From: vbreault@rinhp750.gmr.com (Val Breault)
Newsgroups: alt.radio.scanner
Subject: Re: To tattle, or not to tattle
Date: 10 Nov 92 20:42:22 GMT
	<VBREAULT.92Nov9174246@rinhp750.gmr.com>
Organization: General Motors Research Labs
In-reply-to: vbreault@rinhp750.gmr.com's message of 9 Nov 92 22:42:46 GMT

In article <VBREAULT.92Nov9174246@rinhp750.gmr.com> vbreault@rinhp750.gmr.com (Val Breault) writes:

<stuff deleted>

   The crime rate was lower then.  

   I believe it was for the same reason that criminals prefer to do their
   work in secret.  The certainty of detection and prosecution is the 
   single greatest deterrent to crime.  

   I believe that people ought to be rewarded for disclosing criminal 
   acts, whether those seen with their eyes or heard with their ears.

I knew when I wrote this that I would take heat for it.  My faith
in my fellow man is not diminished.  :-)  :-) 

Some people feel that if a law is not a "good" law (in their mind)
then it does not need to be obeyed.  I guess that's why some folks 
drive faster than the speed limits. 

I'm not at all egotistical.  I'm sure that no one is going to change
their way of life just because Val said something.  However, I'd like
to ask "Where do we draw the line?" and "What's the best way to handle
'bad' laws?"

I believe that, for the most part, the laws that are on the books 
were put there by rational people seeking to keep things civilized.
They may not seem to apply to everyone, they may seem to be quite
outdated, but unless there is a specific exception, they apply to all.  

If enough people feel that a law is "bad" then they OUGHT to pressure
their representatives to delete the law and make things better for 
us all.  That's the way it's supposed to work anyhow.....

Here's an idea that I've been voicing lately:

We have several thousands of people whose full time job is to create
new laws.  Now if these people are at all mindful of their roles then
we will have (and DO have) a rushing torrent of new legislation that
pours out of the halls of congress continuously.  Every new law removes
someones liberties at least a little bit.  Now how about this.... We
change the charter of congress just a little bit.  We require that if
a congressman wants to enact a new law that (s)he first select two old
laws for deletion.  Then they vote on the package.  At first it'll be
a simple task to find and delete the "dumb" laws like the ones that
prohibit taking your horse into a store.  After a few years though, 
they'll have to look a lot more closely.  Maybe (just maybe) we can
get rid of the glut of "bad" laws and end up with just "the golden rule".
(Wasn't it Thomas Jefferson who said "The government that governs least
governs best"?)

Now, back to the topic...

If someone was SURE that he would be discovered in a crime, it would 
be a TERRIFIC deterrant.  I believe that's why drug dealers don't 
approach uniformed cops.  I believe that's why rapists use the cover
of darkness.  I believe that's why speeders use radar detectors.  
(Yes, I realize that it's unfair to group them together, but it looked 
humorous)

Every time a criminal (I'll let you use your own definition of
criminal) gets away with something it reenforces the belief that
he won't get caught or that he can get away with something worse
the next time.  It's simply human nature.

If the criminals knew that someone would be listening and would be
rewarded for turning them in then I'm pretty sure that it would at
least deter them from using cell or cordless phones.

If congress and the police knew that they could count on scanner
enthusiasts to help maintain the peace then the scanner enthusiasts
would be viewed as valuable contributors to the neighborhoods, not
the renegade snoopers as they are now.  Their rights would be promoted,
not restricted.  If the scanner enthusiasts keep the information
only among themselves then they will be seen as having NO redeeming
qualities whatsoever and their rights will be eroded.

How's that.... and I'm not even a scanner enthusiast...

-val-
--

Val Breault - GM Research - vbreault@gmr.com - N8OEF
Instrumentation dept., 30500 Mound Rd., Warren, MI 48090-9055
The opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect 
those of GMR or those of the General Motors Corporation.
 

Newsgroups: alt.radio.scanner