Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
In his speech Restoring British Liberties (dated January 7, 2011), Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg talked about the freedom and the “hard-won liberties” that people in Britain have held dear. He talked about the standards of a nation that have been the hallmarks of a civilized society to which people who are victims of oppression in other places around the world have looked to as a beacon of hope…as an example of a better way of life.
Clegg claimed that in recent times under Labour many of Britain’s best traditions have suffered—and that many of its civil liberties “have been undermined, eroded, lost.”
Clegg said:
They[Labour] turned Britain into a place where schools can fingerprint your children without their parents’ consent. Where councils use surveillance powers designed to tackle crime to check if you’re cleaning up after your dog. Where thousands of new criminal offences have amassed on to the statute book. Where you are 7 times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police if you are black or Asian. Where, in one year, we saw over 100,000 terror-related stop-and-searches, none of which yielded a single terror arrest.
They made Britain a place where you could be put under virtual house arrest when there was not enough evidence to charge you with a crime. And with barely an explanation of the allegations against you. A place where young, innocent children caught up in the immigration system were placed behind bars. A Britain whose international reputation has been brought into question because of our alleged complicity in torture.
That record is an affront to everything we stand for.
It has created a fundamental imbalance between British citizens and the British state; disempowering individuals, criminalising innocent people, fuelling mistrust between communities, and diminishing this nation’s moral authority too.
Clegg went on to enumerate the ways in which the Coalition Government would address the problems in 2011, which included the following:
Three: by ending the practices of closed and secretive government; giving people the information and freedom they need to hold us and other institutions to account.
Does any of what Clegg said ring familiar to you? Do you believe that some of our civil liberties have been undermined and eroded in this country—especially over the past decade? Do you think that we Americans need to be ever vigilant about the loss of our “hard-won” freedoms? Do you think that “we the people” should have the freedom and information that we need to hold our political leaders and government institutions to account?
Source: Liberal Democrats
“Truth, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.” (Buckeye)
In my book truth is fact … and it is often not at all beautiful.
Though I will give you that the adjectives chosen are often determined by the attempted spin applied.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2011/01/an-assassination.html The targets
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/ Sarah Pac’s targets are shown here. I think she can forget about running for president
FFLEO: Who has Grijalva targeted?
http://my.firedoglake.com/jimwhite/2011/01/08/rep-gabrielle-giffords-in-march-interview-with-msnbc-re-palins-targeting/
Regarding Grijalva:
“People who live in glass houses…”
Truth, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. It’s the adjectives involved, not the subjects that are the problem.
One can speak truth without being incindiary. If that’s not true, there is no hope for civil discourse at all. It’s not necessary to demonize or misrepresent or misconstrue another person’s position to have a healthy discussion.
Flinging back hysterical rhetoric leads us to where we now are – every politician and federal judge, (right left and center) receiving death threats. This is not healthy and it is incumbent on every citizen to plead for civilty from all.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/08/grijalva-palin-needs-to-l_n_806283.html
“Blouise 1, January 8, 2011 at 9:14 pm
Buckeye,
Do not confuse raw truth with hate speech”
TOUCHE!!!
Buckeye,
Do not confuse raw truth with hate speech
That Press Conference was extraordinary … I have no doubt who the Sheriff blames for the death of his friend, Judge Roll.
He certainly called out Arizona
So the House has adjourned all business until next week…the 12 is supposed to be the vote of no confidence in Obama…bastards…that they are…divide the country even further….where is Gerald R. Ford when the country needs balance and direction….maybe Obama could not call in the Sct in October as retribution for the act of the Legislature…the House specifically….so now…how did Jefferson do this…
Watching MSNBC tonight, Schultz and Olbermann, rhetorical bomb throwers both, have really toned it down tonight. Well, Schultz has – Olbermann not so much. Probably on orders from above, but none too soon.
No one doubts that Ms. Palin has shared in ramping up the heat as has Mr. Grayson of FL – and Schultz and Olbermann and Hannity and Beck. All in the chase for ratings and money and votes.
Time for a time out. I doubt any of them had influence on this young man, though they may have, but in the aftermath of this tragedy there are too many others that will be influenced by those mentioned above if/when they continue.
The next time it could be a politician on the right. Who will be complicit then?
Everyone here should know by now how damaging I think hate speech is and it is damaging no matter who does it. The Left must clean its own house as well as shouting how dirty the Right’s house is.
Ms. EM,
Okay, again, I concede; Palin is a parrot with a purpose in her purse.
Many of the Republican women I know love her.
Seriously, what is S. Palin to you?
FF Leo,
I believe that Palin is more than a parrot.
It brings to mind the interview that Boehner had when he was asked about the Presidents birth certificate and did he have an obligation to tell the “birthers” that the President was a US Citizen.
He hemmed and hahhed and basically said that it wasn’t his responsibility.Now I see these cowards have called off all of congresses business so they can exam safety procedures,Cowards.
Ms. EM,
S. Palin is a parrot and nothing more.
Often in life, the best, brightest, kindest, and most innocent are the ones who first parish from others’ ignorance and unfounded biases.
FF Leo,
“She [Giffords] is consistently a decent politician and is as moderate/independent as a Democrat can be.”
And isn’t it a shame that self-important nincompoops like Sarah Palin take it upon themselves to suggest to people that politicians like Gabrielle Giffords should be voted out of office? What do you suppose Caribou Barbie actually knew/knows about Giffords and her representation of the people in her Congressional district?
Ms. EM,
That is the perfect video for people to see and know “Gabby”—as *all* Arizonan’s call her. She is consistently a decent politician and is as moderate/independent as a Democrat can be. I think she is a self-described Blue Dog Democrat (from a recent interview).
Lottakatz said:
“Rhetorical payback is a b****. You know though, if it works to tone down the kind of language that has characterized the political dialogue over the last 3 years (yes, from the right) then I’m not going to condemn the backlash if it comes.”
I completely agree. And in light of the MSNBC interview, I think that it is very sad that Representative Giffords was the one to bear the consequences that she warned of.