Silence is the only Right

I used to be an anglophile, but my affection for good old England has turned into exasperation and, sometimes, disgust. Here's the latest reason why.

Police are considering asking ministers for more powers to impose "instant justice" for anti-social activities. The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) is consulting members on whether to seek the authority to punish people without going to court. It has heard plans from one police chief for powers to ban teenagers from city centres and gangs from meeting up.

Ah, Britain. Where you can be fined for saying 'fuck' in a private conversation. Where every single child will soon be fingerprinted. Where all people will be ordered to carry an I.D. card at all times, to be swiped every time they withdraw a fairly small amount of money from the bank, buy an airline ticket, apply for a fishing license, purchase property, apply for a library card, get a prescription filled, and so on. Where the government wants to make the possession of "abusive porn" a crime. Where you can be sentenced to 80 hours of community service for wearing the wrong T-shirt. Where having a pen knife in your car can get you arrested.

Read the whole post. America is not too far behind. Not too far behind at all.

Kid Handsome