Warning. Pending political rant.
So we had an MEP (member of the European parliament) in school the other day, and I asked him if he thinks we're losing our civil rights to anti-terrorist legislation, which is something that worries me hugely at the moment because, well, we are. Anyway he actually gave me a more or less straight answer which for a politician is astounding (if you ever get the chance to ask a politician a question make it a yes or no one, seriously because they're actually incapable of giving a straight answer) and he basically said yes but it's worth it. Boy do I wish I was allowed to answer back, because frankly we're slipping into a fascist regime and once we've gone down that slope it'll be extremely difficult to get out.
I am fully aware that if we don’t bring in anti civil rights laws then people may die because of terrorism. Of course I know that. People I love live and work in London, when my friend went to university there, one of the first things she was told was that there would be another terrorist attack. But when you really think about it , how many people died in the wars so that we could have our freedoms? And how many people will die if we lose them? Is it really worth losing our rights then, even if it saves lives?
Anyone watch the first episode of spooks (MI5) this series? The one about the government making Britain into a fascist regime. Because my step dad came home from the home office (where he works for sometimes) and said that everyone over there had told him to watch it because that’s what’s going on right now. So I’m not just being weird and paranoid. (You do sort of wonder why you would work all day in Parliment and then come home and watch a program about politics).
The thing about Britain is that we've never really questioned our rights because they've been handed to us over a long period of time -I mean we haven't been taken over in nearly a thousand years- so we don't have any real set-up to protect them.
America was basically born through the idea of liberty so the American governmental system is much more set up to prevent a regime getting hold. i may sincerely dislike Bush but at least he can't go all Starlin on us, as shown by the recent elections.
Of course what that really means is that in America the government just bypasses the law by torturing people in Cuba instead, which makes me laugh (and not in a good way) because why have the law if you’re going to go to go to so much trouble to find a way around it. Not that England’s doing much better with the anti-terrorist witch hunt.
Sorry, I just had to put that in. it's from the amnesty international secret policeman’s ball. Now where was I? oh yeah, anti-terrorist witch hunt. Right. There seems to be this strange mindset that terrorism which is really an idea rather than some sort of proper organisation, can be fought. So they go out to Iraq in order to 'fight' terrorism, which was stupid and reckless not to mention completely and utterly ILLEGAL. but hey done now, and did you know that 200 people die a day over there? But since they're Iraqis they don't count as far as the newspapers are concerned. and now having gone out there and made a complete and utter mess which has put the whole place in civil war, they want to pull out?! And just to add insult to injury Bush is threatening to put sanctions on them for the war which he started?! Arrrrggggg! (!!!)(yes I am one of those people who makes comments while listening to the news on the bus. Mostly i just get odd looks).
Right. Deep breaths.
What else? Ah yes. they're planning on martyring Saddam Hussein. That's smart. I'd really just leave him to rot in jail forever. that would be far worse. And just to prove my earlier point about politicians in capabilities when it comes to answering questions, Tony Blair’s comment went something along the lines of i don't agree with capital punishment, but i think the bastard deserves to die.' I'd put in a clip but they keep missing out his wonderful league of gentlemen impression "yeah but...no but...yeah but..."
Oh and also the newspapers are manipulating us but everyone knows that anyway.
Oh well. In ten years when I’m standing in front of a firing squad for speaking out against the government I’ll make sure my last words are ‘I told you so’.
Rant over.
I am fully aware that if we don’t bring in anti civil rights laws then people may die because of terrorism. Of course I know that. People I love live and work in London, when my friend went to university there, one of the first things she was told was that there would be another terrorist attack. But when you really think about it , how many people died in the wars so that we could have our freedoms? And how many people will die if we lose them? Is it really worth losing our rights then, even if it saves lives?
Anyone watch the first episode of spooks (MI5) this series? The one about the government making Britain into a fascist regime. Because my step dad came home from the home office (where he works for sometimes) and said that everyone over there had told him to watch it because that’s what’s going on right now. So I’m not just being weird and paranoid. (You do sort of wonder why you would work all day in Parliment and then come home and watch a program about politics).
The thing about Britain is that we've never really questioned our rights because they've been handed to us over a long period of time -I mean we haven't been taken over in nearly a thousand years- so we don't have any real set-up to protect them.
America was basically born through the idea of liberty so the American governmental system is much more set up to prevent a regime getting hold. i may sincerely dislike Bush but at least he can't go all Starlin on us, as shown by the recent elections.
Of course what that really means is that in America the government just bypasses the law by torturing people in Cuba instead, which makes me laugh (and not in a good way) because why have the law if you’re going to go to go to so much trouble to find a way around it. Not that England’s doing much better with the anti-terrorist witch hunt.
Sorry, I just had to put that in. it's from the amnesty international secret policeman’s ball. Now where was I? oh yeah, anti-terrorist witch hunt. Right. There seems to be this strange mindset that terrorism which is really an idea rather than some sort of proper organisation, can be fought. So they go out to Iraq in order to 'fight' terrorism, which was stupid and reckless not to mention completely and utterly ILLEGAL. but hey done now, and did you know that 200 people die a day over there? But since they're Iraqis they don't count as far as the newspapers are concerned. and now having gone out there and made a complete and utter mess which has put the whole place in civil war, they want to pull out?! And just to add insult to injury Bush is threatening to put sanctions on them for the war which he started?! Arrrrggggg! (!!!)(yes I am one of those people who makes comments while listening to the news on the bus. Mostly i just get odd looks).
Right. Deep breaths.
What else? Ah yes. they're planning on martyring Saddam Hussein. That's smart. I'd really just leave him to rot in jail forever. that would be far worse. And just to prove my earlier point about politicians in capabilities when it comes to answering questions, Tony Blair’s comment went something along the lines of i don't agree with capital punishment, but i think the bastard deserves to die.' I'd put in a clip but they keep missing out his wonderful league of gentlemen impression "yeah but...no but...yeah but..."
Oh and also the newspapers are manipulating us but everyone knows that anyway.
Oh well. In ten years when I’m standing in front of a firing squad for speaking out against the government I’ll make sure my last words are ‘I told you so’.
Rant over.