ThirstyFish

Surveillance is a controversial issue. America is fast becoming a Surveillance State. Almost every week, we hear yet more details about warrantless spying by telecoms, expanding use of drones, extensive spying on minorities, installation of neighborhood video cameras, or, phone and email communication data-mining by the NSA. We're finding out that some of these mass surveillance activities are outright illegal or unconstitutional, while others are barely justifiable.

The ex Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy once argued: "You have zero privacy anyway. Get over it". So, why should we fear surveillance if we have done nothing wrong? For the reason you see in the photograph above. What could be the point of Philadelphia Audio-Visual Police Officers sticking their cameras into everyone's face at the Occupy National Gathering event? There are no terrorists at Occupy events. Why is Occupy such a threat? Broad surveillance and surveillance on political groups indicates only one thing. Those in power are preparing to subvert any dissent by identifying individuals and groups. What happens to the footage recorded by the PPD? Does it get shared with other government agencies? Is it preparation for another round of McCarthyism?

My answer to Scott McNealy is this. I am OK with "zero privacy" if Wall Street also accepts "zero privacy". That's where these cameras should be pointed. After all, every week yet another story is leaked about Wall Street crimes. Here's a rundown of "crimes" in the last 30 days: Libor Scandal (rigging interest rates) involving more than a dozen of World's biggest banks and tied to an estimated $800 trillion of securities. Drug money laundering by HSBC. Laundering Iranian oil money, despite US sanctions by Standard Chartered. More bank scandals from 2012.

These "revealed" scandals amount to just the tip of the iceberg. Did anyone go to jail? No. What was their penalty? A wrist slap. How many people, businesses, municipalities, governments got hurt? Pretty much the whole world. I'm not sure that anyone can explain why a few peaceful protestors who point to the crimes of the 1% are a threat to society, while those committing the crimes are praised by the Senate Banking Committee. Absurd!

More Occupy photos.

Song of the Day: Disturbing The Priest - Black Sabbath (1983)