Does the harassment of photographers, trainspotters and those who object a little too loudly at Labour Party Conferences not disturb you ?
It does to an extent, but looking at the bigger picture, I honestly believe these are the highly publicised exceptions rather then the day to day rule.
Though I haven't personally interrupted a politician at a political conference so can't speak personally on that, I can offer my own personal experiences of being rail enthusiast. Honestly, I've never had any bother from the BTP while out on the railway taking pictures, but the other day I did put the 'war on rail enthusiasts' theory to the test at Birmingham New Street. I was on the bridge at the west side of the station and leads to the Navigation Street entrance, it was snowing quite a lot and I was amazed to see that every train on the departure board was shown as being on time, so, as you do, I decided to take a picture of the departure board, problem was though, the screen was right next to a bunch of CCTV camera's!
Knowing all the horror stories about rail enthusiast being strip searched under Section 44 by abseiling armed Police officers for having the audacity to even look at a CCTV camera, I have to admit I was a little wary. Nevertheless, I decided to chance it and take the picture. After I had done so I turned around and saw two BTP officers walking along the bridge, they must definitely have seen me and, as I do wish to join the BTP as a Special Constable, I have to admit I was a bit worried about what could happen next... What happened? Absolutely nothing! I gave them a quick smile, one of them nodded at me, and that was it. I'm not some nice sweet looking old chap either, I'm 20 years old and was wearing a baseball cap!
So, personally I've never witnessed this harassment on my travels, ever, so I'm not massively inclined to be scarred.
IF the Police cocentrated on tackling true crime then no one would have a problem however a dozen or so Police turning up to eventually arrest a press photographer taking wedding pictures
How often does this happen?
whilst weekly you can watch scrotes, undesriables and ne'er do wells being told to go home with no Police action after getting involved in street brawls.
It depends what you class a 'street brawl'. If people have been injured and the Police have seen who is involved then they'll nick them. If it's just a couple of drunks having a minor scrap amongst themselves then sometimes it can surely just be more effective to send both parties in home, as, unfortunately, I doubt the system could handle taking in everyone involved in a kerfuffle on a Friday or Saturday night.
As for DNA only 7% of crimes have been solved by that and in the vast majority of cases only because the perpetrator has been arrested for some other crime.
I guess every little counts isn't the answer your looking for?
Just to play the devils advocate, what would be the harm in everyone being on a DNA database? What harm could it do to ordinary law law-abiding folk?
We live in a Society where we are frightened even to look at people in the eyes anymore in case we are attacked
Sorry to be a party pooper, but I don't
. I live in a pretty crappy part of Birmingham but when I'm walking along I almost always give an acknowledging nod or small smile (trust me, it doesn't look as odd as it sounds
) with someone walking in the opposite direction and try to get eye contact... I've always found that it's hard for people to attack you once you've got some kind of connection with them. The worst reception I ever got was was not from a youth or druggy looking chap, but from a really old Chinese women! Old people will normally say hello or return the smile, especially in nice areas (like Sutton Coldfield/Four Oaks, if any knows them), but this women spat at my feet!
and where whole estates are terroised by feral youths who are allowed to roam unchallenged.
Your right to talk to friends in a group has been removed in some situations as you can be ordered to disperse.
Odd point. Hasn't your complaint in the second paragraph just been brought about as a remedy to combat the former complaint. In a perfect world, no-one would need to be dispersed, but that power was brought it to tackle the 'feral youths'.
Personal, I've never heard of anyone I know being issued with a dispersal order, so it's never occurred to me that the power was being abused. Do you believe the power is being abused? I would have thought many people would say it's underused, if anything.
Your letters, emails, and telephone calls can be monitored and recorded without your knowledge (and are incidentally) despite the fact that you have committed no crime.
The crucial word being
can. The government
can make an MI5 agent follow you everywhere you go, but they probably won't. You'd have to had done something wrong, or at least raised a lot of suspicion, to have the authorities trace you in the way you describe.
And you suggest that crime is under control ??
Nowhere did I suggest that, I believe totally the opposite.
If you are happy with that then fine, I would however suggest you take a read of a comment made by Niemoller about Germany under the Nazis. There are striking similarities and his words portend what is happening here.
First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out.
When the Nazis came for the communists first (modern equivalent, Photographers?
), did the SS also leave them with a piece of paper with 'Section 44 search' written on it and a nice story for their blog, or did they just skip to the beatings and murders?
EDIT: I'll address Oswyntail's comment tomorrow.
hock:
