IP: Merry Old is Blunketed Ashcroftishly at Yuletide

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
>
> [Note:  This item comes from reader Janos Gereben.  DLH]
>
> At 10:09 -0800 12/25/01, Janos G. wrote:
> > From: "Janos G." <janos451 () earthlink net>
> > Subject: Merry Old is Blunketed Ashcroftishly at Yuletide
> > Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2001 10:09:19 -0800
> > MIME-Version: 1.0
> From the American Politics Journal -- Dec. 25, 2001
> > The View From Europe
> > A Blunket Over Yuletide Cheer
> > By Nicola Mitchell
> >
> > Dec. 24, 2001 -- LONDON (APJP) -- Christmas is upon us, the time of
> > year when we are supposed to extend good will to all and spend time
> > with our loved ones.
> >
> > Despite all the harmonious intentions, 2002 may not be the happiest
> > of new years if some of our politicians manage to get their way, as
> > many of the freedoms and liberties we take for granted could be
> > disappearing faster than the turkey and cranberry sauce on Christmas
> > Day.
> >
> > Here on this side of the Atlantic, Home Secretary David Blunket has
> > been making waves with his proposed Terror Bill in response to the
> > events of September 11th. Although we are all agreed that the law
> > needs to be changed as a result of the attacks, should that change
> > mean the government has a right to infringe on civil rights and
> > freedoms?
> >
> > Blunket, like US Attorney General John Ashcroft before him, has
> > caused concern with what many have dubbed draconian measures said to
> > have people's "best interests" at heart.
> >
> > Just as Ashcroft has been heavily criticised in the states, here in
> > the UK the press, the public and even sections of his own party have
> > attacked Blunket for his proposals.
> >
> > The press have been especially scathing of what is perhaps one of the
> > most contentious parts of Blunket's plan: the right for police to
> > detain those who they suspect may be connected with terrorist
> > activities, whether they have concrete evidence or not.
> >
> > It is thanks to such details that Blunket's system, which is similar
> > to that proposed by Ashcroft, is seen as ruthless by many in the UK.
> >
> > Like Ashcroft, Blunket is attempting to create an environment where a
> > suspect will not see the evidence against him or her, a judicial
> > mechanism where lawyers will not be trusted with confidential
> > information, and a system where there will be detention without trial.
> >
> > It is my opinion that in these times of panic and worry, during which
> > our freedoms and democracies are being threatened, that our
> > governments should keep a level head and not remove the rights and
> > freedoms we are so desperately fight to keep.
> >
> > Thankfully Blunket's mission has not been made easy as the Bill has
> > suffered a number of embarrassing defeats in the House of Lords, but
> > the embarrassment for the Labour Party has not stopped there, as a
> > handful of back bench ministers have brought the issues of freedom
> > and liberty to centre stage.
> >
> > Recently Paul Marsden made the headlines when he defected from Labour
> > to the Liberal Democrats after he claimed he had been the victim of a
> > hate campaign in which he had been severely reprimanded and even
> > suffered violent clashes with fellow party members after expressing
> > his opposition to the Afghan war, while another Labour MP has also
> > accused the government of monitoring his private phone calls after he
> > went against the party line on the war on terror.
> >
> > It was once famously claimed that a week is a long time in politics,
> > and that statement has never proved to be more true than in the
> > current climate.
> >
> > Christmas is a time when many reflect on what is happening around
> > them. For some who have lost loved ones in the tragic events of
> > September 11 this time of year will prove particularly hard, but we
> > all need to focus on the goal in hand and rise above the government
> > propaganda and spin. Our liberties and freedoms are so precious to us
> > that we have chosen to go to war to protect them, lets not throw that
> > all away by introducing measures that once here will be extremely
> > hard to dispose of.
> >
> > American Politics Journal Copyright (C) 2001 American Politics Journal
> > Publications, Inc

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