Pride & Dismay

High school band performs near bandstand (seen in background). A youth band, next to perform, sets up inside it.

   A celebration was appropriate. So was dismay.
   Citizens in my town raised money and volunteered their time to repair a bandstand. It had fallen into disrepair after 83 years. Now it's back in shape.
   To mark the structure's revival, musical acts performed there on Saturday. Friends and neighbors hung out. I felt a pride for my town.
   I also felt disappointment.
   The town will install a security camera at the bandstand. The camera is intended to prevent vandalism.
   I deplore surveillance cameras, especially those operated by governments. I mentioned this concern to some people at the celebration. None of them agreed with me. They supported the installation of the camera.
    These cameras are popping up all over the country. I understand their importance at airports and other transit hubs. But in small town America, even in cities, governments should not be filming the movements of citizens. I worry that my opinion is no longer shared by a majority of Americans.
   Every time a surveillance camera is installed, it chips away at our freedom.

Volunteers paint the inside of the bandstand.