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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 2003)
4 • The Clackamas Print • May 21, 2003 The Clackamas Print Providing Security vs. Right to Privacy Editor-in-Chief/ Copy Editor Shadra Beesley News Editor/ Assistant Copy Editor Tina Tate Opinion Editor Cyndee Mady Feature Editor Elisabeth Meyer A&E Editor Pete Ford Sports Editor Elena Boryska Co-Photo Editor Robb Egan Co-Photo Editor Cory Price Webmaster Joel Gaynor Advertising Manager Mark Falling ext. 2578 Staff Writers: Marvin Baker * Isaiah Creel Nic Delzell * Jared Eschweiler Bekah Finch * Karen Hill Noah Holland * Frank Jordan Sadie McCarthy Production Assistants: Matt Baker * Heather Dolson Katie Funk * David Kolibaba Andy Price- Adviser: Linda Vogt OPINION Secretary: JoAnne Gale The Cbdcamas Print is distributed every Wednesday except during finals week. The Clackamas Print * Copyright 2003. 19600 S. Molalla Ave. Oregon City, Oregon 97045 (503) 657-6958 X2309 cccprint@clackamos.edu http ://www2 .dacka mas.edu/thepri nt Do you have something to shout about? Letters to the editor are always welcome. Drop letters by B-104 or e-mail them to cccprint@clackamas.edu Deadline: Friday before publication Video surveillance cameras help protect the innocent /Approximately /Approximately 15 students’ cars “There’s 12 months in the year, were vandalized in the parking lot that’s six months to stay out of my between Gregory Forum and Randall business, and six months to leave me ... alone.” - Trick Daddy, rap artist. jjjlllCyndee Mady Hall on February 1 of this year. Nic Delzell Had security cameras been monitor Opinion Editor The fourth amendment protects Staff Writer ing these locations, Public Safety every American’s right to privacy. might have acquired valuable leads The overuse of surveillance cameras that could have led to an arrest. At the very best, the cameras might have violates every American’s right to privacy. acted as a deterrent to the deviants who inflicted thousnds of dollars in dam I’m not a criminal. I don’t expect to be treated like one—no one does. We ages and countless hours of aggravation to the individuals whose property may be completely different from each other, but if we don’t trust each other’s was vandalized and stolen. basic right to privacy then we are disrespecting each other’s dignity. This incident was not isolated, as there have been prior and subsequent car Insecurity and lack of knowledge provide the need for surveillance cameras. break-ins. While campus security provides satisfactory coverage, they can Governments, private citizens and businesses use surveil not be in all places at all times. Surveillance cameras would fill in the gaps. lance cameras to hate and discriminate as well as The tragic events of Sept. 11 evoked consciousness to America’s lack of invade our basic right to privacy. Keeping our nation security and brought an end to a mentality that harbored indestructibility. / secure is the only valid reason to videotape people’s As a result, increased security measures were activated in government/ i lives. However, if security personnel were properly buildings, public transportation facilities, stadiums, tourist attractions and , trained and carried out their jobs, surveillance cameras - various other potential terrorist targets. would be archaic. Is society that dependent on technological Many people have emulated some of aid? these safety measures on a much smaller, but The relationship between technology nonetheless effective, scale. Americans can and human nature creates a conflict. If easily and affordably protect their assets at observers are watching a surveillance cam home or office with today’s advanced sur era, but only pick one person out of every five veillance equipment. people to scrutinize, how can they stay objec Sure, hit-and-run drivers, shoplifters tive? Four other people got by without notice. and child abusers will object to being inad Why does anyone have to know what vertently “caught” on tape, but upstanding I’m doing? The only people who need to citizens should be grateful for the protec know what’s up with me are my friends and tion cameras provide and the added assis loved ones. It’s not right to “select” random tance in identifying perpetrators after an people to star in surveillance videos. offense has been committed. If the greatest natioirin the world is Remember Madelyne Gorman Toogood, truly free, we need to stop assuming and stop who was seen on the news last year beating videotaping people we don’t know. Trusting her four-year-old child in a department innocent people to make the right decisions store parking lot? She was charged with will end this debate. Properly detaining those felony battery to a child and received a who foul up will help discourage crime. American Civil Llberties union three-year maximum prison sentence, all due to the magic of video surveil SADIE M c C arthy Ciackamos Print- lance equipment. reports that Michigan law enforcement used surveillance cameras as a way to More recently, a concerned mother was perplexed by her handicapped make threats against motorists and stalk women. Surveillance cameras can’t child’s erratic behavior and set out to find the cause. She packed a running be used to deter crime, or fhake choices for people. Criminals are going to do tape recorder in her son’s backpack, and was shocked by what she heard at what they do regardless of whether a surveillance camera is watching. the end of the day. Her son was enduring mental and physical abuse at the People who are different stand out - is that wrong? American citizens hand of the bus driver. Again, surveillance cameras would have saved this shouldn’t have to keep a low profile because they have a camera mounted helpless child from his attacker. over them. Americans should be willing to sacrifice a portion of their privacy in It’s garbage to assume without knowing. Didn’t your mama tell you it’s exchange for securing their safety. It is a small price to pay for the enormous impolite to point your finger at someone? Surveillance cameras point, fingers benefits that will result from adding an extra set of eyes to the picture. that record, violating everyone’s basic freedoms. Coffee cup dilemma brews perfect solution And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. At the beginning of the term I promised to discuss the issues that are of utmost concern to college stu dents, including those paper things they put on coffee cups to keep them from burning your hands but make it impossible for them to fit in the cup holder in your car. I have discovered two tactics that can combat this problem. One is to refrain from using the “insulating sleeve” (that’s the official name of this troublesome device, but for per Student Poll - Justin Miracle - "I think that surveil lance cameras are a necessary evil to protect the inno cent." Video surveillance cameras violate our basic freedoms - Sarah Iverson - "Anywhere public, you probably shouldn't be doing something private anyway, so we might as well have them." sonal reasons I will most likely con tinue to refer to them as those paper things they put on coffee cups). To use this tactic, simply memo rize this simple phrase: “Please do not put one of those paper things on my coffee cup.” In most cases, save a few of the more...eccentric coffee shops around town (we all know of at least one), the person who pre pares your beverage for you will most likely respond to this phrase by not putting one of those paper things on your coffee cup. Of course, if you use this tactic you must accept the possibility that you could bum your hand on the cup. The second tactic is to learn to drive with coffee in your hand, or (more often) with it wedged between your legs. This is also useful advice for people who do not have cup hold ers in their vehicles, like myself. Of course, this also introduces the likeli hood of spilling coffee on the part of your attire that is the least desirable area to sport any sort of liquid. Holding the coffee in hand does decrease the incidence of spills, but increases the possibility of getting in an accident, which, as we all know, will basically end in wasting your entire cup of coffee. So what is the answer? you ask. None of these solutions are perfect; all could end in burnt fingers, embarrassing stains or death. Well for once, my answer is not “Well, I have no idea.” I have the solution to this one. As a person who cannot hold an intelligible conversa tion before drinking coffee I know a thing or two about how to get around with a cup of caffeine in tow. Buy your own cup! Find one made of plastic, steel, or any materi al that provides its own insulation, and consequently does not require one of those paper things. The lids on these ingenious devices usually fit tightly, which prevents spilling, and many of them even have fea tures that allow you to seal the hole that the coffee comes out of tem porarily. There are several models that are built to fit in cup holders, and they are also safe to wedge between the legs. Countless other perks come with owning your own portable beverage container, like cheaper coffee, more trees, etc., but those will have to be discussed another time. How do you feel about the use of surveillance cameras in public places? - Michael Curry - - Kamie Thrall - "I think it's important that we find a balance between invasion of privac/ and protecting our safety." "I feel that having our actions recorded is a breach of our constitutional rights." - Ethan Brown "This idea that peopl need cameras every where ¡ust simply fuels the fire of para noia in this country."
