Pixelated Semantics

A schizotypical inventory

When the imaginary trespasses on the real

The Senate (and the rest of the country) is about to reap the whirlwind of last year's deceitful election victory by the Coalition. Departing Senator Lees, (she who delivered the Government a GST despite staunch public and party opposition), has ironically sounded a warning about "the direction the Government is taking" - "Heading into an era of elected dictatorship" she is reported to have said. Ironic, considering the re-election assistance her "defection" provided the Government she is now worried about. And remember, Hitler, Mussonlini, Bjelke-Petersen, and others, were all "elected dictators". In the 1930's incidently, the original definition of "fascism" was based on the state giving itself and corporations authority over individuals at every level - and this is exactly the hallmark of Howard's Australia. However it's of dubious value to remind Australians of this while they are preoccupied with important things like tits and bums on television.

SBS's Dateline last night highlighted current dangers to civil liberties extremely well. Cogent arguments from former intelligence officers and journalists support the belief that ASIO "anti-terror" laws have a lot more to do with Government control of information than fighting terrorism - current laws are being "fuelled by a government that is determined to present itself as being tough on a threat that in many respects remains imaginary". The place in society of their dangerously-named "cleansing squads" has not been debated. One former officer has direct experience:

"The sort of environment that many critics of this government now work under, many of us do feel that we are constantly surveilled, we do feel that we are constantly being harassed in some ways. One only needs to write an opinion piece for the newspaper and one can get a phone call from someone in the Government asking for clarification or pointing out things..."

Some officers obviously enjoy their role keeping "secrets": when a Canberra "cleansing squad" finished its work smashing computer hard drives that according to them contained sensitive information, it apparently presented "bemused" workers with a customer satisfaction questionnaire.

Item posted by AutoEditor at 9:47 am ::