Last week I received an "ORCA" public transit card. "ORCA" is a card that allows a commuter to use various public transportation systems in the greater Puget Sound (Seattle) area. I was told that the card would record each time that I entered the bus and be associated with my identity information. The information, I was warned, would be made available to my employer. The card will keep a running tally of my transportation usage for billing and other purposes. Gee, I thought, that's new!
Today, exactly eight years and one month since 9/11, I got to thinking about the ways our lives have changed since then, as it occurred to me that we are increasingly scrutinized and recorded. It also occurred to me that my behavior has changed subtly since then. Why, you ask?
I have learned to modify my behavior in advance of surveillance. Have you?
Just for sport, I started to count the number of times my activities might be recorded during the day. When I got up Monday morning and left for work I walked by an apartment complex on my way to the bus stop. They have a camera that records my passage. The owner of the complex recorded something I did once(removing a sign from a fence I own). He confronted me with the video recording. Our disagreement almost resulted in an argument. I had to work hard to make sure I didn't appear to be belligerent on camera. But, I sure felt belligerent.
When I reached the bus stop on that same work morning, I noticed the cameras at the city complex that sits adjacent to my stop. The library is there and I noticed that you have to sign in to use a computer, which is recorded. To borrow a book I must have the information recorded in a computer. Might there be books in the library that I should not check out?
My bus reached my stop and I entered with my "ORCA" card. I have a favorite spot on the bus. I sat there. I looked up one day to find a notice that says that my activities are recorded by camera and voice recorders. Subsequently, a man next to me fired up his cell phone and began speaking loudly to someone. He, based on the conversation, had to communicate with this person on an issue of some import, for thirty minutes at 5:30 AM. I kept my loud mouth shut. Oh, yes, I remembered to shut off my phone. Since the bus company records my passage, cell phone tracking is superfluous.
While on the road, on a whim, I counted the number of surveillance cameras that I passed. By the time I reached my workplace I had counted at least a dozen that I could easily see. I am sure that those cameras can see my passage.
My wife drove to work. She was scrutinized by several freeway cameras, three school zone speed cameras, two red light cameras and inexplicably, a camera at the city line of our municipality that seems to have no connection to traffic control. She made absolutely sure that she drove at the right speed and came to a full stop at every intersection.
I made it to work. I was a little early, so I passed my proximity card over the sensor and the door popped open. The card recorded the time and location of my entrance. One day the door was already open and I mistakenly walked through it. The gruff security guard demanded that I go back through the door, allow it to close, pass my proximity card across the reader and re-enter the building. I was irritated by the (seemingly) silly request. I said nothing.
I dutifully passed through the metal detector after removing all of my metal objects, wallet, credit cards, driver's license etc. I did better today. I got rid of the shoes with metal in them. I no longer need to be hand wanded! They scrutinized my identity card carefully. They checked carefully even though I have seen this guard almost daily for eight years. I never argue with the guards, who, to their credit are almost invariably good humored. An employee argued once. I don't want that to happen to me.
I walked up the stairs (cardio, you know)and reached the door to my office. I passed my proximity card. It recorded my arrival and popped open. Later, I had to go to the bathroom - bad. Yes, the door mechanism recorded my passage. The system does not know that I had to urinate. It does know that I left the office at 9:35 AM. I am not paranoid.
My work day finished, I reversed the process. I stopped at a local store located at the second to last stop before I usually exit. I know that the store RFID reader will not be able to read my driver's license, which just happens to have an RFID chip in it. I have it encased in the state supplied metal foil. I waved at the store camera. Incidentally, they asked me some very odd questions to get my driver's license. I had to spell my mother's maiden name. I was not irritated by the odd request. I was bemused. I know that I am an American, after all I was born in Hawaii and lived abroad, much like other, more famous people. There can no question about my citizenship - none.
I arrived home and went on the internet, without a second thought I might add. There are millions of websites I will not access - ever, just to be on the safe side.
I was in Reagan international airport. I wanted to check my bag a little early to jump on the metro and see the capital for a couple of hours. My parents were married there and it was my first trip to D.C. I checked in and the machine would not give me information about checking my bag. I asked an attendant. She said that I could not check the bag. I was too early. TSA prohibits early bag check in, she told me. I was skeptical. I was somewhat irritated. I made sure that I was very nice to the attendant.
I have nothing to fear (the Republicans tell me) because I have done nothing wrong. I am not so sure about that. I want them to prove it to me.
I should also say that due to the nature of my parent's work (they are long dead), I am used to close scrutiny. What I am seeing now is very new, though and it is a concern to me.
My mother used to tell me that one of her problems was that she was smart enough to know what was really happening to her. She was almost denied a job once, because (in the 40s) she failed a lie detector test because she had homosexual friend. I think she knew exactly what she was talking about.
Incidentally, I read this post to my wife. She recommended a good psychologist. I am renewing my ACLU membership, anyway. The psychologist appointment will wait until I have received my ACLU card!
How have you been changed by our "safer" country?
