"Security cameras can be useful, but they also can look harsh and intimidating even to those who aren't doing anything wrong"

Wow. So the surveillance/war on terror propaganda reached you too. You say that as long I have "nothing to hide" or "doing anything wrong" this enormous distribution of CCTV is acceptable? When you start thinking whether your actions are "wrong", your mind and way of thinking already has been changed. If you act accordingly, they (TM) reached their goal: control.

Even painting them pink and adding rainbow dashes onto the cameras - they still are a tool to smash your civic freedom.