Thoughts on Freedom

The below op-ed was published in the AFR today under the title Let People be Free to Choose (need subscription).

Apparently, the only people in our society smart and responsible enough to make important life decisions are politicians and bureaucrats. They make decisions about where we should spend our money, which hobbies are appropriate, and how much risk we should accept. 

The reason for this government control is the perception that some people can’t live without help and guidance. While some liberals object to this paternalism, such sentiments are clearly popular with a majority of Australians. 

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… for gun-owners (and others, too).

This is the first I’ve heard of this idea, and it’s got me well stumped.

The food nazis sometimes mention the idea of a “fat tax” to penalise people who like to eat the “wrong” food. Japan has taken the idea one step further.

The Japanese government now requires all citizens over the age of 40 to have their waists measured every year… and if the waist is more than 33.5 inches (man) or 25.5 inches (women) they are referred to couseling and close monitoring. Any company that fails to slim down their workforce will face penalties.

The sad thing is that these measures will probably be supported by the wowser-brigade… and the wowsers seem to be winning the political argument in Australia. They have already marginalised smokers as a pariah group on the fringe of polite society and are now attacking the “three-beer-binge” drinkers, with new recomendations to increase the drinking age to 21, lower alcohol content in drinks and make it harder to buy alcohol.

One of the most disappointing trends in Australia (and the developed world more generally) is the trend towards paternalism in everyday life. We are steadily moving towards a society where everybody is “free” to do exactly what they are told by the Department of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice — the lifestyle police.

This was passed on to me by Viv Forbes. We need to find the originator of this document and have the constitution itself done by the same person. One thing we can safely assume is that there are other libertarians out there somewhere.

‘We the sensible people of Australia, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and other liberal bed-wetters. Read more »

I owe David Leyonhjelm for bringing this to my attention. There appears to be significant change afoot in Libya, and not the usual ‘Oh shit’ change, but real change for the better. This is not only in the economic area, but also to a limited degree socially.

 Since December 2003, when Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction and to renounce terrorism, relations with the West have improved to the point where relatively normal relations exist with them. Come to think about it, it seems kind of odd not having Gadhafi making a bloody nuisance of himself.

 Gadhafi will never be acceptable in polite society owing to some of the extremes he went to during his pariah years, but will probably get along with governments just fine. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt as far as the reform to his character but his past will always make him thoroughly reprehensible.

 Free market style reforms will do a great deal to improve the economy as it has done in a number of countries in the past. The massive oil revenues of Libya will of course be used by the left as a smokescreen to excuse themselves from having to make any embarrassing admissions. Read more »

An anonymous Norweigen, using the alias John Smith, recently asked if the ALS could publicise his request for help. Following the controversy about Danish caricatures of the Islamic prophet Mohammad, “John Smith” wants to up the ante by introducing more caracatures. His request is below:

1001 caricatures of Mohammad

What should the answer of the freedom loving peoples of the west be ageist the fascist forces in Islam who threatens with violence to stop critical opinions and caricatures of Islam?

If you are one of many who share my beliefs that we have to fight this totalitarian ideology, you now have the possibility to participate. I am writing a book called “1001 caricatures of Mohammad as a defense, for the right to ask the critical questions and make caricatures”. As you understand from the books title, I need contributions in the form of 1001 caricature drawings of Mohammad.

I am writing this book under a fictional name because of the dangers combined with expression critical views of Islam. Any contribution will be protected in the same manner as my self.

Make history; defend the freedom too many take for granted. With a pen you can stand up and fight for the right to be free in the battle of liberty for all the peoples of the world.  Send your contribution to: 1001.muhammed@gmail.com.

I’m not so sure about this. I agree with freedom of speech, as one example of the general freedom to do what you like with what you own as long as it’s peaceful and voluntary. I don’t think the government should stop John Smith from publishing his book.

However, I’m not sure about the morality of publishing a book that intends to offend, simply to make the point that it should be legal to offend.

Likewise, I don’t think the government should prevent art works like “piss christ” (a picture of Jesus covered in piss)… but I’m not sure that it is in good taste. According to my moral radar, it’s inappropriate to offend people, unless you’re making another necessary point. The only point of piss christ and mohammad caracatures is “ha ha… I am allowed to offend you”. It would be like calling somebody an asshole simply to prove that you’re allowed to call them an asshole. Legal? Sure. Friendly? No.

On the other hand, there have been death threats and absurd over-reactions by some people regarding the Mohammad caracatures. It would be a shame if this coercion was successful. Perhaps it is appropriate for somebody to repeat the caracature episode simply to show that threats and intimidation will not be tolerated or respected in a free (well… relatively free) society. This is unfair to peaceful Muslims, but perhaps it is necessary.

I am not publishing John Smith’s request because I want people to participate. Personally, I won’t. Instead, I want to use this debate to spark a debate about when it is morally appropriate to be offensive?

“Liberty, if it means anything at all, is the right to tell people what they don’t want to hear.”

There is one ideal that unites all those who love liberty, a concept that also unites the free world - the right to speak freely.

Freedom of speech is not the right to say anything to anyone. There are caveats. These include inciting violence (Sir Iqbal Sacranie, head of the Muslim Council of Britain is perfectly entitled to his opinion that homosexuality is ‘not acceptable’ but he would not be entitled to incite physical attacks on gays - not that he does, of course). Defamation, slander and libel are illiberal (i cannot accuse someone of being a drug dealer without firm evidence) and inciting a riot (i cannot shout fire in a crowded theatre) is also a no-no. Free speech is also subordinate to private property rights. For instance, commenters here who shout ‘you’re a f***ing idiot’ will see their comments deleted.

That said, the act of ‘causing offence’ is most definitely not an exception. As Orwell wrote over 60 years ago, it is the essence of free speech.

Every so often, our belief in free speech is tested. Geert Wilder’s latest movie, Fitna, is such a test. Let’s see how the world fared;

Fail

i) Australia - ‘In Australia, we believe in the right to freedom of expression, but we don’t believe in that right to incite racial hatred.’

Stephen Smith, Australia’s Foreign Minister

ii) The EU - ‘The European Union and its member states apply the principle of the freedom of speech which is part of our values and traditions. However, it should be exercised in a spirit of respect for religious and other beliefs and convictions.’

Slovenia, rotating head of the EU

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Well done, Pommy, you’ve sent the blog stats into overdrive… I even took a screenshot of the WordPress home page for keepsies. Classic stuff… not sure how it happened, but our most popular post yet. BTW, you can watch (and download) Fitna here.

UPDATE: I should probably also mention that I’ve blogged this over at Catallaxy, in part because I have Dutch relatives and find the whole issue interesting from their perspective.

I found this picture care of facebook. It shows a recent student protest (19th of March) in favour of retaining freedom of association and in favour of repudiating compulsory collectivism. Well done to all those involved in this event defending voluntary student unionism (VSU).

From ABC News.  

 The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is under fire after raiding the homes of two Victorians suffering from terminal illnesses.      

Controversial euthanasia campaigner Doctor Philip Nitschke says AFP officers executed search warrants on 78-year-old Don Flounders of Warragul, and 54-year-old Angie Belecciu of Hastings on Wednesday after the pair announced on television they planned to end their own lives.

Mr. Flounders suffers from the asbestos-related disease mesothelioma and Ms Belecciu is terminally ill with breast cancer. Read more »

My parents only bothered to take out citizenship a few years ago. They have lived here so long that they are part of the funiture. However they never applied to be citizens before that because as permanent residents they had all the civil liberties you would expect from a nice place such as Australia without the hassle of having to vote or do jury duty. Plus they were busy. In the end long after the kids had all moved on it was the desire for an aussie passport and the removal of the pledge of allegiance to the Queen which swung the deal and they did the deed.

Some immigrants are much more keen to tie the knot and become aussie citizens. However since July last year there is now a quiz and a longer waiting period of four years. I think that everybody should enjoy basic civil rights as soon as they arrive here, however the political rights associated with citizenship are a separate matter.

Is a four year wait before you can become a citizen too long, not long enough or just right?

I found this reference with some details about waiting periods in other countries. Read more »

Thanks for all the helpful feedback on my previous post. I will now be reforming my blogging style in order to make it more compatible with Australian libertarians.

From now on, I shall issue the “Aussie Libertarian Disclaimer” in all of my posts that criticise America. This will involve strategically placing a footnote with the words, “But China is worse, so that makes it OK”. It has to be an Aussie disclaimer because the pseudo-libertarians in America seem to think that all countries should be judged by the same standards.

So for example, if I was to comment on a news story involving an American soldier raping an Iraqi girl, I would at the end of the sentence place the appropriate footnote: “But China is worse, so that makes it OK”.

This should make my writing more compatible with common Australian libertarian practice.

Note, there is a disclaimer to the Aussie disclaimer: I can’t guarantee that China really is worse in every single case. It’s more the thought that counts. 

1. A recent study found that the US now imprisons more people than authoritarian China. Read the Washington Post report. But note that Jacob Sullum rightly asks us to be sceptical of China’s official incarceration figures.

2. Graphic video evidence of prisoner abuse in an American prison has emerged. Read Tim Lynch’s analysis. Remember this occurred in a domestic context where the rule of law is supposedly protected. It’s much harder to obtain such evidence from the secret prisons run by the CIA, or from Guantanamo Bay.

3. The latest edition of the Human Rights Record of the United States (prepared by the Chinese government to counter American preaching about human rights) is also worth reading.

Yep. The US truly is the most qualified nation to spread the values of freedom and democracy through the barrel of a gun.

The Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Bill 2007 has recently been introduced by the Rann government here in SA. Here’s just one of the exciting new powers they’re granting themselves:

Under the laws, scheduled to be debated next week in the House of Assembly, South Australians who have contact with bikies at least six times a year will face a minimum maximum of five years in jail.

Yes, you did read that correctly.

UPDATE: Suddenly remembering that mass media is usually about as accurate as a drunk, blindfolded darts player, I went and read the legislation for myself. The five years in jail is a maximum penalty, not minimum, and certain kinds of associations - e.g. lawful business associations - are disregarded. Here is the relevant section in full:

35—Criminal associations
(1) A person who associates, on not less than 6 occasions during a period of 12 months, with a person who is—
(a) a member of a declared organisation; or
(b) the subject of a control order,
is guilty of an offence.
Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 5 years.
(2) A person does not commit an offence against subsection (1) unless, on each occasion on which it is alleged that the person associated with another, the person knew that the other was—
(a) a member of a declared organisation; or
(b) a person the subject of a control order,
or was reckless as to that fact.
(3) A person who—
(a) has a criminal conviction (against the law of this State or another jurisdiction) of a kind prescribed by regulation; and
(b) associates, on not less than 6 occasions during a period of 12 months, with another person who has such a criminal conviction,
is guilty of an offence.
Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 5 years.
(4) A person does not commit an offence against subsection (3) unless, on each occasion on which it is alleged that the person associated with another, the person knew that the other had the relevant criminal conviction or was reckless as to that fact.
(5) A person may be guilty of an offence against subsection (1) or (3) in respect of associations with the same person or with different people.
(6) The following forms of associations will be disregarded for the purposes of this section unless the prosecution proves that the association was not reasonable in the circumstances:
(a) associations between close family members;
(b) associations occurring in the course of a lawful occupation, business or profession;
(c) associations occurring at a course of training or education of a prescribed kind between persons enrolled in the course;
(d) associations occurring at a rehabilitation, counselling or therapy session of a prescribed kind;
(e) associations occurring in lawful custody or in the course of complying with a court order;
(f) associations of a prescribed kind.

You can parse this yourself, but here is my reading of it:

- It is a criminal offence to be friends with members of “declared organisations” (i.e. bikie gangs)
- It is a criminal offence for criminals (convicted of ANY felony, if I’m reading this correctly) to be friends with each other.

Still pretty outrageous, then.

From Wikipedia:-

Euthanasia was legalized in Australia’s Northern Territory, by the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995. Soon after, the law was voided by an amendment by the Commonwealth to the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978.^[1] The powers of the Northern Territory legislature, unlike those of the State legislatures, are not guaranteed by the Australian constitution.

Yesterday The Age reported as follows:-

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown plans to introduce a private bill to the Senate next week aiming to restore the Northern Territory’s right-to-die legislation which was overturned by the commonwealth in 1997.

Senator Brown has written to Mr Rudd seeking his support for a conscience vote on the bill.

Lets hope the ALP government proves to be more liberal than the former Liberal government. 

Welcome to the nanny state, or should I say Labors new even more regressive version of the old one. The federal Government plans to protect the little children by censoring what we can access on the Internet. Little warning was given of this prior to the election, presumably because Howard didn’t say it so Kevvy didn’t have to say “Me too.”

 I also imagine as such a move would be unpopular, it was decided to keep us in the dark. Always remember that while politicians are always forthcoming about what they will do for you when seeking your vote, they are usually reticent about what they will do to you after they get it.

 Well I suppose we have to catch up with the rest of the world and following the examples of the great liberal democracies like China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, North Korea, and Burma is a promising start.

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It is not enough merely to call for freedom, democracy and human rights. There has to be a united determination to persevere in the struggle; to make sacrifices in the name of enduring truths; to resist the corrupting influences of desire, ill will, ignorance and fear.”Aung San Suu Kyi from her 1991 book, Freedom From Fear

I have to admit to a weakness for strong women. I admired Margaret Thatcher, and rather like Condoleezza Rice, and who could forget Boudicca (no ‘lefties’ though- sorry Hilary your not on my list) but when it comes to the crunch Aung San Suu Kyi leaves them for dead.

This girl stares down the barrels of loaded and cocked rifles for a living.

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I recently discovered the National Rifle Association publishes an Armed Citizen Database where they record news stories of law-abiding Americans using firearms to halt or prevent crime:

During the decades the American Rifleman has published “The Armed Citizen” column, thousands of incidents of law-abiding Americans using firearms to halt or prevent crime have appeared in the magazine. Editorial space allowing, the total could have been far greater of course, as award-winning survey research shows that each year in the U.S. gun owners use firearms for protection as frequently as 2.5 million times.

The right to own a firearm to protect yourself and your family is a fundamental civil liberty. One doesn’t actually have to fire the gun; even brandishing the weapon can often be enough to deter a criminal. It’s unfortunate neither mainstream party is supportive of this unfashionable aspect of civil liberties. 

Free speech at it’s best in this Youtube Video:-

We should speak with our enemies. However we should also keep it real. Bollinger delivers.

The following is from the latest “Bob Barr Update”; it seems to be a case of the nanny state and political correctness gone mad. 

Atlanta, GA –

Former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr today blasted school officials in Cobb County, Georgia, a northwest suburb of Atlanta, for seeking to bring felony charges against a 12th grade student, Wilford Ray Chandler, Jr., for simply having a small Swiss Army knife in his car in a school parking lot at Wheeler High School.

“The student posed no threat to anyone, and he was not using the knife in any threatening manner,” Barr noted, “in fact, he was not using the knife at all - it was simply in his car.” “Trying to ruin a student’s career before it even begins, by treating such an innocuous activity as having a Swiss Army pocketknife in a car, is nothing short of an unthinking, stupid, and vindictive exercise of government power,”Barr, a former federal prosecutor, said.

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