Be afraid; be very afraid. Are there similarities with these three items? An elected official in Manheim Township sees no irregularity with playing golf for free at a township owned golf course. In the Academy Award-winning documentary movie, Inside Job, the people who contributed to the financial collapse get appointed to federal financial advisory and regulatory posts. And surveillance cameras with no citizen accountability nor evidence that surveillance cameras reduce crime. In fact, most who have studied the issue have determined, “there is extensive academic literature on the subject – studies carried out over many years – and that research strongly indicates that video surveillance has no statistically significant effect on crime rates.”

When the public is shielded from the information about who is monitoring spy (oh, yeah … surveillance) cameras, there is the implicit possibility of abuse of power. We are reminded of the phrase: “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Socialist.”

Don’t you wonder who is monitoring the cameras? Don’t you wonder how long the digital files are stored? Aren’t you concerned about who will have access to these files and why? Is government always right?

Former Pennsylvania State Representative and gubernatorial candidate, Sam Rohrer, addresses several of these issues in an August, 2009 speech entitled, “America’s Growing Surveillance Society,” when he said:

“Cameras, Cameras Everywhere

“Finally, the massive amount of information collected and stored as a result of PASS ID will provide government with the use of large amounts of personal data – “achieving the effect of a national database.”

“Of major impact is that facial recognition technology, the biometric portion of REAL ID also mandated by PASS ID, can be used to track people in real time, through networks of surveillance cameras linked to databases containing facial recognition templates. Proof for that statement comes from a 2003 Carnegie- Mellon University study, the introduction of which declares, “In the context of sharing video surveillance data, a significant threat to privacy is face recognition software, which can automatically identify known people, such as from a database of drivers’ license photos, and thereby track people regardless of suspicion.”

“The private commercial sector is already using facial recognition technology in conjunction with surveillance cameras.

“3VR is a leading company which markets such technology. According to the 3VR website, this technology can: “capture, index and catalog Facial Images; track suspects using face similarity search; build, manage and share watch lists of faces; receive notifications when the system recognizes a watch list individual; and maximize hard drive space by saving video and images associated with face events for longer.”

“According to a January 2008 Popular Mechanics article, “Twelve bank companies employ 3VR systems at numerous locations, which build a facial template for every single person that enters any branch.”

“Few people probably realize what is happening when they enter a bank with such a system in place. But such a system controlled by governments and potentially operating world-wide is the direction this technology is headed.

“An extensive surveillance camera network capable of tracking people has already spread across the country.

“According to the same Popular Mechanics article, an estimated 30 million surveillance cameras pepper areas across the nation, from tiny Dillingham, Alaska (population 2,400) to New York City with its multiple thousands of cameras. A few cities – like Brookline, NH – have refused the cameras, but most areas of the country have installed them.

“Exactly how advanced are these surveillance cameras?

“Well, according to a Chicago Sun-Times article, new cameras being installed in Chicago are so advanced they can rotate independently and “pick up a face in a crowd six blocks away.”

“Certain ultra-long range surveillance cameras are advertised online as being able to precisely identify a human more than 3.5 miles away!

Government By Intimidation

“Again, many people assume that as long as they are not criminals, they have nothing to fear. Again, not true – as I have said, the whole mindset in Washington has changed. Just watch as more of these privacy invading, freedom destroying programs are pushed through in the future. Imagine the consequences of a police force using real time surveillance cameras to determine the identity of participants at a rally opposing some government policy. Imagine being questioned for completely legal behavior that only looked suspicious on the surveillance camera. As American citizens, we have been guaranteed the First Amendment ‘right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.’ I believe that such knowledge and power already infringe on this basic right. American citizens also have a clear expectation of privacy implicit in the Fourth Amendment – ‘The right of the people to be secure in their persons . . . shall not be violated.’ Surveillance cameras operated by law enforcement officials have already been documented abusing certain persons’ right to privacy and security of person. Also concerning, a Privacy International report ranking privacy protections of countries around the world listed the US in the worst group – among the United Kingdom, China, and Russia.”