OP-ED: WAR ON THE SURVEILLANCE STATE

Monday, August 3, 2026

OP-ED:  WAR ON THE SURVEILLANCE STATE

Local police forces all around the nation are overstepping their bounds on surveillance.  Allegations of violation of the most basic precepts of Constitutional protections and precedents are being ignored on a growing basis.  The proliferation of types of surveillance is out of control and needs to  be eliminated immediately. Speed cameras, Flock cameras, Axon cameras, face recognition cameras.  It is out of control.  

Every good principle supporting law enforcement can be abused, and that includes public safety.  – the failure to balance safety against the problems of over surveillance has brought the nation to this point.  But it is only the beginning of the fight.

So far, the law enforcement that conservatives defend, is becoming the enemy.  The appreciation for their fighting crime is giving way to citizens fulminating anger over   their harassing the innocent.  Everything about support for local police is being increasingly challenged.

The pressure will be on to fix these problems permanently.  If not, public intolerance will  lead to a public war on the surveillance state.  History should teach the surveillance state an important lesson.  The worst form of state surveillance was the Stasi of East Germany during the cold war.

The opening salvos have begun.   So far, reportedly, 23 states have had cases where flock cameras have been destroyed.  But that is a drop in the bucket.  The public needs to organize and put pressure on politicians in this election year.  Petition drives, rallies, and more coverage by media is needed to push this to resolution.

Americans have tolerated an incredible amount of growing surveillance.  Somehow, the flock cameras have crossed a line in the public mind.  The public needs to understand the other planning and writing of contracts which is already under way.  We must fight, fight, fight.