[Linux-aus] Seeking feedback - EFA Citizens Not Suspects campaign

[Bret Busby]

On Thu, 13 Jun 2013, Glen Turner wrote:

> 
> On 13/06/13 03:24, Bret Busby wrote:
>
>> What happens, when, because of the assumed support by Linux Australia,
>> for the "security measures", by the silence and lack of support by Linux
>> Australia, for opposition to the Internet Oppression, the web site and
>> mailing lists, and, possibly, the organisation itself, of Linux
>> Australia, are each shut down, by ASIC or otherwise by the oppressive
>> federal parliament, for not being sufficiently obsequious?
>
>
> I think in seeking a parallel with the Gestapo that you strain to make a
> convincing analogy.
>
>

I didn't think that I made reference to the Gestapo.

It is probably more like the Spanish Inquisition.

And, we should remember, that "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!".

The actions of the Australian federal parliament, and, the USA White 
House, appear more like (although, since you raise, specifically, the 
Gestapo, I probably, now that it has been raised, would be disinclined 
to exclude it) the Big Brother of George Orwell's 1984, the security 
entities in "V For Vendetta", that went rounding up homosexuals and 
dissidents, as they were both regarded as threats to the security of the 
state, and, the Greater London Council, in relation to the Noddy 
stories, and the member of the British Parliament, in relation to the 
Teletubbies, and, I think either the Gretaer London Council, and/or the 
British Parliament, in relation to the Enid Blighton literary works, 
where they each regarded these works as threats to national security and 
to the structure of British society.

And, given that, in Australia, we have the government departments and 
banks, that require the use of Internet Explorer and javascript and 
java, to access the functionality of their web sites, so as to 
eliminate the security and privacy of computer users in Australia, an 
organisation such as Linux Australia, which is supposedly about open 
source software, and, free software, could be determined to be a threat 
to the establishment, and, therefore, have "men in black suits with 
black sunglasses", beating down the doors, and, "disappearing" people.

I believe that the "disappearing" of people, was an activity of some 
South American (and, of other countries) governments, when the 
activitites of the people that were "disappeared", were "inconsistent 
with the objectives of the government".

So, Linux Australia, itslef, could be at risk.

And, not just from the Gestapo.

We do not know how many "intelligence" and "security" agencies exist, in 
either Australia or the USA, or, the full nature of their activities, 
other than that they apparently operate without any restrictions or 
accountability, relating to their activities.

The USA NSA is an interesting example, especially with the content of 
the movie "Mercury Rising", before which, I had not heard of the USA 
NSA.

And, with the activities that have been recently uncovered, with anyone 
who reveals the truth, being declared "an enemy of the state", and 
hunted down, wherever they may be in the world.

And, in case anyone thinks that this all seems just a bit too paranoid, 
such people should remember the famous quote;

"Just because you are paranoid, does not mean that someone is not out to 
get you".

In these times, when human rights are banned, and, when governments and 
their agencies, are unaccountable, the people are quite entitled to be 
concerned.

And, Linux Australia, is not exempt from the acts of oppression.

After all, what Linux Australia is said to be about, "is not consistent 
with the objectives of the state", and, is certainly not consistent 
with the objectives of the USA government, of which the Australian 
federal government appears to be an agency.

--
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
  you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
   Chapter 28 of Book 1 of
   "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
   A Trilogy In Four Parts",
   written by Douglas Adams,
   published by Pan Books, 1992
....................................................