Democracy and civil rights. It would be difficult to find anyone in the western world who does not subscribe to these principles. At least in public.
Yet, we are steadily moving away from these values.
It is being done in many small steps. Always justified with the best of intentions – like security, fighting serious crime, child protection, the war on drugs, copyright protection and combating hate speech. Just to mention a few.
Nevertheless – without a doubt – we are limiting privacy, free speech, rule of law and equal rights. It seems to be a non-reversible process. And sooner or later, the many small steps will end up being a giant leap.
Democracy and civil rights can only be curtailed so many times before the consequences will be dire.
»We have to strike a balance between fundamental rights and security« politicians say. And every time that is being done, civil rights are hollowed out. When you repeat this process time and time again – fundamental rights will be reduced to empty words.
This is extremely serious. But nobody really seems to care.
One day we will wake up to a society where you cannot speak your mind, where everything you do is observed and scrutinized, where courts no longer is a guarantee for fair trials, and where it doesn’t matter if you are innocent or guilty – you will have everything to fear.
You will have to be blind not to see the writing on the wall.
Please, do not trust politicians with upholding our fundamental rights. They have a different agenda. They are the ones limiting them.
Our civil rights can only be upheld, protected and won back by the people. It is in no one else’s interest.
/ HAX
