Some worrying moves in Europe...

User offline. Last seen 13 years 43 weeks ago.
HOO-HAA
Number 553
Conspirator for: 15 years 35 weeks
Posted on: April 14, 2009 - 1:51pm

I posted this on the FTL forum, originally, but would be interested in the thoughts of fellow conspirators:

(From the Irish Times)

'THE CONSTITUTIONAL article guaranteeing freedom of expression should be amended to remove all references to sedition and blasphemy, according to the Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution.

It recommended that the article should be redrafted along the lines of article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which deals with freedom of expression....'

Here's the full article:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0711/1215725795870.html

And the excerpt of the report that apalled me the most:

'This guarantees the right of the citizens "to express freely their convictions and opinions," but then qualifies it, saying: "The State shall endeavour to ensure that organs of public opinion, such as the radio, the press, the cinema, while preserving their rightful liberty of expression, including criticism of Government policy, shall not be used to undermine public order or morality or the authority of the State....'

... so, I'm also wondering, from a liberty-orientated perspective - What is the difference between the (lawful) 'criticsim of Government policy' and the (unlawful) [undermining of] 'the authority of the state'?!?! 

 

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User offline. Last seen 11 years 14 weeks ago.
Number 5150
Number 100
Conspirator for: 17 years 25 weeks
Posted on: April 17, 2009 - 8:21am #1

It's fascinating and horrifying the degree to which the concept of freedom has been diluted.  "Freedom" seems to have been redefined to mean "the liberty to do what one is told by those in power."  This proposed amendment is obviously intented to keep all political discussion strictly "within the box," and it's particularly insidious to criminalize any deeper criticism of the ethical foundations of the political structure.

That being said, one has to wonder why this would be considered so important to the EU.  I was under the impression that we libertarians/anarcho-capitalists had been relegated to "fringe" status by the statist majority.  Is this amendment perhaps a tacit admission that we're making some headway, and thus now represent a greater challenge to the status quo?

I also found the headline of the article interesting.  It only mentions "blasphemy."  The restrictions on political thought/speech were buried deeper in the article. 

Thanks for posting this...something to look forward to here on our side of the pond.

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- Stephen M. Smith

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User offline. Last seen 13 years 43 weeks ago.
HOO-HAA
Number 553
Conspirator for: 15 years 35 weeks
Posted on: April 25, 2009 - 4:57am #2

I don't think the challenge is aimed at libertarians, per se, but just a further clamp down on individuality, in general. Part of the nanny state's ongoing erosion of individual expression, in favour of herd mentality.

I also think that it's largely led by fear of the extremist muslim factions, and a pandering to the countries which control the oil supply. Invasion of the middle east is seen as less wise (by Europeans, in general) so the new tactic seems to be to pander to the political sensitivities within that region.  

 

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