Big Brother Is Watching

60 Minutes recently had an episode about how easy it is for the government to watch us, spy on us, keep track of us. When we read George Orwell's 1984 back in the 1960's, we believed his ideas were way off in the future. Techniques for watching our citizens have existed for many years, but with each passing year the techniques become more sophisticated and more all encompassing. Take a walk around London, and you're likely to have your picture taken up to 200 times per day. They have surveillance cameras everywhere, somewhere around 1.85 million cameras in the closed circuit television system. Although the idea of Big Brother snooping on us, listening in on our phone calls, intercepting our e-mails, watching us with all kinds of surveillance devices offends most people, the public is willing to put up with it if they think it keeps them safe. Fear and protection from terrorism lessens many people's desire for civil liberties and independent control over their own lives. Staying safe wins, hands down. A CBS New York Times public opinion survey taken after the Boston Marathon bombings is the latest evidence of this fundamental truth of human nature, the highest priority is usually staying alive. Everything else comes after that. 78% of American say surveillance cameras in public places are a good idea. (the bigger question is whether all this surveillance is keeping us safer). The American Civil Liberties Union, which opposes more Big Brother surveillance, argues that cameras that watch us everywhere don't deter crime. But it doesn't really matter, because if you feel safer with cameras most people are willing to give up invasion of privacy for protection. Our cell phones now contain GPS tracking systems, another way the government can, if it wants to, keep an eye on us. On the other hand, this tracking device could come in very handy if you are kidnapped or carjacked, as the police will be able to track your phone, if you have it with you. Social media and the use of Facebook have also increased government's ability to keep track of people. All that data, just asking to be taken. One of the scariest aspects of all this is that at the local level, all the way up to D.C., governments have been encouraging the good, old-fashioned snitch culture under the "See Something, Say Something" program, whereby neighbors turn in neighbors, for things like questioning the official version of 9-11 or for stockpiling food or owning guns. Citizens are being turned into the eyes and ears of the state, according to author Jim Redden, who wrote Snitch Culture. Kind of reminiscent of Nazi Germany. Where were the snitches in the Ariel Castro case in Cleveland? Oh, they were there, and called the police numerous times, but nobody was listening. The recent information from AP regarding listening devices used on phones of some of their writers, is just more evidence that we are being watched. It's a fine line between keeping us safe and protecting our constitutional rights.