Don't Ask For Whom the Bell Tolls, the Answer May Be your Civil Liberties

You say you hear the sound of the bell tolling? It's the Labour government, losing its marbles. Maybe it's due to the lame duck status of Tony Blair, who's decided he'll let terrorism define his legacy (or else the terrorists will win), or maybe it's the fact the British, like the sheep they raise, are generally a docile bunch and don't complain over much when their civil liberties are trod upon.

A tale of two attacks: After 9/11, George Bush turned the nation's anger outward, lashing out at one Middle Eastern country after another, often without regard for their actual involvement in the attack. He squandered the goodwill many of the world felt for the US, but the American people loved it.

But Tony Blair, after his own 7/7, turned that anger against his own people, creating what is increasingly looking like a police state, especially if you're a dark skinned Muslim. Or even if you're not.

Police enforcement of the anti-terror laws has created some unintended consequences, including the shooting of the innocent Jean Charles de Menezes as he ran to catch a train. Others are just nutty, and the government's proposals to deal with terrorism seem more designed to combat civil liberties than terror.

Since 7/7:

•A 34-year-old woman arrested for walking to work on a bike path, instead of cycling, in an area secretly designated  a "designated area" and held under the "anti-terrorism act."
•An 82-year-old man (and a younger man who jumped in to assist him) tossed out of the Labour conference for heckling Jack Straw.
•A French journalist held for hours after wearing a bulky jacket and neglecting to make eye contact.
•My own experience on the DLR, where a tourist was surrounded by police officers after taking videos.
•The government's proposal to increase the length of time a suspected terrorist can be held without charges, from 14 days to three months.
•The establishment of a  "no protest" zone which includes a vast swath around Westminster.

(And these are just the incidents I remember; no doubt there are more.)

Why should we worry? The terrorists are out to get us; what's the loss of a few civil liberties? We're all willing to pay a price, aren't we, for security?

Unfortunately, draconian laws don't make us safer: When a young man is arrested for "walking while Muslim" and sent to jail for three months without charges being filed, and his family is visited by Muslim extremists trying to convince them the real enemy is the British government, and his little brother listens to their arguments, and he joins a terrorist cell to "get even"...then we're not safer.

When police are allowed to arrest anyone, anytime, and conveniently mark it up to the anti-terrorism laws, we're all in danger, even if we didn't do the heckling or walk down a path intended for bicyclists.

Never send to know for whom the bell tolls, said John Donne, who tried to warn us no man is an island. When the police state arrests your neighbor, it's not a far walk to your house.

Comments

[Donna]

People who have lived in free and democratic countries falsely believe that their civil rights will always remain intact. I'm reminded of the frog put in a pot of tepid water, and slowly the water is brought to a boil, and just as the frog becomes aware that he's in trouble, he's cooked. People won't get this whole civil rights thing until it's too damn late. That's why it's important for those (you, me, a few frustrated others) of reasonable mind to continue to sound the bell.

[Diane]

Last year, a woman in my community was stopped by police for taking photos of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway while she was driving on it. Instead of giving her a ticket for careless driving, they questioned her as a potential terrorist. It turns out a patriotic motorist had seen her and turned her in.

Several weeks ago when I was in New Orleans taking photos of the transformer towers (birds were nesting in them), I felt a bit on edge. But then I remembered where I was--New Orleanians don't find anything strange enough to turn someone in over.

[Bryan]

@Diane:
"Several weeks ago when I was in New Orleans taking photos of the transformer towers (birds were nesting in them), I felt a bit on edge."

Just remember, and beware: brown equals terrorist.

[KathyF]

That's an amazing account, Bryan. I'm going to link to it in the morning. Thanks for stopping by.