L. Neil Smith's
THE LIBERTARIAN ENTERPRISE
Number 181, July 8, 2002
WHAT FREEDOMS ARE LEFT?

VA. POLICE TO TEST FACE SOFTWARE

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - If you're a criminal, a runaway or a terrorist, a day at the beach here may soon be anything but that.

The city will become the second in the nation -- Tampa, Fla., is the other -- to employ facial-recognition software to assist police in identifying and catching criminals and missing persons.
[...]
"We're adding to our ability to prevent crime and keep Virginia Beach safe," Deputy Police Chief Gregory Mullen said Wednesday.
[...]
Advisory board member Cornell Fuller said he is confident the system contains enough safeguards to prevent abuse.

"If you go to the ocean I don't think you should have an expectation of privacy," said Fuller. "You give up part of your privacy when you venture out into the public domain."

Some tourists walking along the resort strip Wednesday said they think the system is a good idea.

"It's for our protection. If you're not doing anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about," said Bonnie Satterlee, 39, of Johnstown, Penn.

Source

WAL-MART OFFERS STIFF GUN SALES POLICY

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Wal-Mart, the nation's largest gun seller, has implemented a rule requiring customers to be approved in a background check before they can buy rifles and shotguns, in a policy that exceeds federal guidelines and represents a victory for gun-safety advocates.
[...]
The new policy applies to rifles and shotguns sold at Wal-Mart; the retail chain does not sell handguns.
[...]
[NRA spokesman Andrew] Arulanandam said the NRA has not yet decided how it will respond.

"While we're presently not considering a boycott of Wal-Mart ... we're not going to say there is not going to be any action," he said.

Source

Previous to return to the previous article

Table of Contents to return to The Libertarian Enterprise, Number 181, July 8, 2002