Big Brother Coming to California's Capital?

Government surveillance seems to be on the rise everywhere and it's no different where I live in Sacramento, California, which is why I've been trying to fight increased surveillance with little success as I show in this video.

The short clip I use in this video from the predictably positive Fox News story about the heavy government surveillance in Bill Gates' hometown of Medina, Washington, comes from the Fox News program "Happening Now" broadcast on September 24, 2009, currently available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtCCpe0I7Ds

The two clips I use from my local CBS news affiliate's coverage of the news conference from Jim Updegraff, Chair of my local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), come from the CBS13 story broadcast on September 28, 2009, available online at http://www.cbs13.com/video/?id=60948@kovr.dayport.com

The multiple clips I use of the September 29, 2009, meeting of the Sacramento City Council, including clips of Deputy Chief Sam Somers, the Rev. Ashiya Odeye, Cres Vellucci, me (Allen Asch), and Council Member Steve Cohn, come from Metro Cable and Metro Cable's video of that entire meeting is available online at http://sacramento.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=8&clip_id=2100

I also use an image of webpage that includes several studies and reports showing surveillance cameras don't reduce crime that is available online at http://www.youarebeingwatched.us/tools/4/#113

The "You Are Being Watched" logo I also use comes from the main page of that website at http://www.youarebeingwatched.us

And, finally, as always, you can find DOZENS and DOZENS more examples of Fox News bias on my Fox News bias playlist on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A3BD2524FE99BD4D

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Sacramento
• surveillance
• cameras
• cctv
• big
• brother
• is
• watching
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• orwell
• city
• council
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• liberalviewer

[Surrealist6]

The point is they do not make us safer. They DO invade our privacy. My right to privacy (as far as the American government goes) extends to ALL areas of my life including when I am in a public place. My own government is not allowed to moniter me or anyone else without due cause and checking every plate and filming everyone is NOT due cause.

[ladders1]

As a Briton I in a country with one of the highest levels of CCTV cameras in the world. It simply doesn't prevent crime and the crimes they help solve are so few and far between that it does not justify the expense.

I won't suggest that the cameras are used to monitor people in their everyday lives like some Orwellian nightmare. However, I do believe that they are used to make people think they're safer and so exempt the government from actually doing anything significant to fight crime.

[JOHNNYSschool]

the only reason they are installing them is for the face reconitioin and licenplate reading by the feds so they can find anyone they want.... yes they have camras out here in a town of 200 people and at stoplights in the midle of now where... they are put implace so we cant run or go from state to state with out them watching thats the only reason to stick camras on back roads where no one lives and almost never drives..

[desirefirst]

so what do you think the end game of liberalism is, but total and absolute government control?

[MyDeathmaskDivine]

" He who would trade liberty for some temporary security, deserves neither liberty nor security" Ben Franklin

[VitalVampyr]

I for one do favor limited video surveillance of public places. After all, your right to privacy couldn't extend to the right to not be seen when in public. However at this time the effectiveness of this does not justify the expense. Your preacher does have a good idea though. Cameras in police vehicles would be a far better use of the money, helping to ensure that officers act with due restraint and providing some small amount of extra evidence for prosecuting criminals.

[Niederhoffer716]

@quinndiesel1977... when you ask"What the hell does any of this have to do with the Homeland Security Dept, or Homeland Security funds?" Your are right. At the minimum this stuff is just a big waste of money. Is Homeland Security just Bush's version of make work projects? At the very least the people buying this stuff ought to be told by law that they must buy equipment manufactured in the USA and programmed and maintained by US Citizens. That ought to be true of every Government purchase.

[Niederhoffer716]

There seems to be an increased interest in using video monitoring technology here in Buffalo,NY also. I think they are mostly just in love with gadgets.

There was an accident recently at a crosswalk that had video surveillance but, surprise, the camera was not functioning. This led to no public outcry but did give many people a reassurance that the govt here is just so bumbling that it can't be taken seriously as a threat to privacy.

Efficient use of this technology is certainly a threat.

[franz909]

European Union Cabal rolled out High speed cameras that will " Detect if you're wearing SEATBELTS , paid your license fees, have insurance , owe money to state , speed = FASCISM

[GoblinsnHobbits]

1. Yes

2. Secruity contractors and cowboy cops who want more toys.

[EclecticSceptic]

Woo we finally get to see liberalviewer.

[Jarut195]

Why... why do conservatives see it as their goal to promote small government, zero government intervention in public life, and the downfall of Orwellian Totalitarianism, yet they constantly promote things like the PATRIOT ACT and putting cameras on our street corners.

Just so you know the PATRIOT ACT allows the government to tap your phones, read your mail, and track your web activity without a warrant. And the act was passed by conservative... George Bush.