Our Children Will Feel Government Spying Is Normal Way Of Life

Parents Aren't Paying Attention To The Program -- Modern Technology Makes It Easier Than Ever

by Johnny Gunn

Children learn by seeing and watching what happens around them. "Say Mama, honey. Say Mama." "Walk this way, baby." "See the camera? We know what you're eating." The best way to teach a child that it's alright for anyone, friend, family, government to know what he or she is doing is by starting them out young, and keeping the program so innocent sounding that parents buy into it.

The cameras being placed in a grammar school cafeteria with the video sent to the children's homes, we are told is so parents can monitor what the child eats for lunch. Never mind that what the child learns has nothing to do with lunch, but that it is OK to be put on camera anywhere, anytime. In all probability this is the continuation of another government agency placing cameras, this time in a school, feeling a need to pry, to know minute to minute what you are doing.

There are reports that the new money has tracking devices built in. No one has said with any proof that this isn't so, but supposedly large bills, that is twenties and larger, can be tracked from satellites. It has been reported that hand-held devices exist that can look in your pocket and determine exactly how much money you have on you.

A child knowing he or she is being watched constantly will learn quickly to think that that is the way life is. This is wrong. In this country, it is not the way life should be. No matter how you spell it, the word is spying.

The worst part of the situation was how parents responded to learning of the program. "I'll know my child is getting a proper lunch," was echoed about without thought to the end game. Government agencies want you to know as little as possible about what they are doing, how they are doing it, and how much of your money they are spending. On the other side of that coin, they want to know every thing about you.

On your daily drives, how many intersections do you pass through with those little cameras trained on you? Some cities say, "they aren't hooked up." Is this intimidation then? How would you know whether you are being spied on, or whether it is a dummy camera? And just who is watching the video screen? More importantly, why?

This mirrors the novel "1984" so closely it's far more than just scary. So far, the school cafeteria video intrusion into children's lives is limited to a single school district in California, well, of course, California, but you can bet your hard-earned dollars someone is plottin' and plannin' for a similar program somewhere in Nevada.

•••