All sorts of assaults on our freedom and privacy have taken place over time, but since September 11, 2001, most all of our civil rights have vanished. That situation continues to worsen daily.
Very recently in Orlando, Florida, a particular area of the city was being surveilled; surveilled secretly, and without any authorization from those being watched by police. This in and of itself is very troubling, and is no different than warrantless spying. The city of Orlando has a video spying system called the “Innovative Response To Improve Safety,” or I.R.I.S. These cameras are placed in many locations downtown, and are monitored by those cretins dressed in blue; the Orlando police.
During this police spying without cause or warrant, a 29 year old man named Joe E. Haywood, was “suspected” of the very dangerous criminal activity of smoking pot. The police swooped down on the scene, and proceeded to arrest Haywood on charges of possession of cannabis, and tampering with physical evidence. It was alleged you see, that Haywood swallowed the pot, and therefore had committed yet another state crime called hiding evidence.
Although any so-called criminal activity was only suspected, Mr. Haywood was immediately handcuffed, and once he was helpless, (normal procedure for cops) the police on the scene attempted to forcibly open his jaws by using facial pressure points. That in fact was the real crime.
For those who incorrectly think that the government should control what a human puts into their own body, and do so by force, or by threat of fine, imprisonment, or death, it might be prudent to consider the implications of this kind of surveillance system. If the state and its agents of force can use these hidden cameras to go after pot smokers, they can use that same technology to go after anyone, and for almost anything. Consider that everyone breaks laws every single day in this country. By some legitimate estimates, we all break the law at least three times per day.
With modern technology, and constant state surveillance, all are watched, and all private activity is captured, and in many instances databased. Just consider the criminal arrest of Brandon Raub recently due to state surveillance of his Facebook page. The bottom line here is that by accepting the monitoring by secret camera ,and the arrest of a “suspected” pot smoker, the rest of us have also agreed to be subject to that same treatment. If one can be surveilled, then all can be surveilled.
That is one slippery slope that should never be travelled. It can only lead directly to jail!