsided in favor of Republicans, but rules and procedures are maintained. I have friends who voted for Bush, as a matter of fact. Nice people. That actually comforts me.

As I have said before, but it bears repeating – nothing would make me happier than to find out I was wrong. I would love to find out that this administration (and I know it’s not just the President) was right all along. I would love to find out that, indeed, the war in Iraq transformed Iraq into a democratic, free state with equal rights for women. I would love to find out that a victory in Iraq would, in fact, lead to a newly liberated and peaceful Middle East.

And wouldn’t it be wonderful if the “War on Terror” actually ended terrorism? Or even made a big dent in it?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we found out (somehow) that indeed, Social Security was on the brink of bankruptcy in 2005, and that this administration single-handedly saved it by partial privatization? (That would be a confirmation that our young work force has the wisdom to invest their money wisely!)

A return to “Christian Values”? Okay by me, as long as we’re talking about the values espoused by Christ, which were inclusive, forgiving and peaceful. (As opposed to some of these ersatz “Christian Values” which I suspect are exclusive, judgmental and antagonistic).

I’m going to get off my soapbox, now. I may not particularly like the President or his tactics, but I respect the office and the system that it represents. I’m just waiting for the tide to turn and the pendulum to swing.

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© 2005, Robin Munson