On Jan 5, 2013, at 12:01 AM, RECMGMT-L automatic digest system wrote:

> From: John Phillips <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Newtown shootings: Debate Begins Early Over Bill To Disclose Handgun Owners' Names, Addresses - Courant.com - THE BIGGER ISSUE

Snip:

> 
> Fortunately , Records Managers can offer a balanced approach to managing
> records based on the declared Value (content) of the records and their
> associated retention requirements. Who better to explain that there are
> Privacy, cost of creation, cost of storage, and cost of retrieval issues, as
> well as,  potential misuse consequences, from Public Records laws and
> retention requirements? But it must be a debate about records issues, costs,
> and values, not political agendas.
> 
> John

John your entire post was very elegant and well thought out.  I liked your closing statement. The benefit of the records management approach is summed up very nicely. All career long records managers classify records and place them in useable reference without stamping a personal agenda on those records and that is what is needed in this debate.

The show “Person of Interest” is very popular now and the thought that somehow we could know in advance via the ability to infinitely gather all forms of records (cell calls, video surveillance, purchases, tolls, etc.)  who will do bad things and intervene, appeals to many of us. But the issue of freedom and the government intruding in our lives scares us. (As it should.)  The computer in Utah probably has a great many of these capabilities but the threats stopped must always be weighed against the loss of personal freedom and God forbid the machine mistakes a digit in the SSN and goes after the wrong person. When you marry this capability to the removal of Due Process, a person mistakenly picked up could end up guilty simply because they lose the ability to defend themselves.

As Dwight stated, certain records are public and therefore can be accessed.  But we live in a world now where hackers can steal any and all information. So simply gathering the information is a threat even if it is not the intent of gathering party to reveal the information.

I wonder if we have lost the ability in our society to even rationally debate a topic as we always seem to stray into political agendas.  I grew up in a household where my Mother was a staunch Democrat and my Father was a staunch Republican. Even when JFK ran, politics topped the fact that he was Catholic and as conservative Catholics shouldn’t that have been enough? (Shoot, we lived right next door to St. Joan of Arc and Central Catholic and the Priests were often dinner guests.) 

So the arguments continued at every dinner.  With 8 kids listening in and often chiming in.  Some nights it was exhilarating!  Other nights it was extremely stressful. We were 8 little records managers as we recorded what they said and if later they contradicted a previous nights argument and points, we would bring that up.  I grew up joining in to help whoever was losing that night. But when the meal ended, the hot tea was poured and my parent would light up.  (Chesterfields for my Dad and Raleighs for my Mother. ) Then the debate stopped. The school books were brought out while every brain cell was tingling from the evening debate and the super strong tea my Mother made. Irish Breakfast Tea loose tea, but boiled to elicit every molecule of strength from the tea leaves.  Did anyone else have those kind of big suppers?

When they dig up our Civilization like Pompeii, I think they will determine that it was the end of the evening meal, the ability to debate as a Family unit and truly absorb the wisdom of parents and at the same time see the folly in holding some beliefs too tightly. Debate should be about learning.  One of the things I love about the RECMGMT Listserv is that spirit is still alive here. I can practically taste my Mother’s Tea when I read your well thought out posts. 

Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
[log in to unmask]
(610)  756-4440    Fax (610)  756-4134
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM


List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]