Chicago Street Journal
By Frank Ottman¶ As revelations from whistleblower Edward Snowden continue to mount, Americans have been shocked by the National Security Agency's incredible invasions of privacy some more so than others. Even more spying has evolved big business with big brother, as the signs of corporations taking an active role in the police state directions. The business of spying on American is now in the business courts, the U.S government says Spinit over charged the government $21 million in wiretaps using telephone spying. Spinit says it gave the government what it ordered and want to be paid. The courts will decide who is right. Surprising to many, in Chicago, the city has the nation’s most “extensive and integrated” network of government video surveillance cameras, according to former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Chertoff pointed out that Chicago has more than 20,000 public and private owned surveillance cameras. Redlight cameras track speeding cars and magnification of small objects at miles away. On the other hand the question is out are the redlight traffic cameras being used to spy on Chicago citizens as well. Social writer George Orwell in his novel “1984,” published in 1949, much of his writing is apropos to today’s world and present society. People no longer are putting him aside like they did years ago and his writings
being a lot of hyped up rhetoric in this Orwellian classic style knowing that citizens every move is being monitored, on the telephone and home and work at the office is bugged through electronic surveillance by some intelligence organization that may be private or one governmental. Mail thought of as private correspondence is opened by some snooping intelligence network; medical, school, financial records thought of as personal are left open for private organization and government agency to eavesdrop on. Chicago Police Department officer Sedevic stated that “At no time does the Chicago Police give out private information such as social security numbers of inmates or its citizens.” From the Guardian UK it noted that when NATO delegates came to Chicago in May 2012, it has been turned into a police state. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who several months before the world summit began implementing new draconian anti-protest measures, Chicago has gone on security lockdown. The Chicago Police Department began shutting down – prohibiting cars, bikes, and pedestrians – miles and miles of highways and roads in the heart of Chicago to create a security perimeter around downtown and McCormick Place (where the NATO summit is being held). It may be hard to see or experience the security measures from within the perimeter, but for Chicagoans, the new experience is
March 13-25—19, 2014
chilling. As one Chicagoan reportedly told NBC Chicago, the mass of security equipment “made her feel like she was on ‘lockdown’.” A few further points are worth mentioning. First, it is astounding – but sadly, not surprising – that the City of Chicago would deny protest permits or make protest so difficult in Chicago because of alleged inconveniences to traffic and ordinary business. Chicago lockdown belies any suggestion caring about such inconveniences. While Mayor Emanuel bent backwards for NATO, first amendment free speech receives dramatically less accommodation. The 9/11 attack on the New York Trade Center Buildings created a new security agency has proven to be little needed and little information to the public on what it has done to combat terrorist attacks inside the United States. (6 reasons to close the Homeland Security by Kim Peterson Jul 16, 2013, moneyNOW) Peterson said, “The problem with Chicago as I see it is that there is/was a legitimate security concern for the OWS and anarchist thugs and any other misfits to destroy property and disrupt the lives of those living in the area affected. “Because of that, this gives fuel for the police to beef up security and put together apparatus that can smother individual liberties and collect pictures and information on any citizen who may legitimately be protesting against. I for one, have several issues with NATO.” Only a handful of terrorists, mostly mavericks have even tried to make a statement of terrorism inside the United States in the last
Page 5
ten years since the 9/11 attack and according to records released on them their terrorists acts would have done no more damage than domestic violence at home by some mentally unstable people in outrage causing innocent deaths and property damage. The technologically sophisticated cameras have the power to automatically identify and track particular persons, and the capacity to magnify and make visible small details and objects at great distances. Nevertheless, the City seeks to expand and enhance the level of surveillance. Former Mayor Richard Daley announced a plan to place a camera “on every corner” of the City. In the words of another top City official, the objective is to “cover one end of the city to the other.” In addition to Chicago cameras (as well as many other critical aspects of its camera program), the City does not dispute the repeated public reports that it has access to publicly and privately owned cameras throughout the City as well. In the downtown district, virtually every segment of the public way is under video surveillance. Ed Yohnka of Chicago ACLU feels that “Too many of our civil liberties are being lost and the government has unlawful border control of aliens, invasion of electronic surveillance at airports, domestic drone missiles and database spying.” And many here in Chicago feel that redlight traffic cameras are part of this secret electronic surveillance to spy on Chicago citizens. House Bill 1948 would require police agencies that own or have access to video surveillance cameras to disclose to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority the number of their cameras, and their privacy regulations, if they have any. It would also require the Authority to post this information on its website. The bill would extend to outdoor cameras (except for traffic cameras). The law does not seek information about the location of any cameras. “The expansion of surveillance cameras raises profound questions about all of our privacy and other civil liberties,” said Adam Schwartz, senior staff counsel at the ACLU of Illinois. “The transparency provided by this bill will begin to answer those questions.”
All of this is, sadly, here to stay. NATO will come and go, but the new anti-protest laws, the new riot-gear, the two LRAD sound cannons, and all the normalization of this police state … that will be with us for a long time. source – Guardian UK
Dan's Soul Food & Bakery Our business strives to provide customers with exceptional quality and timely completion of work, superior service, and guaranteed satisfaction. Call us today!
(773) 737-6695 2523 West 79Th Street, Chicago M – S, S 8:00am-8:00pm Soul Food Restaurant, Corporate Event Lunch Catering, Bakery of Cakes, Wedding, Ribs, Box Lunch Supplier,
Join our 1st Year as CSJ, and our
20th Anniversary Celebrations and save
Name Address City, State/ Zip Email Phone
Send to: CSJ 8036 S. Cottage Grove, Chicago, Ill 60619 Or email ChicagoStJournal@aol.com
Credit Card #
Signature Signa
Exp. date