Wiston Papers

How safe do we want America to be?

The Boston Marathon Bombing, its investigation, and subsequent “post-game” analysis have reignited the inevitable heated debate about security in America.  What do we need to do to keep the residents of this country safe?  And how do we weigh the concerns for adequate surveillance and shared information against the equal worry of too much intrusion into our private lives.

For me the answer is easy; I want surveillance everywhere.  I have nothing to fear.  I suggest the following:

1--Everyone born in the United States should be immediately fingerprinted, scraped for DNA, photographed, and have an electronic implant to track his or her whereabouts.  This includes a Social Security (national identity card) imbedded with electronic triggers such as fingerprints and retina scan technology to access the person’s related data.

    As a former federal employee my fingerprints are already on file with the FBI. I’ve done nothing wrong so I have nothing to worry about.  

2--Every U.S. pre-school, kindergarten, elementary and secondary student should be photographed each year and facial recognition software data be updated annually.  

    Except for some embarrassingly low grades during my academic life, I’ve done nothing wrong so I have nothing to worry about.

3--Every street, intersection, building, private business, public bathroom, school, church should have operating surveillance cameras.  These should be linked to public safety agencies that have employees who take turns monitoring this information as it flows in.

    With nearly 12-million persons out of work in this country, we have lots of candidates we can hire to handle the extra work workload of law enforcement agencies.

    Yes, we would have to screen these applicants to disqualify registered sex-offenders and other persons convicted of serious crimes.  But that still would leave a sizable pool of eligible persons who could do this work.

    The CBS police drama “Person of Interest” is a potential model for such widespread electronic tracking.

    I’ve done nothing wrong so I have nothing to worry about.  Cameras can follow me anywhere.

4--We should be tapping into every electronic communication in this nation--be it telephones, telegraphs, CBs, ham radio, computers and all other present or future devices. This includes  social media and related software.  

    If people are afraid of widespread dissemination of potentially shameful or criminal activity, they should just not do it.  

    I’ve done nothing wrong so I have nothing to worry about.

5--Every person who comes into the united states should receive an on-arrival inoculation that includes a nano-electronic tracking device, skin-barcode technology, be fingerprinted, oral cheek-scraped for DNA, and welcomed to America with a friendly smile from customs and immigration.

    I’d even include ankle bracelets to this  list if they weren’t so easy to unshackle.  I’d wear one if necessary; I’ve done nothing wrong so I have nothing to worry about.

6--Background checks on every purchaser of guns.  Congress, not surprisingly, failed to approve a measure that 90 percent of Americans favor.  Although I don't have a gun, I'd welcome close scrutiny of my application to buy a firearm.  I'd even wait several days to pick it up.

         I’ve done nothing wrong so I have nothing to worry about.

I suspect the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other citizen-rights activists might find my suggestions objectionable.  “An infringement on citizens right to privacy, unconstitutional search and seizure, Big Brother intrusion” will be some of their arguments.

My response: Honest people will stay honest and should sleep peacefully.  I’ve done nothing wrong so I have nothing to worry about.

    How safe do you want America to be?

   

Steve Coon

May 02, 2013