I see a tech story today in Wired News about the New York Civil Liberties Union's concern for my privacy with regards to surveillance cameras. They have hired college students to run around Manhattan to count and catalogue their locations.

They are concerned that my privacy will be violated while walking down a public sidewalk or standing in the public area of a business. I do not know about others, but generally, when I go out to a public space I assume I am in public view. I take that in to account and don't do things that I consider private (i.e. - I don't take a shower in the mailbox on the corner of a public street). When I am in my house or other similar spot I assume I am in a private view.

They plan to take this information and post an interactive map of where all the cameras are on their web site. That should make it very easy for the Internet savvy terrorists or other criminal elements who can simply view it at the Public Library. That way they won't have their right to be unseen while committing a crime violated as they will know where to avoid camera views. More importantly they can have their right to be anonymous while killing or robbing me and my family protected by the bastions of freedom.

Just once, I would like to see a lawsuit where a Civil Liberties Union filed against someone for taking away my right to live. That seems to me the most basic and fundamental freedom and right. Yet at every opportunity the CLUs come up with new ways to deprive me of it.

All I can say is, like judges who let violent offenders back out on the street with a slap on the wrist, the first time someone dies aided by their posting the locations of security cameras, they should be criminally charged for conspiracy to commit murder or obstruction of justice. There are 4 people in the UK who can no longer pose a threat to the right to live of others because of security cameras in public spaces.

Come on people (CLU), stop looking for ways to get your names in the news and do something meaningful.