Fighting ‘Terrorism’ or Democracy? UK’s Surveillance System

[Matthew]

The following is the first paragraph of an news article about the massive surveillance system being set up in the UK. The full article can be read at the URL below.

Fighting ‘Terrorism’ or Repressing Democracy? Britain’s System of Mass Surveillance

By Dr. Paul Anderson
Global Research, November 14, 2012
Url of this article:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/fighting-t ... ce/5311802

The focus of critiques of authoritarianism today lies increasingly in the use by liberal governments of ‘exceptional’ powers. These are powers in which an imminent threat to national security is judged to be of such importance as to warrant the restriction of liberties and other socially repressive measures in order to protect national security. ‘Terrorism’ has offered a particularly salient source of justification for a level of social repression that would be intolerable in normal times. A dominant line of criticism is that the use of exceptional powers to this end has gone too far. Critics emphasise the need to curtail such power by bringing it into line with basic human rights standards.[1]

[Priest Antonios]

As far as my understanding goes, the British are among the most surveilled in the world. I can't imagine that there will be a huge outcry if their government tries to add to their "protection". Perhaps someone like Nigel Farage is their only political hope. Then again, what do I know?

-Antonios

[Matthew]

We can only hope and pray for this terrible system of control to be reversed. However, I think people need to be of a certain disposition and frame of mind to see to it that it is reversed. I'm inclined to think that one man cannot change that.

[Barbara]

I didn't read this, but I have seen other reports about this terribly oppressive system the British seem to easily
tolerate.
GLAD I don't live in that kind of intellectual climate of "sheepdom" !
It is a problem here but not anywhere near AS bad as the UK.

To think people go from Third World countries in box cars with no oxygen just to get there ... then find THIS
unfriendly ambiance ! They would do better to stay at home and have less but more peace of mind and heart !

Not to mention, better health without all the X-rays...

[StephenS]

Here in Birmingham £3,000,000. was spent on CCTV cameras in and around areas heavily populated by Moslems with money provided from an anti-terrorism budget. The local community challenged this and the cameras were initially covered, then scrapped. Yes, I agree that liberal politicians are often the first to erode our freedoms, often ostensibly to protect us. However the American Patriot Act, and the increasing burgeoning of Homeland Security activities make me wonder just who is sleepwalking into what?

And I write as one who used to check the underside of my car. PIRA bombings being something of a regular hazard at the time. Getting the balance right so that the response isn't worse than the problem is one the too many democracies appear to be getting wrong, e.g. police dressed more like paramilitaries than police officers, and the move away from the concept of policing by consent to one of policing by coercion.

Of course the liberal establishments' useful idiots response is too often an unthinking 'If you haven't anything to hide, what's the problem?'

[Matthew]

I didn't read this, but I have seen other reports about this terribly oppressive system the British seem to easily
tolerate.
GLAD I don't live in that kind of intellectual climate of "sheepdom" !
It is a problem here but not anywhere near AS bad as the UK.

To think people go from Third World countries in box cars with no oxygen just to get there ... then find THIS
unfriendly ambiance ! They would do better to stay at home and have less but more peace of mind and heart !

Not to mention, better health without all the X-rays...

Indeed, the British conditions are more advanced in terms of control, surveillance, and curtailing of the freedom of expression and dissent. It is very sad. On the other hand, though America is somewhat less repressive in many regards, this could rapidly change, especially considering the pace of change that is taking place in America on this issue. Furthermore, I remember a prophecy I read once by St. Ignaty of Harbin, "What began in Russia, will end in America."

It is discussed briefly here:

http://orthodoxprophecies.wordpress.com ... t-america/

ELDER IGNATIUS OF HARBIN: HIS PROPHECY ABOUT AMERICA

August 5, 2012 · by orthoproph · in Uncategorized

Orthodox Christian prophecies include one attributed to the monk Elder Ignatius of Harbin (d. 1958): ‘What started in Russia will end in America.’

The prophecy is worth examining because it illustrates both the controversial appeal and the ambiguity of certain Orthodox prophecies.

Though the original source of the quotation is a mystery, Elder Ignatius’ words are often cited by Orthodox Christians, despite lack of consensus on what he may have meant.

Little is known about Elder Ignatius himself. According to Natalia Volkova’s memoir ‘Children of Harbin, Part Three’ (English translation by Katherine Ilachinski), at http://www.orthodox.cn/localchurch/harb ... bin_en.htm , his family name was Melekhin, and he resided at the Kazan Mother of God monastery in Harbin, China, starting in 1922. He is said to have been both blind and clairvoyant, as well as a confessor.

Various interpretations of his alleged quotation are possible. For example:

1. A cautious and conservative interpretation is that Elder Ignatius foresaw America becoming increasingly socialist in character, in a convergence with Soviet Russia.

2. Another interpretation is that Elder Ignatius expected religious toleration to diminish in America as it did in Soviet Russia, perhaps with the result of martyrdoms.

3. In a third and highly pessimistic view, Elder Ignatius is thought to have meant that America eventually would become a totalitarian state of the same brutal character as Stalin’s USSR, though still more oppressive and violent.

For a lengthy discussion of selected interpretations of Elder Ignatius’ words, see http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/for ... ic=21091.0.

Despite his reputation for clairvoyance, there is disagreement about whether or not the words attributed to Elder Ignatius represent an actual prophecy (that is, a private revelation) or, instead, a mere extrapolation of trends observable in his lifetime.

[Matthew]

Here in Birmingham £3,000,000. was spent on CCTV cameras in and around areas heavily populated by Moslems with money provided from an anti-terrorism budget. The local community challenged this and the cameras were initially covered, then scrapped. Yes, I agree that liberal politicians are often the first to erode our freedoms, often ostensibly to protect us. However the American Patriot Act, and the increasing burgeoning of Homeland Security activities make me wonder just who is sleepwalking into what?

And I write as one who used to check the underside of my car. PIRA bombings being something of a regular hazard at the time. Getting the balance right so that the response isn't worse than the problem is one the too many democracies appear to be getting wrong, e.g. police dressed more like paramilitaries than police officers, and the move away from the concept of policing by consent to one of policing by coercion.

Of course the liberal establishments' useful idiots response is too often an unthinking 'If you haven't anything to hide, what's the problem?'

Stephen, what is a PIRA bombing?

I agree with you, there is potential for things in America to be far worse ultimately, that in Britain. Though it is not unheard of by any means, it seems to me that the vast majority, historically speaking of totalitarian dictators, repressive regimes, etc are to be found among "democracies" and "Republics" rather than monarchies. Monarchies have often had a restrictive policy but have not been habitually as extreme as, say, the Soviets or Chinese and North Korean communists. I do believe that Christian Monarchical rule is the preference of the Orthodox. Whether or not the British Monarchy is sufficiently Christian in conviction to preserve the UK from going over the tipping point on this score remains to be seen.

I say, "If I've got nothing to hide, you have no business poking your nose into my private affairs." Hence, the "just cause" basis for the issuance of search warrants, etc.

In some parts of Canada now, too, the local non-military police force has begun to wear camouflaged outfits. This is psychological conditioning to get the population used to and to accept miliary presence on their domestic population, which in the USA and Canada at least is illegal. Once the line between the two is blurred people are less likely to put up any resistance to the real thing.