Rights and Freedom

It has been a while since I have posted, and was thinking about just letting this die but have changed my mind. 2 reasons, have purchased my own domain. joshjgordon.com not sure what to do with it, or how to move this across, any one with advice would be nice, but I will look into it after exams probably.

2nd reason, I need a place to be angry and vent. Something made me angry today, so I am here shouting at the Internet.

I have very few beliefs, in fact my only one that I can think of right now is freedom. Weather that be in the case of a free market, freedom of movement, freedom of expression, freedom of education, even freedom of immigration etc. (which I see as just an extension of the free market by the way, to have a free system you need complete freedom of movement internally and externally.) and freedom to be anonymous.

Anyway, shouting..... I have noticed over the past few years an erosion of these freedoms. some have never existed and really should have done and some were never been as strong as they should be.

But what has really gotten me annoyed recently is the G20 protest, a couple of things.

First off to make it clear, I do not agree with what the protesters are saying and generally do not listen to the objections of people with nothing better to do unless they offer decent solutions, but I will defend to the death their right to say it.

I considered going down to have a wonder round the protest just to say I was there and ask some of them some awkward questions. Just for a day out really, not to protest not to case trouble just to be a bit of a tourist. I am very glad I did not.

In the past couple of days I have heard some stories about people doing as I have planned to do, just go down for a look around and then being trapped for hours in a police barricade.

here is quite a good account, http://rooreynolds.com/2009/04/01/on-the-ground-at-the-g20-protests/

there are others but I cannot find the links at the moment.

of people being trapped against their will. Not prevented from accessing somewhere, but completely trapped! The guy from the link above was only able to get out because he flashed his BBC ID card.

Why was this done? Why were protesters blocked in on all sides? It is just asking for trouble, you trap a group of people in a confined space without food or water and they become a mob. It is that simple. I am very very surprised that there were not huge clashes with the police barricade at the end of the day.

Obviously the treats from various anarchist groups to case hassle did not help things, but it is not an excuse! if people case damage or try to start a fight, arrest them and charge them. If they are just standing there being peaceful then what the fuck did the police think they were doing! Is there not a serious case here of one of the articles of human rights, I think article 5 liberty of movement but it has been a long time since I studied law.

Then there is the story Andy brought to my attention, few links

http://aiusepsi.co.uk/2009/police-brutality/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/07/video-g20-police-assault



Seriously, what the fuck is going on! an Innocent man attacked for no reason! now I normally do not jump to conclusions and if it turns out that this was justified by the police officer concerned I will unreservedly apologise, but I really do not see this happening.

A man not involved in the protest, just walking home from work brutally attacked by a police officer in riot gear. And the most horrific thing is that if he had not have died recently after the attack, no one would have heard about it.

I am normally a peaceful and law abiding man, but if anyone feels like getting dressed up in riot gear and forming a square around Scotland Yard and preventing them from leaving until almost midnight, occasionally randomly beating and pushing to the ground a few of them, I am up for it.

I am seriously really pissed off with what has happened to our laws recently.

ID cards being introduced, several instances of police brutality, restrictions on protesting around Westminster and other places without police approval, 28 day detention without charge ( could have been 42 or 90 days have the government gotten its way on 2 previous attempts), potential databases tracking recording our phone calls and emails.

I mean seriously what the fuck is going on. I am beginning to think that Guy Fawkes may have had the right sort of idea.

running out of battery now, will post more later.