It’s the 4th of July, time for fireworks and plenty of public parties, fairs, and parades. Just remember, don’t take photos at large public events, and whatever you do don’t go videotaping in random public places, lest you too might get three months of solitary confinement from agencies that know darned well you’ve done nothing wrong.

But don’t worry, our valiant public servants are there to protect us from those bad, bad evildoers — just hush up, slug back a Prozac or three and let them decide what you should see so you don’t go handing your children to Osama Bin Laden. After all, they’ve been there to help us even well before 9-11.

Now you may say, I’m just a big crab. Or a worthless commie Al-Quaeda-loving treasonous wrong-question-asking meanie. The US is still near the best part of the scale in the RSF’s Hall of Shame. Still, it’s more and more obvious that everyone’s camera kit needs a bust card just as surely as they need fresh batteries.