Smile, You're on Surveillance Camera [Brits attacking, destroying surveillance cameras]

Businessweek Online ^ | October 17, 2003 | Jane Black

[John Jorsett]

On Oct. 9, a pipe bomb exploded under a traffic-monitoring camera in North Belfast. An act of terrorism? More than likely, it was just another average British citizen furious about the ubiquitous surveillance that has sprung up in Britain over the last decade.

[VeritatisSplendor]

Vigilantism is arising, with typically British whimsy:

[Gorzaloon]

Farmers in Somerset have been charged with using speed cams and closed-circuit TV cameras (CCTV) for target practice.

With what? Longbows?

Once you have disarmed your population, you can do anything you want to them. You can wage little snitty wars on their privacy, you can tax them to death, and, you can even give them a National Health Plan.

[TaxRelief]

Hey! North Carolina is getting speedcams (thanks to a bi-partisan agreement). You don't think these cameras will bring that type of dangerous violence to my state, do you?

[Servant of the 9]

The Brits will put up with a lot. The last decade they have put up with a lot, but once they have had a belly full they are far more bloody minded and ruthless than any other people.

Biiig Smile.

So9

[John Jorsett]

I believe it's still legal to own shotguns in the UK, although you have to go through a lot of rigamarole (lock them up, don't let others have a key, etc.)

[TaxRelief]

Well, if they've disarmed the natives, where did the pipe bombs come from? Huh?

[gitmo]

I've been considering it.

[Gorzaloon]

Well, if they've disarmed the natives, where did the pipe bombs come from? Huh?

Probably the local IRA Thrift Shoppe?

[Jack Black]

once they have had a belly full they are far more bloody minded and ruthless than any other people.

Nah, they allowed themselves to be disarmed. They are sheep now. Races and nations grow old too. The Brits have lost what made them rulers of the world a few hundred years ago, and they lost what let them fight WW2 with amazing bravery only two generations ago. Todays Brits are pampered, socialist sheep. Bahhh! (We're only a few years behind)

[supercat]

A couple months ago, I was on a 2x2-lane divided road, stopped at a light that was just turning red with cars on both sides, and I noticed a car approaching me from behind at very high speed. I was forced to slammed on the gas to avoid getting rear-ended, and was passed on the right in the intersection by a car which was going too way fast to have avoided a collision otherwise.

Should I have gotten a ticket? If there'd been a traffic cam there I most likely would have despite the fact that in most states a driver's first and foremost obligation is to avoid collisions all other traffic laws notwithstanding. I was nervous about getting clobbered from the side if one of the cross-traffic cars jumped the green (cross traffic was stopped in all lanes; no cars approaching at speed) but had I not acted I probably would have gotten clobbered at 60mph.

[Servant of the 9]

Nah, they allowed themselves to be disarmed. They are sheep now. Races and nations grow old too. The Brits have lost what made them rulers of the world a few hundred years ago, and they lost what let them fight WW2 with amazing bravery only two generations ago. Todays Brits are pampered, socialist sheep. Bahhh! (We're only a few years behind)

Funny, that is just what Hitler thought in 1939.

The Brits are very slow to anger, almost timid, but once aroused are the most violent and ruthless people on earth.

SO9

[viaveritasvita]

But when the characteristically reserved Brits start acting like rowdy Texans, you know a backlash is building.

YEEEE HAW!!! Nothing like a good old fashioned backlash!

Be a good FReeper screen name: RowdyTexan@heart

[Modernman]

Funny, that is just what Hitler thought in 1939.

The "nation of shop-keepers" did a pretty good job of turning some of Germany's biggest cities into giant funeral-pyres through incendiary bombing. I agree with you- don't count the Brits out. Osama thought we were soft, too.

[IronJack]

I love it. I'd like to see more of this. How DARE the people assert their right to live as they choose???!!!!

[IronJack]

where did the pipe bombs come from?

The Provos had a garage sale.

[longtermmemmory]

USA's speed cams are digital and too small.

The only way to stop them is to use countermeasures on the plate.

[TaxRelief]

Guess you can't really disarm people no matter how hard you try...

[John Jorsett]

The Brits have lost what made them rulers of the world a few hundred years ago, and they lost what let them fight WW2 with amazing bravery only two generations ago. Todays Brits are pampered, socialist sheep.

Hitler famously dismissed the Brits as a "nation of shopkeepers," and look what happened. I think they still have it in them, but the question is what does it take to bring it out. Looks like the answer in some cases is, "speed cameras."

[beavus]

Not surprising that the same Brits who somehow feel they have privacy on the crowded public streets of the most populous city in Europe are the same ones leading lives of pipe bombing.

Most people living in cities like having police, or their one-eyed surrogates, on the beat in their neighborhoods. Most people, that is, except criminals.