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12/22/2005 Archived Entry: "Another Freedom Lost"

BRITAIN PLANS TO ERADICATE PRIVACY IN TRAVEL. This has been a terrible year for freedom, but this is a major loss. The online edition of The Independent reports that Britain will be first country to monitor every car journey. Thousands of spy cameras will read every license plate that passes, generating up to 100 million records every day. Data will be retained for 5 years or more.

It's all for security, of course. The Association of Police Chief Officers can barely contain their glee. ""This development forms the basis of a 24/7 vehicle movement database that will revolutionise arrest, intelligence and crime investigation opportunities on a national basis." Everyone loves another reason to spend tens of millions of dollars per year of taxpayer loot. The British intelligence agency MI5 will of course be given full access to all records.

There is scant evidence that any thought at all has been given to the mind-boggling potential for mischief, abuse, and tyranny. Britain seems determined to stay well ahead of America in spying on law-abiding citizens. A very few here fret about Bushimo spying on a measly 500 or so without the benefit of warrants, and there isn't enough spinal material in the entire US Congress to begin impeachment procedings against a regime that openly defies Congressional laws and authority. Meanwhile, Britain is well on the way to recording and analyzing every move by every slave on their island. It's truly sad to see a once proud people so casually renouncing freedoms they won at enormous cost nearly 8 centuries ago.

Posted by Silver @ 11:47 AM CST
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