By Nathan Barton
It is an example I hope is followed by many of the Fifty States.
According to a Fox News story, “Drivers in the Lone Star State are about to be seeing less red. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Saturday evening he signed legislation that bans red light cameras across the state. House Bill 1361, authored by Republican state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, would prohibit the use of ‘photographic traffic signal enforcement systems.’”
Well, good!
Of course, this is assuming that regressive cities like Houston, San Antonio, and even Austin itself, obey the legislature and governor. Perhaps it would be worthwhile for a Ranger to personally deliver a suitably framed copy of the signed bill to the local thugs who seem to dominate too many Texan cities.
Red light cameras, speed limit cameras, and all sorts of government surveillance systems are one of the more serious threats to liberty in the Fifty States, in 2019. Of course, lovers of liberty and Libertarians are far from the only people to realize this. Coupled with the ever-increasing computing power and better and better facial and body recognition, it is easier than ever to track people in urban areas and on major highways.
Our own habits make it even worse. This bizarre habit of too many people to post the minutiae of life on Facebook, Snapchat, and the like makes it easy to track us. And not just by government goons. Add to that such wonders as preferred-customer cards and programs, credit cards themselves, and we are under Big Brother’s eyes constantly.
Periodically, we read about some massive data breach of millions of persons’ data, and the extent of the threat against our personal privacy, our finances, our records, and virtually everything but our most hidden thoughts is an open book. To government goons, of course. But to those seeking to steal our money without official government appointments as well. And to any teen (or pre-teen) sociopath that takes a dislike to us. (or has a crush on us).
There are, of course, ways to work around much of this. The best methods usually involve a little bit of inconvenience. But the potential cost of having our identity (and therefore time and money) stolen from us should at least give us pause.
Texas’ action is a good one. Provided that they enforce it against the money-grubbing, corrupt, and power-hungry mayors, councils, and cops of a lot of Texas cities.
And in the meantime in other of the Fifty States, let us hope that the spraypainters and paper baggers continue to do all they can to make the tyrants have bad days.
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About TPOL Nathan
Follower of Christ Jesus (a christian), Pahasapan (resident of the Black Hills), Westerner, Lover of Liberty, Free-Market Anarchist, Engineer, Army Officer, Husband, Father, Historian, Writer, Evangelist. Successor to Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) at TPOL.
The Price of Liberty 
The eyes of Texas are NOT upon you
By Nathan Barton
It is an example I hope is followed by many of the Fifty States.
According to a Fox News story, “Drivers in the Lone Star State are about to be seeing less red. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Saturday evening he signed legislation that bans red light cameras across the state. House Bill 1361, authored by Republican state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, would prohibit the use of ‘photographic traffic signal enforcement systems.’”
Well, good!
Of course, this is assuming that regressive cities like Houston, San Antonio, and even Austin itself, obey the legislature and governor. Perhaps it would be worthwhile for a Ranger to personally deliver a suitably framed copy of the signed bill to the local thugs who seem to dominate too many Texan cities.
Red light cameras, speed limit cameras, and all sorts of government surveillance systems are one of the more serious threats to liberty in the Fifty States, in 2019. Of course, lovers of liberty and Libertarians are far from the only people to realize this. Coupled with the ever-increasing computing power and better and better facial and body recognition, it is easier than ever to track people in urban areas and on major highways.
Our own habits make it even worse. This bizarre habit of too many people to post the minutiae of life on Facebook, Snapchat, and the like makes it easy to track us. And not just by government goons. Add to that such wonders as preferred-customer cards and programs, credit cards themselves, and we are under Big Brother’s eyes constantly.
Periodically, we read about some massive data breach of millions of persons’ data, and the extent of the threat against our personal privacy, our finances, our records, and virtually everything but our most hidden thoughts is an open book. To government goons, of course. But to those seeking to steal our money without official government appointments as well. And to any teen (or pre-teen) sociopath that takes a dislike to us. (or has a crush on us).
There are, of course, ways to work around much of this. The best methods usually involve a little bit of inconvenience. But the potential cost of having our identity (and therefore time and money) stolen from us should at least give us pause.
Texas’ action is a good one. Provided that they enforce it against the money-grubbing, corrupt, and power-hungry mayors, councils, and cops of a lot of Texas cities.
And in the meantime in other of the Fifty States, let us hope that the spraypainters and paper baggers continue to do all they can to make the tyrants have bad days.
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About TPOL Nathan
Follower of Christ Jesus (a christian), Pahasapan (resident of the Black Hills), Westerner, Lover of Liberty, Free-Market Anarchist, Engineer, Army Officer, Husband, Father, Historian, Writer, Evangelist. Successor to Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) at TPOL.