In December 2016 the San Diego City Council approved its Smart Streetlights Program. Originally envisioned as a way to save energy costs by switching from high energy bulbs to LED streetlights that can be programmed and managed individually from a central software platform, this system when fully installed will save the city a minimum of $125,000 per month.
The 8,000 new streetlights should be in place by the summer of 2020. In addition, 4,200 of these locations will also carry CityIQ sensor nodes containing cameras, gunshot detection and environmental data collection capabilities (temperature, humidity, barometric pressure). These sensors are being installed primarily in downtown and heavily trafficked areas.
According to the city, the purpose of these sensor nodes is to monitor traffic flow, parking availability, and pedestrian traffic so as to assist programmers in efficient planning for the future. Additionally, they provide coverage in high-density public areas to assist authorities in solving crimes caught on camera.
Some groups are raising privacy concerns. Chief among them is CAIR’s San Diego chapter. CAIR is a Muslim activist organization keen on using the legal system (or simply the threat of lawsuits) to advance the cause of Islam in America. It is quick to play the victim card, portraying Muslims as innocent targets of bigotry, hate crimes or even government oppression. In this case, CAIR – San Diego claims that the City of San Diego has purposely placed these sensors close to mosques so as to monitor them illegally and gather data on the activities of Muslims in the area.
On September 15th (and updated on the 19th), Dustin Craun, Executive Director of CAIR San Diego, wrote an article with the rather incendiary and misleading title, San Diego Streetlights Target Communities of Color in Unprecedented use of Technology in the United States. It’s misleading because other cities are also moving toward “smart streetlights” (Cleveland, Philadelphia and Atlanta are three cities already using or budgeting for this technology presently) and so such usage is not unprecedented, and it is incendiary because there is no evidence of racism (targeting communities of color) in the article, nor is there any concern for such communities per se, only for those attending the 11 mosques within city limits.
Craun produces street maps showing where updated streetlights and/or sensors are being deployed in relation to mosque locations, claiming that the mosques are being targeted for surveillance. The facts do not back his claims.
Of the eleven mosques, eight are more than 200 feet (some more than 600 feet) from any sensor. Two are over 100 feet from a sensor, and only one looks to be within 100 feet of a sensor. This is important information to know because the city specifications note that a sensor’s cameras can only record over an oval area of some 120 to 180 feet around the sensor, enough to cover intersections, parking and pedestrian movements in affected areas. (This means that locations more than 90 feet from a sensor are beyond its reach.) Additionally, the cameras are fixed, having no pan, tilt or zoom capabilities. Further, the system is equipped with software that automatically blocks private property from view. Lastly, the software contains no license plate reader or facial recognition capabilities. All data recorded remains in the camera’s local memory for 5 days before being erased. In case of crime, police must request camera data within that period, or it is irretrievable.
At most, one mosque might be within the video reach of a CityIQ sensor, but since all private property is automatically obscured by the operative software, the mosque would be blacked out onscreen.
None of this matters to Dustin Craun, who bemoans the fact that Muslims are targeted for surveillance far more frequently than any other group in America. He never bothers to ask the question why this might be. Instead, he assumes a conspiracy of hatred, ignorance and bigotry on the part of the U.S. and local governments intended to harrass and demean Muslims. Even though he knows that the facts do not support his claims of “counter-intelligence surveillance”, Craun continues to promote the lie that Muslims in San Diego are innocent and helpless victims of an antagonistic Big Brother bureaucracy. He writes:
When asked about who designed this platform and why they would be surrounding the majority of the Mosques in the city, the cities [sic] sustainability department and police department would not answer this question.
Perhaps this is because they were dumbfounded by a question with no objective basis in reality — those departments never considered the location of the mosques in the planning process, but made their determinations based on major intersections, traffic flow, pedestrian safety and high crime locations. Craun, however, is convinced that mosque surveillance is at the top of the city’s list of concerns.
In a news clip provided by News8 San Diego, Craun is recorded on camera saying the following [picks up at 1:21 into the clip]:
They can look at every car that enters, everyone that enters and leaves those mosques. They can create data, profiles about our populations, about who’s at our mosques most frequently.
That last sentence was of particular interest to me: “They can create data, profiles…about who’s at our mosques most frequently.” Why should frequency of mosque attendance be of particular concern to authorities? And why would Craun mention this (I assume naively)? Because Craun knows what law enforcement agencies know, that increasing frequency of mosque attendance is a common sign of developing radicalization. Not all frequent attenders turn out to be terrorists in the making, but all Islamic terrorists grow in their radicalism by spending as much time as they can at the mosque, learning the fundamental beliefs and practices of Muhammad and his committed jihadis.
I served as a Christian pastor for 33 years, and can say that I would have been glad to have a CityIQ sensor across the street from any of my churches over that time period. Our congregations have nothing to hide. It never would have entered my mind to be concerned that authorities might want to note our “most frequent attenders.” If they did, my assumption would be that they were looking to thank such people for being model citizens in the community. How telling it is that CAIR San Diego Executive Director Dustin Craun frets over the possibility that the most frequent Muslim attendees at the city’s eleven mosques might be especially surveilled. If they have nothing to hide, they have no reason to worry. But the fact of the matter is that no such surveillance is possible or even intended through the Smart Streetlights program of San Diego. This is all just a tactic to create a sympathetic hearing in the minds of clueless Americans to drive home the propaganda that Islam is a peaceful religion under attack by bullies and haters.
One last thing. Craun attempts to buttress his complaint against “spying” by citing a portion of the only Qur’anic verse dealing with this subject, Sura 49:12. The text he quotes indeed says, “Do not spy.” In his commentary about how this applies to the present matter, Craun implies that by their wrongful actions the city leaders are creating an atmosphere of mutual suspicion such that “… we will never be able to join together in unity to fight against the forces who create fear about our diverse communites [sic].” The use of these CityIQ sensor nodes, he wrongly infers, is prohibited by the Qur’an,
What Craun fails to note (or at least admit) is that this passage only forbids Muslims from spying on other Muslims. Here’s the whole verse:
O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.
Read the rest here.
Buraq says
“I served as a Christian pastor for 33 years, and can say that I would have been glad to have a CityIQ sensor across the street from any of my churches over that time period. Our congregations have nothing to hide.” (from the article)
Precisely! What does CAIR think the Mosques might have to hide? Clowns!
Westman says
They know that someone associated with a Mosque will “do something” that reflects poorly upon the Mosque; that there will be something to hide. That is the realistic, warranted, origin of their fear.
ninetyninepct says
Somebody will do something to someone somewhere, inshalla. Classic fake paranoia.
Ole Pederson says
Muslims are scared of everything that sheds light on something.
eduardo odraude says
On some level, many Muslims are subject to Stockholm syndrome. Almost from birth they have learned to fear what will happen to them if they do not stay within the fold of Islam and its demands — how will Allah eternally torture them after death, and while they are alive what will other Muslims do to them? Even devout Muslims must often have this terror subliminally warping their decisions about whether Islam is true or good. Stockholm syndrome. He who enslaves me, rapes me, injures me, and destroys my spirit is reconceived by me as my benefactor, because the monster is too horrible to see. To make the monster relent and love me, I start to ally myself with him, lie to myself that he is not a monster, that he is good and right and the best their can possibly be. He has broken my spirit, but the break has been buried deeply in obscurity by a thousand warnings against exploring it or unearthing it. Psychologically and socially it is far harder to leave Islam than to leave Christianity or Judaism or Hinduism or Buddhism. Tremendous violence against Muslims underlies Islam.
eduardo odraude says
Of course the above is true most of all in places like Saudi Arabia and Iran, places that adhere most closely to the core Islamic texts, Qur’an, Hadith, Sira. Generally speaking, it applies least to nations where Muslims are a minority culture and to nations that are furthest from the geographic origins of Islam. It applies less to Muslims who are relatively unacquainted with the core texts and more to Muslims who are devout and know what Muhammad said and how he lived.
CogitoErgoSum says
With Muslims it’s always a fight about something. But that’s what their religion is all about — fighting. It goes on and on and on. It’s what their god wants. See Koran 9:29.
James Lincoln says
CogitoErgoSum says,
“With Muslims it’s always a fight about something.”
That is absolutely true. It is normal – and – expected behavior for followers of Islam..
BOBO Cannoli says
You’ve NAILED it.
DBM echo says
“claiming that the mosques are being targeted for surveillance”
Sounds like a good idea. Muslims aren’t real Americans.
eduardo odraude says
There are of course some who consider themselves Muslims but who reject Islamic law and prefer the US Constitution. One could argue they are not “real” Muslims, but it’s good to keep clear that some do believe themselves to be Muslims even though they reject Islamic law. By one account, only 18% of Muslims born in France want to live under sharia law. That number might be grossly inaccurate, I don’t know. The same source claimed that 40% of Muslims in France but not born there want to live under Islamic law.
eduardo odraude says
I suspect that the vast majority of devout Muslims and virtually all the leadership of Muslims do favor Islamic law, though quietly in nations where Muslims are, for now, a minority.
BOBO Cannoli says
By there very own words they are not real Americans, or Australians or Canadians or Britains either, they always value their citizenship a distant SECOND to their muslimness and allegiance to the in group.
A bit like rats! Rats don’t really care which restaurant franchise they are infesting and living at the expense of.
livingengine says
Nice work, Mateen!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peRauolU25o
livingengine says
Footage stored on local hardware only and overwritten after 5 days unless downloaded by PD
Can’t view private property
No facial recognition
No license plate reading
No audio
Technology will identify private
property and obscure it from viewing
by law enforcement officers.
https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/sust-smartstreetlightpublicmeeting-091019.pdf
Donovan Nuera says
As an aside, the photograph above was taken in the Bird Rock Section of La Jolla. The view is from La Jolla Boulevard looking west over La Hermosa Park where Camino de la Costa and Chelsea Avenue split. There is a nice overlook park of the little cove and Bird Rock itself. The subdivision was created in a Mission Revival style in 1928. The mystery writer, Raymond Chandler, and his older English wife used to live about 3 blocks north of here before he died in 1959. There used to be a Mexican-themed tavern he used to frequent where the FIRST margarita served in the US was poured in 1947 (a rich neighbor had just returned from a Mexican socialite’s party in Acapulco raving about this brand new cocktail.). Bird Rock Roasters coffee shop (across from a lesser-frequented Starbucks) is about 2 blocks south and was the 2012 microroaster coffeehouse “best in US” award winner. Thankfully, no mosques in this neighborhood yet… but many Uber-Rich liberal neighbors may change that…(the same Uber-rich neighbors are demolishing the 80 year-old quaint old homes and are erecting sterile cookie-cutter glass boxes that are devoid of any “quaintness”… and then they go back to Santa Monica or Palo Alto after 3 years.). Beaumont’s is a great local restaurant too!
gravenimage says
Thanks for that background.
Donovan Nuera says
Also, a few years back, a La Jolla High School girl student got CAIR-San Diego involved because was reportedly bullied for wearing niqab everyday. Her dad was a local mosque bigwig.
James Lincoln says
If it were up to me, I would have law enforcement conduct surveillance on all US mosques with video / audio surveillance both inside and out, 24 – 7 …
RCCA says
Meanwhile synagogues are paying for private security systems, a recent necessity. I’m sure they’d be happy to have the city cover the costs.
Phantomkez says
CAIR, the Council Against Intelligent Reasoning.
GreekEmpress says
Good one!
Infidel says
Dear CAIR
Enough Muslims are NOT ‘people of color’. There are Arabs, Turks and Iranians – all of whom qualify as Whites in US race definitions. Yeah, Pakistanis, Somalis, Bangladeshis may qualify, but I doubt that they’re the bulk of Muslims in San Diego
livingengine says
“We’re Not White” – a film by Amer Zahr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ08l2mUu-Y
Lydia Church says
I know, that same race card being played… again!
Ren says
It makes perfectly sense that mosques are being targeted for surveillance as islam is potential for terrorism.
Lydia Church says
One could also assume that your church would be safer because it would deter vandals. If you have nothing to hide, then why the concern? But as for mosques, that of course is not the case…
There is a big brother element to this. But as for cair being up in arms about it, all I can say is…
; )
Hee-hee-hee!!!
Angemon says
Typical leftist MO – find a problem, focus on a minority group and call bigotry. How many other religious temples will have those smartlights near them? How many minority communities will have those smartlights?
Savvy Kafir says
Eleven mosques in San Diego? Eleven?! That is freaking horrifying! How could anyone have been so willfully ignorant & reckless as to think that this could be a good idea? This is not f**king Saudi Arabia!
Oh, well — more real estate for us to reclaim once the Reconquista gets underway.
gravenimage says
In the greater San Diego area it is, grimly, much worse than that:
https://www.salatomatic.com/sub/United-States/California/San-Diego/OUrZfBRASV
Savvy Kafir says
Thanks for the link!
gravenimage says
You’re welcome, Savvy Kafir.
gravenimage says
CAIR San Diego Is Scared of Smart Streetlights
………………..
CAIR is afraid of what light will reveal of their fell activities.
abad says
CAIR needs to be disbanded and its members deported to Syria. Send Tlaib, Omar, and other Moslems along with them on their flying carpet.
James says
Claiming that an identity group is discriminated against is just a tactic for leftists. Actually members of these groups can belong to the ruling class. They just claim that their identity group is discriminated against. But most members of all identity groups belong to the lower class below the ruling classes. And the same with the Muslims. Some are in the ruling classes already and the rest are below them in the lower class. Whatever the ruling class does for muslims is just part of the power arrangement that affects all the lower class generally, and the lower class tends to stay down because of that, not because of white privilege per se. People like Beto or entertainers who blame it all on their white privilege and wish they were colored are fooling the public. They are not benefiting from white privilege but rather class privilege. The same for Muslim leaders complaining about discrimination. It is just a tactic of the ruling classes.
Dr. Doom says
The poor Muslims. So peaceful, gentle and kind. Pay no attention to Sharia, that doesn’t count and you are an Islamaphobe for even thinking such a thing. They are the poorest of victims. If only we could understand. The problem is; we do understand.
gravenimage says
Here’s some grotesque whitewash of brutal Sharia law:
“Don’t blame Sharia for Islamic extremism – blame colonialism”
https://theconversation.com/dont-blame-sharia-for-islamic-extremism-blame-colonialism-109918
No mention that Sharia has *always* been oppressive and violent. Instead, it is all–somehow–the fault of the filthy Infidels.
Rooster says
What a great idea! Surround every mosque in America with those lights. Islam needs to be watched 24/7. They are the number 1 enemy of Anerica!
Brien Doyle says
Besides which there are no gods – so their complaints need to be rubbished…