White Rose is a protest blog collective focusing on civil liberties in the UK.
It was set up to point a finger at the erosion of personal freedom in the UK.
Government's active measures introduce new means of control such as identity cards and surveillance cameras, the passive measures such as weakening of double jeopardy and presumption of innocence.
The arguments
- Most measures regarding security and crime control do not work.
- Their effect is restriction of 'honest citizen's' privacy and freedom.
- Alternative solutions to the security and privacy 'trade-off'
The resistants
Gabriel Syme and Perry de Havilland of Samizdata.net to rally the Anglosphere behind the UK.
White Rose contributors are those bloggers and non-bloggers who oppose restrictions on personal liberties.
To find out how to become a White Rose contributor, please
go here.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Some very bad news indeed
Perry de Havilland (London)
The Civil Contingencies Act became law last Thursday in what can only be described as a blaze on non-publicity. This legislation, which represents perhaps the most serious threat to liberty in Britain since World War II, has put in place the legal tools for some future government to impose rule-by-edict.
It would be hard to overstate how grave this situation is.
Isn't this what the people in this country want? For the government to "look after them" against the nasty terrorists/ immigrants /bogeymen, whatever of their freedoms are taken away?
If they really cared about this issue wouldn't they be up in arms now? If the papers in the UK considered it to be front page news for their readers, wouldn't it be front page news?
As far as I am concerned, "Mussolini" Blair & Party has slowly, cleverly whittled away at our freedoms ever since they came to power. I think he knows that he can get away with it, given the apathy of the people and opposition politicians in this country towards these issues. Unless convinced otherwise, I think this trend can only continue. The CCA is a ugly, statists charter and will be used I am sure at some stage.
Personally, it is likely I have the opportunity to leave the UK for freer lands in the next year and I am sure (now) I will be taking it.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Though politicans still talk about progress and modernization, the 21st Century looks more like the past than the future - a time ruled by robber barons and plaqued by disease.
In short, it's not a modern world that we find ourselves in, so much as a medieval one.