Different strokes for different folks. In England, there is
the situation where people object to national identity cards,
which have existed in other countries for years. This is an
objection on principle, not for any valid reason. Of course there
are legitimate reasons why the government or its officials might
need to confirm your identity. If you object, then you DO have
something to hide, or object as a matter of principle.

In many countries, video cameras in public places are the norm.
They DO help prevent crime and/or catch criminals. In Iceland,
I believe they even inject the live feeds into television so everyone
can watch. And before you complain, read up on Iceland: it has so
many civil liberties and real freedoms that it makes the U.S. even
before 9/11 look like a police state.

We seem to have two sides here: the libertarian types who object
to the government gathering any information as a matter of principle,
and the George Bush types who just do what they want even if it is
in violation of international law. Both standpoints are idiotic.
In each individual case, the only question should be: do the benefits
outweigh the disadvantages?

Probably the real problem in the U.S. is that it is NOT a government
of the people, by the people and for the people, but of big business
and the religious right, by big business and the religious right and
in spite of many of the people. Where there is not this conflict,
everyone knows the government works for the good of good people and
the only people who suffer are the occasional criminals.

Bill Bryson tells an interesting story in his book about travels
on the Continent (where he also comments on beautiful women in
the subway in Hamburg and their---gasp!---hairy armpits and women
sunbathing nude in public parks: if you think America is the land
of the free, try being nude on a beach or, if you are a woman,
just don't shave; the reaction will show the true opinions who,
to paraphrase Easy Raider, will talk to you all day about individual
freedom but just can't cope with a free individual). In the
pedestrian zone in Copenhagen, he sees the queeen enter a shop. He
asks the person next to him who protects her. At first, he doesn't
understand the question (i.e. the intent of the question; he probably
speaks English better than Bill Bryson). He then smiles and replies
"I suppose we all do".