LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: O'Connor, Steven <Steven.O'Connor@boral.com.au>
  To  : linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au
  Date: Thu, 27 May 1999 17:55:34 +0930

RE: Opinions on New Internet Bill (While I am still allowed to

mark said :

> Remember why it's being proposed too:  The only reason we're going 
> through any of this stuff is because some conservative elements don't
> like photos of naked women.  That's it.  The end.  The debate isn't
> about children (since the new law restricts adults), it isn't about
> illegal content (because the new law restricts material which is
> legal in other media), it isn't about terrorism (because there has
> never been a single case of any terrorist activity traced back to the
> Internet), it's purely and simply about pictures of naked women.
> 
> Is that so overwhelmingly important that we should have a well-organized
> international police force to act as arbiters of taste and community
> standards?
> 
> 
	Which of course would make anyone shake their head and say 'why
bother with such a trivial thing when there are so many more pressing issues
at hand ?'

	It does not seem rational ...

	Which can only lead me to the conclusion that there is a lot more to
this than just some cynical vote-grabbing on the part of a few politicians.
What this whole thing does acheive is the create some very subtle bases of
power for certain groups of people.

	This is one of the oldest dirty tricks in the book - you pass enough
laws and rules, that you know full well that you cannot fully enforce, and
that people cannot avoid, and then you sit back and let the new law be
broken. The most classic example being the  Witch Hunt Craze in the
1500-1600's. There were so many stupid rules that it would be quite possible
to find anyone 'guilty' of witchcraft if the prosecution employed a little
imagination. These rules were not employed wholesale (which would have led
to the entire population of Europe being burnt at the stake !), but rather
they were employed selectively. 

	An interesting fact is that the accusations were not used so much to
attack political enemies, but rather victims were selected at random from
those least likely to complain, and the spectacle of their ordeals was used
to maintain fear in the general population.

	You see the same thing time and time again in all societies
throughout history - You could find yourself being accused of being a
Christain (throw them to the lions !), or maybe a Communist (quick, call
McCarthy !), a Witch, a Heathen, a reckless hooligan, a Male Chauvinist Pig,
a racist, a fascist, a lesbian, etc, etc.

	Now we are entering the age of the 'Disturbed, Anti-social,
Computer-Geek Paedophile' - those who are pushing their sick ideas on 'Our
Children', and causing all of the school shootings. Soon, it will be
statistically proven that all Drug problems are related to the internet. 

	I am just waiting for the article on A Current Affair, or in the
Sunday Mail, that finds that the people responsible for the current Snotown
atrocity 'Were known to have used the Internet on at least 1 occasion', and
if we are lucky, we might even be treated to a log file of the URL's that
they visited - just you wait and see, I betcha they try this one.  This will
be used as all the more reason why the Internet is wrong, and needs to be
controlled (for the sake of Our Children of course)

	By the time that happens, anyone who tries to argue against the law
will have no hope at all ... Every time to try and attack the situation, the
stupid masses will look and you and think 'hmmm ...computer geek paedophile,
disturbed individual ! - avoid ! avoid ! avoid !'

	Well, wait and see ....


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