Big brother is watching me...

Brownie - I think you're missing the point. If what Will D says is accurate, the police were not investigating any particular crime; they seem to have been simply monitoring (and registering) the participants at the knife show.

I think you will agree that this is not a legitimate use of police power.
 
Nathan,

That could be the situation, that the police were illegally taping the event.

Then again, I'm not sure Will would be in a position to know why the police were videotaping the event, or that the police in fact were the ones who made the tape.

We know they ultimately were priveledged to view or have access to it. There are too many variables without definative answers to the questions to accuse law enforcement of any wrongdoing.

It was a public event, there would be no expectation of privacy at such an event, and unless there were some restriction from the organizers or owners of the property stating no video filming on the premises, there would be no crime committed unless sound was used on the tape [ which may or may not kick the wire tapping laws into effect ].

It is an assumption and speculation on his part and others to believe otherwise until these questions have been answered.

Some states have two party consent, others only one party to be legal and I'm not sure about this particular venue.

I'm unclear at this point if there were a registration of any kind at that time, but I may have missed something.

Brownie
 
Brownie, my conclusions are based on the fact that video footage, or photographs taken from that footage, were sent to Willy D's local police station. I assume that Willy D is not a criminal and that he was not singled out for special treatment. That can only mean that the police were attempting to identify and create a file on every person who attended the knife show. Now, you can say all you want about the expectation of privacy in a public place, but frankly I find this sort of information gathering to be extremely worrisome.
 
Nathan S:

Good thing you don't live in England where every street corner is monitored in real time by remote cameras that can pan and follow your every move from one locale to the next.

It doesn't bother me that I'm being watched in public, I have no expectation of privacy while at a show if I pick my nose, for instance.

Quite a few stores in local malls monitor customers activities across the country, as well, you are monitored/taped in real time if you enter a casino anywhere in the US.

Where did the facts about the police sending Wills picture to his local PD in an attrempt to ID everyone at the show come from? I did not see that determined as fact or mentioned previously.

Brownie
 
Originally posted by brownie0486
Where did the facts about the police sending Wills picture to his local PD in an attrempt to ID everyone at the show come from? I did not see that determined as fact or mentioned previously.
Click to expand...

This is a logical deduction on the basis of the facts presented by Willy D. He stated in his first post that his mother, who works at the local police station, had seen him in the video footage.

Bear in mind that Willy D does not live in the city where the show was held.

Now, why would the police in that city send the video footage to Willy D's local police station?

There are only two possibilities. Either Willy D is being investigated by the police, or the police are trying to ID the show attendees. No other rational explanation comes to mind. Willy D says that he's not being investigated, so ... the inevitable conclusion is the police are trying to keep track of the persons who attended the show.
 
Will should get the definative answers from his mother and fill us in here.

Either he hasn't bothered to ask or she isn't talking.

Either way, until that happens it's only conjecture.

But keep in mind, no ones rights have been violated according to the constitution of the US at the very least.

I know of no area in the country that is indiscriminatley filming public events and distributing the film footage to PD's 80 miles away in an attempt to identify and create a database of attendees.

Thats a lot of financial resources being used that they don't have available to them.

Theres more to the story here, and Will hasn't been forthcoming with any answers after looking at the responses.

Perhaps the mother knew he was attending this event, called the locals knowing they filmed this event and asked for the tape for her own edification.

Perhaps Will wasn't to buy any knives per his mothers instructions, perhaps she was attempting to see what he did at such events, there are too many variables to conclude anything from the information provided.

Brownie
 
I'm 25 years old and I live at my mom's again since my dad died 3 years ago. I can buy the entire Spyderco factory for al my mom cares (well OK she had no idea I was there at the show and doesn't really like knives but she ignores my hobby). She just had to clasify some files saw my name on one of them. Throught the old "buddy network" she got hold of the footage which was kept somewhere else at the station. That's the story now she won't tell me more 'bout it knowing that I'd go over and ask an explanation of the PD. Which I can't do 'cause she'd loose her job over giving me that info. Now maybe this is 'cause me and my buddy who were at the show were both bald and wearing combat boots at that time? (Not bald to express a statement just one of mother nature's little cruelties :) ). I dunno, I've never been arrested nor have I reason to suspect police are looking for me for some reason.
 
Nathan I think you're the only one that exactly understands why I'm so upset about this. It's not the taping it's the useless investigation of someone enjoying his (legal) hobby.
 
Willy,
Until I just looked at your avatar, I did not realize you were from Belgium.

Why does Europe not surprise me about this situation.

You may never know the truth, but at least you know what they are up to. Knowledge can be used against them now.

Get to another show and look for the cameras, ask them while there what they think they are doing, why, and who has access to the tapes.

You can go far with this if you want to persue it further without involving your mother.

Brownie
 
Will do Brownie,

If my info isn't clear enough for you, please ask direct questions as I'm a non native english speaker and I sometimes might not understand that stuff you say in your posts actually should be interpreted as questions.
 
Godot,

To carry around without a valid reason, yes. But so is any knife in Belgium. To buy, sell, own or carry around for your job, hunting, climbing... no.
 
Willy,

I have had not problem understanding your use of he English word. In fact, I don;t think I would have recognized you were not from the US if I had not seen your avatar location.

Stay safe, keep us posted on unfolding events as tjhey happen or your receive more information.

Stay sharp

Brownie
 
The only logical conclusion to draw from the actions of the police is that either they suspected terrorists would be buying knives to stuff in pipe bombs like our own little pervert did with nails at the Olympics, or there are no other crimes of consequence to pursue in Belgium. I suppose they could think that knife shows are a magnet for felonious fugitives. I live in a nice little town, pretty safe, and yet within 10 minutes of driving around I could be solicited 5 times for crack. Right now, Sunday morning, Wednesday evening, the day after the semi-annual show of force for the media. It's just a matter of priorities.;)
 
Just curious. You claim you just wanted a good HUNTING knife...but your sig says:

-Why does killing a defenseless animal make some men feel big ?-

How old are you? Perhaps they are concerned about your purchases, knowing full well you are not a hunter. Don't get me wrong, I abhor government invasion of privacy, but you seem to contradict yourself. It is ironic to me that you complain about what you perceive to be violations of your rights, yet you have that assinine sig that that in my opinion discredits those fighting for their right to hunt. Do you think that ones rights should be selective based on what they (or you) think is right? I think they are right to watch you.

BTW, I am considering this as my new sig:

-Why do some young men need knives? To make them feel big?-
 
Originally posted by trovao

BTW, I am considering this as my new sig:

-Why do some young men need knives? To make them feel big?-
Click to expand...

Because, knives are an feat of engineering, folders mostly, a well made knife can also be a thing of beauty, and if its a custom, you can appredciate the amount of work that went into it. Im 19 and i like knives.
 
It would depend on the definition of "young men".

We hope to get wiser and smarter as we age, but I know some very stout 30-40ish men who I would consider "young" enough [ mentally speaking ] to still be capable of doing something stupid [ irresponsible ].
Brownie
 
Space stations and mechanical hearts are feats of engineering. Knives are tools OR weapons. Period. Come on, we don't buy clocks so we can appreciate them. They serve a specific purpose and WillyD specifically said he purchased a "hunting knife" yet he does not hunt and doesn't support the given right of others to hunt.

The sig was a joke. Don't feel threatened by it. I see you didn't get it. It was intended to draw attention to the irony of WillyD's complaints between rights being violated and his sig.

People are given rights to hunt or to own knives, drive cars, own property, etc, as determined by the society in which they live (to put in a very simple way). But it seems WillyD believes that the rights of others are not important. Only his.
 
Originally posted by shootist16
I'll put my flame retardant underwear on. :D
That being said. I don't see how this is an abuse of police power. How can it be an abuse to take pictures in a public place. I would argue that there is no expectation of privacy at a knife show or any public place for that matter. Now, taking pictures of you in your home would obviously be an abuse.
Click to expand...

The abuse comes not from simply taking pictures in a public place: it comes from being concerned with taking pictures in a public place, of people not suspected of any crime.

Your argument falls neatly in line with, "Let the police monitor everyone: only those with something to hide need worry."

That is bullsh*t.

What I think Willy should do is "go crazy" on his mother the next time this comes up. DEMAND to know what the HELL she thinks is so dangerous about him wanting/buying a knife. DEMAND (of her!) to know why the hell the police are watching him and keeping him under SURVEILLANCE (that's what it IS, after all, when the police take fuggin' PICTURES of you in your daily business!) when he has not been committing -- or suspected of committing -- any crimes. DEMAND of her why she did not come right out to him about the fact that she knew they were even doing this! What kind of mother keeps this from her kid? What kind of mother gets pissed off AT HER KID when she finds out the police were taking pictures of him?! I'D BE FRIGGIN' PISSED OFF AT THE POLICE!

I guess we can cross BELGIUM off the list of countries to visit/support. Sounds (AGAIN) like the Europeans didn't learn jack shhhit from the friggin' nazis.

---Jeffrey
 
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