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We're Not in Kansas Anymore

Archie Kennedy | 28.08.2005 13:43 | Analysis | Globalisation | Repression | Sheffield

At a glance everything pretty much looks the same. But people are being tortured and arrested with no charges. Pre-emptive wars are being waged. We're not in Kansas anymore Toto.

In recent years the warm and fuzzy coating has fallen away from the modern capitalist state. Or more accurately, it is being torn off. On one hand the social programs that were used to keep the lower classes happy are being reduced and removed. Where people were coaxed into docility before, the future does not have docility in the cards. As a result the state will force political compliance.

The shift has already occurred. We have slipped over the boundary into the world of the nightmarish police state. How this was accomplished was quite impressive. At this point most people still have not noticed and those that do, for the most part, welcome the change. They welcome the increased security. They like to take flights without the worry of terrorists blowing them out of the sky. They like to live in cities without the worry of terrorists bombing subways or randomly shooting citizens.

What these people don’t realize is that the enemy is not who they think it is. The enemy is actually the power that claims to be protecting us.

The fact is that if terrorists want to blow up airplanes, poison food sources, or randomly kill people in way imaginable, there is simply no way of stopping them. Those that tell you that we need increased security are not doing so in an attempt to curb terrorism. They are doing so to curb YOU. You see, you are their enemy and they know it but you don’t. They are already taking measures to prepare for a war against you and you don’t even know what is happening. In fact, you don’t even recognize your own enemy and when you do, we will likely have little room to maneuver.

Prior to 9/11 there was Seattle and Quebec. There were protesters organizing against capitalism. This was landmark. There were protest movements in the West before and they were against war, against poverty, for woman’s rights, or for gay rights. But this is the first time that America and the West has had massive and popular protests as part of a building movement against capitalism itself. This was monumental and the significance has apparently been lost on the geniuses that spin opinions in the mainstream media.

The occurrence of 9/11 couldn’t have come at a better time for those that would like to create a world-wide police state. The most disturbing aspect of this is that the keepers of the state, whether they are Republicans, Democrats, liberals or social democrats, Labour or Conservative, are all on the same page. The Labour Party in Britain, a social democratic party, has put in place draconian measures that rival the neo cons in Washington. This transcends the notion of a neo con conspiracy.

The big question, the question we all need to ask ourselves is whether or not these new laws can be used to stifle democratic dissent. The answer is clear and the answer is undeniably 'yes'. The reason that that question and answer are so very important is because the very foundation of free societies has been pulled out from beneath us. For hundreds of years societies have been evolving toward greater freedom and human rights from the Magna-Carta to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, we have been steadily going in a progressive direction. That is until recently where the war hawks have usurped the whole damn thing.

The fact is that if you live in America, Canada, Britain or Australia, you no longer live in a free society. That the difference is hardly noticeable as we go about our day by day lives is part of the problem. That reality is evidence of volume of accomplices that are working in concert, including most mainstream media, most politicians, as well as those that have designed this Orwellian landscape. They have pulled off a master coup as they had us distracted by war and rumors of war.

For the moment let us give them the benefit of doubt.

Assuming that the politicians of today (eg. Bush, Martin, Howard and Blair) are very sincere about fighting terrorism and that these anti-terrorist laws are really intended to give the police and the spooks enough leverage to protect citizens from terrorism. Let us imagine that these draconian laws will deter terrorists and safeguard society from random acts of violence. Let's also assume that these laws are not intended to stifle dissent. The question then arises about future politicians that may use these laws against politically incorrect but peaceful protest. What is to stop some future politicians from using these laws to effectively police and eradicate political dissent? What will prevent them from tossing people such as unionists, boycotters, and protest organizers in the hoosegow forever?

But, as we know, we don't have to wait for some unscrupulous future fascist leader to see how opressive these laws can be. The people that are tortured in concentration camps today will tell us that it has already happened.

The fact that the reaction to this by the media, the legal profession, as well as the pre-9/11 protesters is merely a whisper is perhaps a result of incredulity rather than antipathy. For most people the reality of crossing the boundary into a world of arbitrary authoritarianism has not sunk in. The whole thing is too outlandish, too far out and too surreal to process in most reasonable minds. It just doesn’t compute (What – we have slipped into a police state? Nah – can’t be).

Canada has not done much, relative to other countries, to make it a target of terrorism. But the shredding of the freedoms and rights of Canadians has occured nonetheless. You'd almost think it was some sort of world wide conspiracy.

Canada has passed legislation that gives the state the power to literally throw you in jail and throw away the key and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it. You can't even see a lawyer if you have been targeted.

Bill C-36 allows the state to detain people on the suspicion that they will commit a crime. The individual could be barred from legal council in closed hearings. People involved in protest movements or strikes could be prosecuted this way.

So far, it seems that it immigrants and particularly immigrants from Islamic countries that have been singled out by the New World Order. It may very well be that state oppression is selectively discriminating against this particular ethnic group to bolster public support for political repression. The propaganda suggests that Muslims are prone to terrorism.

The potential iron net is far greater however. The wording of the act permits the state to act against those who may “seriously” interfere with essential services. Threats to economic systems are deemed worthy of prosecution. This could be defined as an act of terrorism. Planning such activities could be reason enough to land you or me in jail. Surveillance may be carried out without the blessing of a judge. This bill throws out the checks and balances that are necessary for a free society.

Read what Canadian lawyer, Rocco Galati has to say regarding this bill:

 http://www.apfn.org/apfn/WTC_1984.htm

Other previously free societies have also passed similar laws including the United States, Britain, and Australia.

There are sufficient laws in place to check crimes and terrorism. This new reality we now live with is not meant to curb terrorism. That is merely a ruse. It is aimed at removing our freedom to organize dissent against capitalism. Stopping terrorism could be achieved if the killing and oppression would end.

As Noam Chomsky said, the way to stop terrorism is to stop terrorizing.

In the past the rationale for war has been to preserve freedom. Today, the enemies of freedom are our elected politicians and those they serve. The enemies of freedom have slipped in through the back door. It is your duty to recognize this. Otherwise, all those that sacrificed their lives for freedom in the past have done so in vain.

Archie Kennedy
- e-mail: akenn100@hotmail.com
- Homepage: http://www.leftlite.blogspot.com

Comments

Display the following 2 comments

  1. Not in Kansas — Prole number 61428
  2. Lirean — David Smith
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