Big Sis Invades Wal-mart:

[vvvvvvv]

How is this different from the spying provisions that were in the Patriot act? There must be huge differences between the two or else the same people who fought against the Patriot act would not be supporting this one.

Is there a list of differences posted anywhere that I can look at? Under the Patriot Act you were supposed to watch for suspicious acts and report them. They were asking ordinary citizens to report on neighbors. To notice things that did not look right. Is this that much different?

I'm not saying that this is right or wrong. I believe in neighborhood watches. I'm just curious as to the differences in these two policies and wonder what makes this new one so much more palatable to those that thought the first was the end of the free world.

I am all for citizens actively protecting themselves. I am very suspect of government directing them to do it. The old slippery slope/ camels nose thing.
I was against the Patriot Act for that reason. It went to far and is to easily abused.

Michael

The difference lies in which party is making the proposal.

Notice those politicians who were so vocally against the PATRIOT Act voted to extend it. Notice the same politicians who called for an individual mandate to purchase health insurance in 1993/1994 now are the most vocal against it.

 

[Street Rat]

It's all about becoming the "norm", today, it's you must rat out your neighbors for looking suspicious, tomorrow it's, "resistance is futile, you must be assimalated". Today it's Walmart, tomorrow it will be on our phones and TVs.

 

[ez bake]

I think its funny to see the folks griping about this in this thread, yet some of those same people had no issue with Arizona's immigration laws that trampled on the line between "probable cause" and "reasonable suspicion".

If you wanted to know what's wrong with "reasonable suspicion" and how it has very little to do with illegal immigrants, here's your answer.

And you're kidding yourself if you think this is going to end with Wal-Mart.

 

[MLR]

And you're kidding yourself if you think this is going to end with Wal-Mart.

When it was discussed at the time of the Patriot act it was to include anyone who had access to houses. Mail delivers, meter readers, anyone who might had the opportunity to go in your house.
While there is nothing wrong with being alert individuals must be constantly wary of increased government intrusion.

Michael

 

[ez bake]

When it was discussed at the time of the Patriot act it was to include anyone who had access to houses. Mail delivers, meter readers, anyone who might had the opportunity to go in your house.
While there is nothing wrong with being alert individuals must be constantly wary of increased government intrusion.

Michael

Its one thing for the government to ask folks to be vigilant, its quite another to conspire with a huge company and basically give them a direct line into DHS with vague guidelines on what is "suspicious".

That's scary. If they work with a few other major retail and grocery stores, they will give consumers little choice but to be watched.

 

[vvvvvvv]

Its one thing for the government to ask folks to be vigilant, its quite another to conspire with a huge company and basically give them a direct line into DHS with vague guidelines on what is "suspicious".

That's scary. If they work with a few other major retail and grocery stores, they will give consumers little choice but to be watched.

something I learned at Wal-Mart is that those cameras aren't there for loss prevention. They are there for behavioral analysis of your shopping habits. Loss prevention is just a positive side effect.

 

[jimktm520]

What constitutes suspicious? With the immense popularity of "reality programs", every clown and his cousin want their 15 minutes of fame on You Tube, hoping to land their own TV show in the aftemath. As a result, suspicious behavior (by what used to be normal standards) is all the rage.

 

[BluRaySS]

Seems to me people are free and even encourage to report suspicious activity now, and that's everywhere!

Maybe we should all not be crying about what our country is being forced to do for security, and start turning our sights to those that cause us to have to be this way!