At what point do we call their bluff?
This is not a political blog and I don’t list “politics” as one of my areas of interest or a blog category. In fact - I know very little about politics, especially Australian politics - it generally bores me, except for the occasional high profile bill or something relevant to my profession and industry. However lately being involved with the OpenAustralia project (mainly with just beta testing and now helping out with finalising the design), recent chats with Justin Kerr-Stevens, listening to Cameron Reilly and reading the works of John Stuart Mill I’ve taken an accelerated interest in models of government, democracy and other models of government and so on.
I don’t expect that politics will feature often on my blog - I’ll leave that for the revolutionaries and thinkers - but just listening to Cameron Reilly’s recent podcast on the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) last night on the way home on the bus … inspired me to write this blog post.
Liberty and Democracy … for how long?
John Stuart Mill in the chapter Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion in his essay On Liberty (1869) writes:
The time, it is to be hoped, is gone by, when any defence would be necessary of the “liberty of the press” as one of the securities against corrupt or tyrannical government. [...] Though the law of England, on the subject of the press, is as servile to this day as it was in the time of the Tudors, there is little danger of its being actually put in force against political discussion, except during some temporary panic, when fear of insurrection drives ministers and judges from their propriety.
Now in this modern era I think we can expand the idea of “press” here to include pretty much all civilians - the Internet has given us all the ability to examine the current state of affairs and provide our assessment through blogs, forums, social media and so forth. And as Mill states - the issue of freedom of the press is done and dusted. The battle fought and won.
Yet now in the 21st century we see censorship creeping back in - just at the edges, but inevitably it will grow until it’s a real tangible force imposing on freedom of speech. Why is this happening?
Terrorism.
What does that word mean to you? AK-47s being waved around and fired into the air? Sticks of dynamite taped to a man’s body?
For me the definition of terrorism can only be applied in retrospect after the emotion of terror is instilled in people, in society.
Are we really afraid of acts of terrorism? When you turn over the ignition in your car in the morning … do you hold your breath expecting that your car might blow up? When you drive to work do you scan the tops of buildings looking for snipers? Didn’t think so.
So is the excuse of “national security” as a reason to suppress free speech and cloud the transparency of government valid? Telling you what you can’t say, what you can’t do, where you can’t go and what you aren’t cleared to know?
And it’s an absolute disgrace that Guantanamo Bay still operates with around three hundred people still detained as alleged or suspected terrorists or “enemy combatants”. Yes, if you invaded my country I would fight back too!
Counter-intelligence
I’ve been asked by security staff to delete photos off my camera because I was seen taking photos that included Australian Government buildings. If I was a terrorist - do you think I would have let you see me taking photos and conducting surveillance? It’s just silly.
Metal detectors at airports. OK they could just switch to ceramic or even PVC alternatives - but has that happened? Conceptually, a terrorist will always be on the offensive and therefore one step ahead. All these “security measures” being implemented are locking the gate after the horse has bolted (sorry, as much as I dislike clichés that one is appropriate).
It’s the public who are suffering here, progressively losing rights and freedoms. And don’t you think the people who are enacting these measures know this?
Call me a conspiracy theorist - but I think they’re pulling the wool over your eyes … and you’re just letting them.
At what point do you call their bluff and say “Hey, ok enough of this counter-terrorism nonsense … this is going too far”. What can you do to stop the machine? Will it be too late? Will we be close enough Totalitarianism that we can just make the short leap to losing all freedom and ability to have a voice and fight back?
Oh I’m only kidding!
Of course this is all a rather extreme point of view and you’re probably thinking “That’s ludicrous. That’ll never happen”. Likely. This is not a prediction of how the future will play out; it’s all hypothetical. But it’s a warning - don’t be complacent. To quote Zack de la Rocha: Wake up!
On the subject of Democracy Wikipedia says:
Democracy is a system of government by which political sovereignty is retained by the people and either exercised directly by citizens or through their elected representatives.
Let’s keep it that way.
Disclaimer: These are my personal, independent views and opinions and are not neccessarily shared by the various people and organisations mentioned in this article.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Some ways to get involved or find out about some of the more organised movements to keep order and balance in the system and to preserve our liberties:
http://danny.oz.au/freedom/
http://www.efa.org.au/
http://www.angelfire.com/folk/aclu/
But on a simpler level - question everything. Don’t accept it. Understand the social and political climate we live in and the current state of affairs. Be smart about it. Invoke FOI when necessary. Blog about it.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Good points you raise in this article. I see most people in society today as “sheep” and these sheep (well the ones I know), tend to scoff at people who fight for basic causes and rights (labeled by the media as radicals or activists). I would hate to see the day come when these people stopped fighting, stopped questioning and merge in with the other sheep and follow blindly.
On another note, I have been taking photos of the new government building being constructed next to the ATO in Penrith. Not because I am a terrorist, not because I am plotting some downfall of the government. I am simply taking photos for a friend who is currently on a working holiday in Canada and asked me to document changes in the local area in photos…specifically that new government building. Reason? Because when he worked here he was watching it ‘grow’ up skywards. And he like me, has a genuine interest in our local area (we started the Penrith group on Facebook).
While taking these photos from the standpoint of the station or the ATO - I have had people come up to me and ask why I am doing it. Others look at me strange and avoid walking in my path. Do THEY seriously think I am plotting something too???
Now I am hesitant to even put such photos on flickr, in case I am questioned.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Nice, well thought-out essay, Nat. And next time one of those security people approaches you about photos of buildings, let them know you’re photographing a public building from a public street and there’s nothing they can do about it. You’re well within your rights.
I’m glad you noted the EFA, I’m a life member as well as a member of the US EFF.
In these days of increasing paranoia and propaganda (for that’s what it is), we all need to be aware of our rights and surrender what is preferably none, but what is practically only those that inconvenience us little or are truly necessary for our day-to-day lives. I imagine that my upcoming trip to the US will be bemusing to say the least as the TSA seek to make my life a challenge.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
I am also now a member of EFA
June 6th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Great post. I’m really liking what I read on your blog man!
As for terrorism, in the scale of world conflict, I’m not seeing these shadowy radicals as much as I’m seeing large national armies occupying nations. The propaganda is propaganda, but it’s the actions that speak louder than words.
Terrorism is this term for how we can label in bulk anything we don’t agree with. It’s negative connotations are massive, and played over and over in our subconscious every day.
Legitimate struggle or resistance to invading armies (of which we may be a part), can be called terrorism and we will automatically and subconsciously choose our own side, never mind if it is morally reprehensible - and never mind if it is us who are crushing a chance for liberty, democracy and self-determination.
Terrorism is bad. But I don’t think resistance is, if someone invaded Australia, and I was treated like a disposable bag of meat, and I resisted anyway I could (ie, non peacefully) is that called terrorism? Or is it only terrorism if I bring religious edicts into it?
How about invading someones country, destroying all infrastructure, killing hundreds of thousands, installing a puppet government, committing atrocities, and imprisoning citizens? Is that terrorism? It sure causes terror !
June 10th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Great stuff Mo. Couldn’t agree better
June 11th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
What terrorism means to me?
Wearing Western clothes when at the airport or on a plane, so that people don’t give me those looks.
Behaving non-suspiciously when taking pictures at places like the Opera House or the Harbour Bridge (by keeping the camera in full view etc)
Wondering if I can take a bottle of perfume on board with setting the security people off.
Terrorism is another word for racism in my world.
June 11th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Rai, isn’t it illegal to take photos of the Opera House, period?
June 11th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Is it?
Damn… I should count myself lucky I didn’t get arrested! :O
June 17th, 2008 at 1:10 am
At this point in history, the real terrorist of this world reside in Washington. This country just happens to have the largest stockplie of WMD.
I guess I am a revolutionist and thinker. I watch and it’s scary.
Freedom to all the people in this world.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Great article! I thin the most important pointer to government deception is that none of the restrictions to liberty would actually prevent a crime like the World Trade Centre attack.
If none of the restrictions are about preventing crime, then they can only be for the sake of restricting liberty.
Of course in Australia we have only ever had one reported act of terrorism, the Sydney Hilton bombing. Despite pointing to this as justification for their existence, ASIO have never caught the bad guys, or even successfully identified them.
http://www.philorum.org/speech/20060315IanWoolfTerrorLaws.html