Sorry for my tardiness with what I’m writing about today, but with so much attention directed at Iran — concerning their freedom and “democracy” — these days, I can’t help but comment on both. And how they, most recently, relate to Canadian citizens.
It was late last week when I first heard about Internet Service Providers must help police and intelligence officers to intercept online communications and get personal information about subscribers, under new bills introduced Thursday. And I’ve only heard it mentioned once, in this article, since. Flash backs of The U.S. Patriot Act are pretty hard to ignore.
I’ve heard the argument prior to, and briefly since, this story broke. If you’re not doing anything wrong, why care, right?
Well, I fear, it’s not quite that simple. In being a fan of Will Potters work, over at Green Is The New Red, I’ve learned to be sensitive to any preliminary steps that could possibly threaten our rights here in Canada. This stinks of the Domestic Spying Program debacle in the U.S.. I say debacle, for three reasons. It’s illegal. I’m not so sure it has done anything but trample rights of American citizens. Plus unjustly persecuted certain demographics.
Anyway, my Canadian brethren, get in line. It’s our turn…
I’ll tell you why I’m concerned. Frankly, this sort of legislation, in conjunction with other moronic laws, namely the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act — which, to my knowledge, we (Canadians) don’t have, at least, yet – have contributed to an environment of fear and paranoia reminiscent of early to mid 20th century European fascism. But even more problematic, for me at least, is the inditement of Hugh Farrell and Gina “Tiga†Wertz for essentially advocating what some small-mind prosecutor has deemed threatening literature?
What’s it to me? Well the two books, Ecodefense and Recipes for Disaster are, indeed, books I own. Or will, as soon as they arrive — though I’d have sworn I’ve read and already had Recipe For Disaster. Guess not. Anyway, my point, I ordered both after learning that being in possession of said titles can be construed as reflecting negatively on my character? How could I resist being, potentially, judged — par for the course — by the needle-dicks of this fucking country?
As Will put it on a recent post, Activist Accused of “Advocating Literature and Materials Which Advocate Anarchyâ€;
“As with so many of the cases I write about on this site, this isn’t about threats to public safety, it isn’t about property destruction, it’s about demonizing people because of their political beliefs. Well, in this case, it’s not even about that: It’s about demonizing people because of their books…”
As we watch and are outraged at what is currently occurring in Iran, dissent being silenced — [h]ow About a New FB/Twitter App for Victims of US [don’t forget Canadian] Warcrimes? –Â it is somewhat ironic we, as Canadians, don’t see the threat looming on our freedom and “democracy.” It’d be rather laughable, if it wasn’t so utterly maddening…