Re:Email service used by Snowden shuts down, warns against u...
by graeme on Friday August 09, 2013 @01:11PM
(#6186862)
These issues aren't black and white. Calling the US a police state is perhaps unhelpful.
Emerging police state may be more accurate. The people who use such language note trends. The USA still has liberty, but things are moving in the wrong direction.
An article is on the front page on the increasing militarization of police forces. This level of police action surpasses the level of state violence in many police states.
I've lived in one police state: Cuba. In many ways, the Cubans were freer of speech than Americans are, and they faced less police intrusion in their lives.
And, in other ways, the Cubans were less free and faced more restrictions on speech. Chiefly, when someone decided to step out of line and move from passive complainer to actual threat to the state.
My point is this. The USA is still a free country. Citizens enjoy great liberty. However, there are many elements of US society that surpass the excesses of 'police states'. Those trends are increasing, not decreasing.
Pointing out that the institutions of American democracy still exist and exercise certain functions does not refute any concerns about increasing state violence.
When is the appropriate moment to voice concerns that the USA is moving towards becoming a police state? Once it happens, it will be too late.
Emerging police state may be more accurate. The people who use such language note trends. The USA still has liberty, but things are moving in the wrong direction.
An article is on the front page on the increasing militarization of police forces. This level of police action surpasses the level of state violence in many police states.
I've lived in one police state: Cuba. In many ways, the Cubans were freer of speech than Americans are, and they faced less police intrusion in their lives.
And, in other ways, the Cubans were less free and faced more restrictions on speech. Chiefly, when someone decided to step out of line and move from passive complainer to actual threat to the state.
My point is this. The USA is still a free country. Citizens enjoy great liberty. However, there are many elements of US society that surpass the excesses of 'police states'. Those trends are increasing, not decreasing.
Pointing out that the institutions of American democracy still exist and exercise certain functions does not refute any concerns about increasing state violence.
When is the appropriate moment to voice concerns that the USA is moving towards becoming a police state? Once it happens, it will be too late.