"Cameras will only observe and record that which a police officer or private citizen could legally see."

So, why not let the public "watch" the network as well? Arguments that this could be used to allow criminals to get away with crimes are ridiculous -- if the police are watching, then they have a responsibility to respond.

Or better yet, let the public watch the watchers -- set up a facility (television channel) so that folks could see what is currently being monitored.

The other thing that bugs me -- the whole concept that "you're in a public place, you have no privacy." Okay, so my actions are not private, but my identity should be.

Finally, the whole concept of "we're at war" -- we have lost the war on terrorism. We have allowed our fundamental freedoms to be sacrificed in the name of "security". Monitoring the actions of innocent Americans equates to surveilance, which is worse than living scared. Being watched all the time inhibits action, free thinking, and most importantly -- dissent.

The biggest problem is that folks like me and you -- the average Slashdot reader -- have enabled this. WE are the ones that have designed the tools to allow this to happen. We should have known better.