More tedious terror from the news (0)

skyfox's profile

Posted by skyfox on Thu 16 Oct 08, 8:07 PM

A slow day in the media, and at home. I'm coming down with a cold (cough cough sneeze). The timing is, as always, impecable. I usually get colds two days before I fly somewhere so that my sinuses feel like they'r going to explode as the plane takes off and lands. This time, it's two days before grand debaucherous party. Bah humbug.

So, just to put a bit of salt in your coffee, I present to you the government's latest plan to spy on everyone: a database of all telephone and internet usage on everyone in the country.

The head of this, Jacqui Smith, voiced fear over the anarchy and chaos of social netowrking sites like Facebook on Brand Republic. John McDonnell (Labour party) called it "Big brother gone mad" in the Independent. Microsoft voiced doubts in PC World. Chris Huhne (Lib Dem) called it "Orwellian" in The Telegraph,The Guardian andthe New York Times. Yes, that's right, this made it into American news. That's how shocking it is.

"Terrorism". *snort* You know, in 2002, there was a joke that went something along the lines of "if I don't... then the terrorists have won." For example, "If I don't buy this new sofa, then the terrorists have won." "If I don't get really smashed tonight, then the terrorists have won." Etc. We used it in jest to "justify" whims. The government (both the current Labour government here and the current-but-soon-to-be-ex-government in the US) use it quite seriously as an excuse to bypass civil liberties to spy on their own citizens. "If I don't monitor the habits, whereabouts, and consciousness of every resident in the country, then the terrorists will win." Note the tense change: "have" to "will". The people reject terrorists, and choose to live the lives they want to lead regardless. The government lives in fear. Don't you think it should be the other way round?

One article above (I forget which one) voiced fears that all this surveillance would just serve to make innocuous activities suspect. In other words, they make links that don't exist. Combine this with the new anti-porn legislation, and bob's yer uncle, WE'RE ALL TERRORISTS AND CRIMINALS!!! (Insert maniacal laughter here.)

ahem.

Right. Well, allow me to clear my throat for a moment here... ahem ahem ahem. Well, I think it's time to do other things.


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