The Orwellian Police State

Is it just me, or is our society getting closer and closer to a book written by George Orwell.  Whether it's Obama's Newspeak about "Spending in the tax code" or my home state's obsession with downloading information from cell phones.  It seems like our government has forgotten what their purpose is, to PROTECT rights not to CONFISCATE them.  An issue that has been popping up all over the country is the issue with red light cameras.  In the city of New Orleans, the city has profited $18 million in fees and tickets from having red light cameras that can detect speed along with catching drivers who run red lights.  Now I'm all for up holding the law, but then idea of cameras at every traffic stop and big brother watching you wherever you go, that I have a problem with.  Currently 13 states have cameras with both red light and speed capabilites, plus 12 more with only red light capablities.  Just this week, the Ohio Supreme Court threw out a lawsuit claiming that Columbus' red-light camera fines violate the constitution.  I guess the judge forgot about reading the constitution.

Map of hand-held cellphone bans

Map of texting bans

The red light camera problem isn't the only one of it's kind.  States are also banning cell phone use in the car and smoking in public areas like restaurants and bars.  Policies like these assume that the state must take care of the citizens and tell them what is and what isn't good for them.  The police-state infection is also at the federal level with Supreme Court Justices saying they would require people to vegetables three time a day.

Now some reading this blog may be saying, "So whats the big deal?  Its only cigarettes, cameras and veggies, why should I worry?  Thomas Jefferson had the right idea when he said, "A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."  This thought in government that the people need to be taken care of is an extremely dangerous one that always leads down the path to tyranny.  So while it is now just the little things like smoking, it very well could lead to the real world version of Orwell's 1984.