I have spent many years fighting for liberty for people in the old communist east block. There people who spoke their mind were imprisoned. The judicial system was mastered by the political elite. And government kept control by a system of intrusive surveillance.
Obviously, that system was built to protect the ruling political class from the people.
In the end that system fell apart and people got their civil liberties and personal freedoms back.
Disturbingly, today that system is in a state of resurrection. Right here.
In my home country, Sweden, laws against hate speech are increasingly suppressing freedom of speech. Just the other day some oddball artist who makes a point of annoying almost everyone was thrown in jail, just because of his art. In lower Swedish courts there is no separation of politics and the judiciary, as co-magistrates are appointed by the political parties. With the data retention program all citizens all phone calls, text messages, e-mails, internet connections and mobile positions are being logged.
And it’s not just Sweden. In the UK government officials shows up at a newspaper to smash a computer containing incriminating information. And the US is turning into some sort of police state.
It is obvious that we–in what used to be the free world–are building a new system to protect the ruling political class from the people.
This is extremely dangerous. Especially as our politicians and bureaucrats show no sign of restraint when it comes to introducing new laws and systems that infringe our privacy and curb our civil rights.
That is why the people must protect itself from the government. Encryption and new forms of secure communications are needed to defend our right to privacy; Bitcoins can move power over our money back from politicians to ordinary people and the market; Using free and open software will make it harder for those with a hidden agenda to invade our IT environment; Supporting consumer friendly and privacy minded Internet service providers will safeguard a free flow of information.
Now is the time for ordinary people to reclaim power from the government. And we have the tools to do it.
/ HAX
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