Via the Landed Underclass and Old Holborn, I am drawn to this Telegraph article by Bruno Waterfield regarding the EU and its disdain for the proles.
A secret European Commission report has come out strongly against the “anti-establishment activity” of blogging as part of an analysis of the internet and “its implications for public opinion about the EU”.
They’ve “come out strongly against” what they call anti-establishment activity. So, no great lovers of the democratic process, then, our beloved Eurocrats. Not that we believed that they were, or anything. After all, political discussions are a part of the democratic process, are they not? Why, exactly, have they come out so strongly against us talking to each other, I wonder?
But the strongest language and darkest fears are reserved for the realm of the internet with its message boards, blogs and independence.
This realm is all the more dangerous in EU eyes, as we have seen before, because it communicates to many people, it is comparatively unregulated, it is comparatively independent of state or private media monopoly, and it is easy for people to do themselves.
Oh, my God! I’m going to have a fit of the vapours. We can communicate to many people and we can do it easily ourselves… gasp… without the state doing it for us, it’s unregulated OMG! And, and… it’s independent of the state! Or, more importantly, it’s all happening without their permission and these nasty, vindictive, authoritarian parasites believe that we need their permission. We do not. They work for us, not the other way around. Not that you would realise this, listening to the venal bastards. The reason that the people of the EU don’t like the EU is because it is run by a bunch of unelected, self-serving, authoritarian cunts. Oh, sorry, do I have EU permission to use the “C” word?
On the matter of that famous Irish vote:
“Blogging is also seen as an anti-establishment activity. Few Yes campaigners came out with forceful counter arguments or were inspired to do so. Because of the many different sources of No campaigners on the internet, classic rebuttals is [sic] made impossible,” says the report – which makes no recommendations.
Blogging is an anti-establishment activity. Well, I guess they haven’t been reading Neil Harding or Luke Akehurst of late, then. Not that I would bother too much, unless tedious brown-nosing is your thing. Blogging came along for me at a time when I started feeling particularly angry with a government that I previously supported. The issue of Identity Cards and the paraphernalia of the surveillance society triggered an impulse to rail against it, to shout loudly from the rooftops; “NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” You could argue that this blog is a direct result of Labour Party policy; they only have themselves to blame.
“Blog activity remains overwhelmingly negative.”
Oh, really? I wonder why that is? That said; so what?
The web, you see, is not yet dominated by the conformist consensus that permeates the traditional media and political establishment.
And I hope that it never does become dominated by the “conformist consensus”. Conformity; Jesus, what an ugly word that is. Of course, the EU is still smarting about that Irish “no” vote. Well, that’s just too bad. That, frankly, is what happens in a democratic vote; sometimes things don’t go the way you want them to. Grow up and get over it.
Landed Underclass has some worries about all of this.
It seems inevitable that the EU and its minions in the provincial government will try something on before long. The pattern firmly established suggests that a scare will be raised, possibly based on a staged incident, which will be used to justify the regulation which the EU requires.
Indeed, the spectre of regulation rears its ugly head once again. I’ve discussed this before. Of course, we should pause briefly here to consider that politicians have been complaining for some while that the great unwashed don’t get involved in politics. It seems that when we do, they don’t like it because we are off message.
Still, what about that regulation that LU is on about?
Of course they might just do it by licensing computers as TV receivers, as the BBC has always intended, and then by banning any internet software not issued by themselves. I’m not sure what we could do about that.
That is a worrying and all too possible scenario. But, take this place for example. None of the software is on the computer. It is on a server somewhere in Utah. So unless there is agreement with the EU and the USA to do away with their first amendment right to freedom of speech, then the EU are going to have a problem. You see, I don’t even need a browser to access the blog. I use Blogjet to write my posts and then simply upload them, so they would have to make that illegal, too. Indeed, I can’t help wondering just how they could control the plethora of hardware and software out there and keep tabs on it all. Oh, I expect they will try. But, there will always be a workaround.
Bruno Waterfield is more optimistic than LU:
The writing is on the wall – or rather the web – and there is nothing the EU can do about it. The internet remains a democratic medium – for now and the foreseeable future.
I do hope he is right.
“Bruno Waterfield is more optimistic than LU:
The writing is on the wall – or rather the web – and there is nothing the EU can do about it. The internet remains a democratic medium – for now and the foreseeable future.
I do hope he is right”
I used to hope for moderation and common sense to prevail, but the smoking ban put a final ‘paid’ to that notion.
If we want to keep what we have, then aggressive vigilance and a real preparedness to resist will be essential…
Hosting in the USA being the first step.
This is very worrying indeed. All they need is a good scapegoat to scare the public and we’re all done for.
I believe one day we may have to fight these fascists in the street.
tbrrobs last blog post..Goon of the week — don’t take pictures near cliffs
This lot have been like it ever since they first landed in 1997 shouting “Modernise, modernise, modernise”. It was a joke then, people could laugh at the exuberence of a crowd of crackpots who had been out of power for longer than they thought right. But slowly, far too slowly, the penny is sinking in. There is evil intent behind it.
Remember that one of the intents is to take us into a nation state called Europe. That nation’s single system of law will be Napoleonic, not Common Law. Herein lies the difference to which you refer. In Common Law, everything that is not explicitly forbidden is permissible. In Napoleonic Law, everything that is not explicitly permitted is forbidden.
Who gave you or me permission to blog? Therefore under the new rules we are guilty of an offence. Quite similar to the current problems with photography, actually.
Yokel’s blog is on a server in Holland at present so had better make a note to move that shortly. Wondering if a move out of the Anglosphere (and ECHELON) might not be a good idea whilst on the move.
Yes, it’s worrying, but I still quite enjoy it in a way when they come out with crap like this – it demonstrates to everyone what utterly authoritarian twats they are.
As if most of us didn’t know already…well, those of us who follow this kind of thing, anyway.
I have alwasy assumed that Blogger’s/Blogspot’s servers are in the USA. Are they?
I’ve always assumed that they were, but I wouldn’t swear to it.
Maybe the Russians will make a mint hosting blogs?
But then seeing what else we lost yesterday by vote of the Toy Parliament (link), the only reason for moving elsewhere is to make it more difficult for them to find you. Once they’ve identified you, a quick trial in absentia and a EU Arrest Warrant will soon sort out the opposition.
That one didn’t escape me. 😐