Cameras as Guns?

Photo by Gizmodo.

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Ben Franklin

 In a recent Gizmodo story, "Are Cameras the New Guns?":

In response to a flood of Facebook and YouTube videos that depict police abuse, a new trend in law enforcement is gaining popularity. In at least three states, it is now illegal to record any on-duty police officer. Even if the encounter involves you and may be necessary to your defense, and even if the recording is on a public street where no expectation of privacy exists.

This madness has to end. The decade's long assault on our rights, especially those of photographers and citizen journalists, seems to continue unabated and unchallenged. Legislators who seek to infringe on those rights need to hear from us and, should they choose to ignore reality, they should be voted out as soon as possible. Eventually, these cases will reach the Supreme Court; if the Court does its duty and upholds the Constitution of this country properly, these laws and abuses will be overturned. Unfortunately, until such a time, certain elements in government and law enforcement will continue to rob us of rights. 

It should be pointed out, of course, that there are vast numbers of good, qualified, rational law enforcement professionals who don't believe in this movement. Those people are likely being silenced, actively or subconsciously, by superiors and peer pressure. More fear mongering.