Red-light cameras violate your rights

There has been so much anger about the outrage of our government examining a citizen's e-mails or tapping one's phone lines without a court order. It is a debatable policy and the debate has been justifiably hot and heavy. But where is the outrage about our government hiring a private, profit-motivated company to take a photograph of your car, then send you a ridiculously high-priced ticket, then collect the "fee" whether you were the driver or not and then send our government who is supposed to serve us their share of the "booty." This immoral and un-American practice has gone by without a peep from "we the people." Their excuse is that the cameras create safer intersections and conditions for road workers. Debatable, but even if it was true, if they really wanted safer intersections, wouldn't making all the lights red simultaneously for 2 or 3 seconds do a much better job? Traffic would stop and the intersection would clear. A camera with a ticket attached cannot accomplish this, but it does make money for a lot of people. Who can argue with wanting safer working conditions for our road workers, but then at least be fair and honest and turn the cameras off when the workers go home. No American should get such a serious violation when there are no workers present. Sooner or later you or someone you care about who is a generally good driver and conscientious citizen is going to be caught by this scam. What can you do? Call and/or write your city governments, your congressman or woman, IDOT and any other governing bodies you can think of and let your voice be heard, and for gosh sake, be outraged!

Thank you for listening,

Chris Margarites Hawthorn Woods