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possession, and that is our personal freedom. Personal freedom is very easy to relinquish. <br />People who don't even recognize that freedom most easily relinquish it. Most Americans <br />would be very quick to acknowledge that personal freedom is a very cosily and a difficult <br />thing to come by; in fact, our history books teach us about the sacrifices our founders and <br />all of those who have given their lives to preserve our freedoms. However, most <br />Americans don't realize how difficult it is to regain a freedom, once it is gone. He said <br />that he confessed that a nation of free people is not perfect. Many will abuse their <br />personal freedom. Individual responsibility and individual restraint aren't always <br />observed. In fact, a nation of free people may even present a very risky environment for <br />us. This environment is preferable to one offered by a "see all - hear all - speak all" <br />governmental system that promises us the ultimate in security and personal welfare, <br />offering us efficiency and effectiveness at a price we can afford. But the currency that <br />we must use to get such wonderful benefits is the loss of our personal initiative, our <br />personal responsibility, even our personal freedom. The price that we may have to pay is <br />too high and we should not pay it. Therefore, he requested that the Council provide a <br />governing and surveillance system that even with enough flaws the people will be <br />challenged to use their individual initiative. He said we would be encouraged to a greater <br />development of our personal responsibilities and there will be preserved for us a <br />maximum of personal freedom. Your rejection of this "big brother" initiative is your <br />recognition of the citizens as responsible citizens and secondly your recognition that there <br />are certain steps that our government of free people should not take. <br /> <br /> Debby Alberts, 2848 Brezza Court, said she has been a Pleasanton resident for 15 <br />years and is a new business owner in town. She said she would like to respond by saying <br />that by having this system doesn't seem like it would be "big brother" watching you, or <br />"candid camera" because you are only going to be getting a ticket if you are breaking the <br />law. If you are not breaking the law, your picture really will not be taken. It will pass <br />through the system. <br /> <br /> Ms. Ayala asked about the radar guns in the neighborhoods being used for traffic <br />calming. <br /> <br /> Mr. Van Gelder said that the Police Department is initiating a neighborhood speed <br />watch team program. The Department has had some neighborhood response that wanted <br />to get into the program. A police representative is present tonight for more detailed <br />questions. <br /> <br /> Ms. Ayala said that she has some questions and she saw it as relating to the whole <br />"big brother" concept. She was not real comfortable when this first traffic calming was <br />initiated. <br /> <br /> Captain David Radford said that Nestor System has a surveillance capability and <br />Pleasanton chose to not bother with it. It is not what Pleasanton wants out of the system. <br />It is nearly impossible for the police to enforce the red light violations at this intersection <br />because, if you picture the intersection in your mind, there is just no place that even a <br />motorcycle officer can safely sit. The courts require that the officer actually see the red <br /> <br />Pleasanton City Council 20 04/17/01 <br />Minutes <br /> <br /> <br />