I don?t enjoy being watched

I?d like to convey a little spy story that happened to me Tuesday evening during an innocent trip downtown.

It all started when I received a phone call about the fountain on Court Square. The fountain, the caller informed me, was gone.

I figured this might make a fairly decent story. If city officials are going to get upset about people pouring bubbles in the fountain, it would really ruffle their feathers if someone ripped the thing out of the ground and stole it.

Since it was after school and my son Benjamin had popped in to see me, I grabbed my camera and we both walked up to Court Square to investigate the vanishing fountain. After evaluating all the facts, our investigation determined the fountain is indeed no longer on Court Square. There?s no water, no excitement, no fountain.

Before you start to worry, there?s a simple explanation. The fountain has been removed by the city for routine maintenance and it should be up and running in time for spring.

So now you?re probably wondering how all of this turns into a spy story. I?m getting to that part now.

While I was up on Court Square with Benjamin, we skipped around, played a little bit, and otherwise exhibited some normal father-son behavior. It was when we returned to the office that I realized what had happened.

I was told by Standard publisher, and otherwise charming lady, Pat Zechman that she had seen me and Benjamin playing by the missing fountain. Since I didn?t see Pat in the area, and few things escape my observation, I asked her how this was possible.

?I saw you on the Internet,? said Pat, who motioned me over to a computer that was showing live images of downtown.

Sure enough, when I walked over to the computer, I saw live footage of Court Square, complete with missing fountain. I could see cars driving by and people walking over to more closely examine the empty fountain basin, much the same way we just did.

What I don?t understand ? and what I don?t like ? is why is there a camera broadcasting images of downtown all over the world? Not only is it unnecessary, it?s creepy.

It feels weird having somebody spy on me while I?m enjoying a nice time with my son. It?s an invasion of my privacy.

Let me ask this question to the fine citizens of Warren County: Do you want a camera spying on you while you?re downtown?

If I may make a guess, I?m going to assume the answer is no. Most of us, I?m predicting, don?t want a family outing on Main Street broadcast to the world on the Internet. It?s rude and it?s not needed.

I remember when we published a story on this downtown camera about a month ago so I went back and reread that story. It said the Chamber of Commerce was pushing the city to install the camera because it would encourage tourism and attract businesses downtown.

I don?t know how a live camera would encourage anyone to visit downtown. If anything, I could argue it would keep more people away.

The same could be said for attracting businesses to locate downtown. Any business with a long-term future downtown will develop a business plan and determine if Main Street is a profitable location. If a camera has any impact on that decision, it?s probably not a business that will last.

In short, the downtown camera serves no purpose but to invade my privacy, which it did successfully Tuesday afternoon.

James Clark is editor of the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].