Flock cameras are spreading across America. The backlash is growing just as fast.

What are Flock cameras? Local governments enter into contracts with private companies to attach the cameras to phone poles. They track the make, model, color, license plate number, and other details of each vehicle that passes by, then upload the information to a nationwide database. About 40% of police departments across the country can now access the database. They can use it to prevent or solve crimes and to rescue victims.

But some residents worry about their privacy, and whether the cameras will be misused. There have already been isolated reports of abuse, such as police officers using them to stalk romantic targets.

Headlines tell the stories
• On one side: “Flock camera revolt mirrors Boston Tea Party”. “How much surveillance are we comfortable with?”. “Will your Roomba & Alexa testify against you in court?” “Red & Blue Americans agree speed cameras must go”.

• On the other side: “Cameras bring safety to crime-ridden neighborhood”. “Police credit license plate reader cameras in finding lost senior”. “Fatality risk higher in a car than on an airline”. “Flock camera solves shooting”.

In free societies, exchanges of viewpoints are necessary, and healthy.

They allow us to express our opinions and try to convince others. They also allow us to consider the opinions of fellow citizens who don’t agree. Everybody gets to be heard. If we listen respectfully, everybody learns. And while we may still not agree, we can better understand why others feel as they do. Especially at the community level, it’s hard to hate your neighbors if you understand them.

“Americans always do the right thing, after they have exhausted all the alternatives” is a quote commonly attributed to Winston Churchill. It’s a pretty good description of how Americans often work things out. Eventually, we find solutions that most of us can live with, especially if we’re kind enough to make reasonable compromises instead of bullying others to force them to submit.

This is the essential difference between civil societies and combative ones. Some societies --- unfortunately most --- eventually fragment into warlike factions, turn toward autocracy, and destroy themselves from within. Others --- with America (so far) being one of history’s rare exceptions --- somehow manage to get along with one another, remain free, move forward together, and endure.

But getting there isn’t always easy. And so it is with Flock cameras. Tempers flare. Sometimes violence erupts: “Man accused of destroying speed camera”. Sometimes people overact: “After protests, town council cancels contract for Flock cameras”.

Speaking for myself, I don’t want to ban the cameras. This technology gives us a valuable and inexpensive tool for controlling crime and making our neighborhoods safer. It can help protect us from irresponsible drivers who ignore speed limits and weave in and out of traffic.

Working together, we can make sure the cameras have safeguards to avoid abuse. I can already see this happening: “Town council increases security, oversight of license-plate readers”. “Flock to add safeguards after backlash”. “Town looks to enhance safeguards on traffic cameras”.

My opinions are shaped by my own upbringing and experiences. Yours may be different.

Freedom comes with responsibilities
Several years ago, a camera caught me speeding. When I saw the flash of the camera, my first reaction was: “Why did the police put that camera so soon after the speed limit dropped from 45 mph to 35 mph? Maybe I should try to get out of this.”

But then I heard the distant echo of the voices of my parents. “Your freedom ends where the other guy’s nose begins,” they taught me. “You can’t put other people at risk. When you accept the privilege of driving on public highways, you agree to follow certain rules. With freedom comes responsibility.”

I had been caught speeding. I hadn’t followed the rules. So, I didn’t fight the speeding ticket. I paid the fine.

In fact, my lawbreaking has been limited to a few speeding tickets, most during the recklessness of my immature years. Except for occasionally grabbing an extra cookie for dessert, I follow the rules. I don’t take advantage of other people. I sleep better at night because of those things. Thanks, Mom & Dad.

And because the vast majority of my fellow citizens do the same, I get to live in a safer and kinder society. Thanks, neighbors.

Editor’s note: Joe Smyth is the author of Fixing America’s Broken Politics. After a long career in community journalism, he’s now retired. The opinions expressed here are his own. Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcome at okeenews@iniusa.org.