The Idea that we endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, as expressed in the US Declaration of Independence, is central to the understanding of the American mind, if not that of the western world. The fact that we have rights because we are human, and not because some government or group grants them to us, is I think, a distinguishing trait of the United States.
The difference between the results of the US Revolution (Relative Calm in the independent colonies) and the French Revolution (Reign of Terror) may well be explained by the difference in the respective peoples 'Fear of God'.
As for Greek and Roman Representative Democracy - You don't have your facts in order. The Greeks may have practiced limited democracy on a city wide level, but the also had monarchies and oligarchies, that were city wide, and they failed long before the Christianizing of Europe - the Romans did them in. The Romans gave up on Representative democracy idea long before Constantine.
Yes, viewing is only a thought crime, but its not a pure thought crime (much like the 'hate crimes' it takes the thought AND some action to get you in trouble). Owning this type of material is not just a thought, and some child was certainly harmed in its production. Leaving KP where anyone can find it is, well, criminally stupid.
I with you, the tech had a duty to report. The Law Enforcement Types have a duty to follow the law. The 'owner' had duty to protect himself. If you want to avoid indecent exposure laws, make sure your close your fly!
With regard to the PC files: If the files' contents where readily visible to the tech (he didn't have to break any encryption), and appeared to indicate children were being abused, he had a duty to report, and we as a society have a duty to act. A person's right to be safe in their persons and papers doesn't mean I'm not supposed to call the law if I see a person raping some child in the rapist's living room .
With regard to the 'Spy Cam' in a private business. A spy cam owned and operated by a private company scares me even more than one operated by a governmental body, and I'm be tempted to take up arms of the Gov't wanted to film me going to potty at the courthouse. The local clothing store can spend the money to hire some one to observe what I take into the chaning room and what I bring out, NOT to observe me IN the changing room.
Slashdot Mirror
The Idea that we endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, as expressed in the US Declaration of Independence, is central to the understanding of the American mind, if not that of the western world. The fact that we have rights because we are human, and not because some government or group grants them to us, is I think, a distinguishing trait of the United States.
The difference between the results of the US Revolution (Relative Calm in the independent colonies) and the French Revolution (Reign of Terror) may well be explained by the difference in the respective peoples 'Fear of God'.
As for Greek and Roman Representative Democracy - You don't have your facts in order. The Greeks may have practiced limited democracy on a city wide level, but the also had monarchies and oligarchies, that were city wide, and they failed long before the Christianizing of Europe - the Romans did them in. The Romans gave up on Representative democracy idea long before Constantine.
Yes, viewing is only a thought crime, but its not a pure thought crime (much like the 'hate crimes' it takes the thought AND some action to get you in trouble). Owning this type of material is not just a thought, and some child was certainly harmed in its production. Leaving KP where anyone can find it is, well, criminally stupid.
I with you, the tech had a duty to report. The Law Enforcement Types have a duty to follow the law. The 'owner' had duty to protect himself. If you want to avoid indecent exposure laws, make sure your close your fly!
With regard to the PC files: If the files' contents where readily visible to the tech (he didn't have to break any encryption), and appeared to indicate children were being abused, he had a duty to report, and we as a society have a duty to act. A person's right to be safe in their persons and papers doesn't mean I'm not supposed to call the law if I see a person raping some child in the rapist's living room . With regard to the 'Spy Cam' in a private business. A spy cam owned and operated by a private company scares me even more than one operated by a governmental body, and I'm be tempted to take up arms of the Gov't wanted to film me going to potty at the courthouse. The local clothing store can spend the money to hire some one to observe what I take into the chaning room and what I bring out, NOT to observe me IN the changing room.