Public Opinion

In early May 2001, postings concerning the Surveillance Camera Players (SCP) began appearing on a message board set up by an FM-radio disk jockey in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

On 7 May 2001, "JustinThyme" described the SCP as "A group in NYC puts on a show for surveillance cameras as a protest in their being so bountiful," and asked, "Does anyone know how prolific these cameras are in downtown Chattanooga?"

Later that same day, Gary Poole declared "I love my country; I fear my government," and "Quando in pericolo, temere o dubitare di, funzionare nei cerchi, gridare e gridare," in response to Howard Safir's claim that "Only someone completely distrustful of all government would be opposed to what we are doing with surveillance cameras."

"TheSmilingAngel" quoted an Associated Press report dated 6 May 2001:

In Pikeville Ky the set up surveillance cameras at illegal dumping sites and caught not only illegal dumpers but lovers as well. Usually, the dumps are on secluded portions of little-used rural roads with a shoulder broad enough to pull off to the side...for some that's also the description of a lover's lane. . . . One man returned to one of the dumps with four different women. Mark York, spokesman for the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet, said state investigators are discreet with the film. "We do not use these romantic activities for any public presentation or distribution internally," he said. . . . However, because the tapes are used as evidence in court, York said, the footage is not edited.

On 7 May 2001, "el Gusano" reported that "The Park Service puts surveillance cameras in stuffed deer to catch people who are poaching or hunting from the road. One guy shot the deer, when it didn't fall, realized what it was, got back in his car to wait on the Ranger to show up. Another one shot the deer 28 times, not figuring out why it wouldn't die. Terminadeer, I guess."

Contact the Surveillance Camera Players

By e-mail SCP@notbored.org

By snail mail: SCP c/o NOT BORED! POB 1115, Stuyvesant Station, New York City 10009-9998