[re: surveillance cameras being obtrusive] That's right! If it helped to identify the man who abducted a woman/girl, with the intention of raping and slitting her throat, that would be horrible.This implies, in the vein of the "When did you stop beating your wife" question, that I am somehow less interesting in the well being of a young girl than I am about the false security of cameras.
There are many things I would be unwilling to accept that could potentially reduce the number of kidnappings, rapes and child abuse.
- Mandatory curfews for women - Would certainly keep women from being assaulted in dark alleys, but I still wouldn't endorse it.
- Licensing of potential parents - Would ensure parents have "proper" training and reduce child abuse incidents, but I would oppose it.
- Death penalty for Class C misdemeanors - Might deter speeding, but I wouldn't endorse it.
- Cameras everywhere - If people don't do anything wrong, they have nothing to fear...
I'm certainly trying to demonstrate this in the extreme, and no, I don't think parking lot cameras at Walmart destroy all my liberty, but they do deteriorate it some, and one can be opposed to them and still be saddened by child abuse.
Believe me, if I'm going to accuse you of beating your wife, or supporting child abuse, I will come right out and say it. My statement that you cited is meant to say that just because the incident of the beating was caught on a video camera, does not disqualify that it happened. Just because some people choose to use the internet for negative purposes does not mean it is a totally bad thing. For one thing, just think how much money you are taking away from the post office, by using email!