The Guardian – by Ai Weiwei Even though we know governments do all kinds of things I was shocked by the information about the US surveillance operation, Prism. To me, it’s abusively using government powers to interfere in individuals’ privacy. This is an important moment for international society to reconsider and protect individual rights.
I lived in the United States for 12 years. This abuse of state power goes totally against my understanding of what it means to be a civilised society, and it will be shocking for me if American citizens allow this to continue. The US has a great tradition of individualism and privacy and has long been a centre for free thinking and creativity as a result.
In our experience in China, basically there is no privacy at all – that is why China is far behind the world in important respects: even though it has become so rich, it trails behind in terms of passion, imagination and creativity.
Of course, we live under different kinds of legal conditions – in the west and in developed nations there are other laws that can balance or restrain the use of information if the government has it. That is not the case in China, and individuals are completely naked as a result. Intrusions can completely ruin a person’s life, and I don’t think that could happen in western nations.
But still, if we talk about abusive interference in individuals’ rights, Prism does the same. It puts individuals in a very vulnerable position. Privacy is a basic human right, one of the very core values. There is no guarantee that China, the US or any other government will not use the information falsely or wrongly. I think especially that a nation like the US, which is technically advanced, should not take advantage of its power. It encourages other nations.
Before the information age the Chinese government could decide you were a counter-revolutionary just because a neighbour reported something they had overheard. Thousands, even millions of lives were ruined through the misuse of such information.
Today, through its technical abilities, the state can easily get into anybody’s bank account, private mail, conversations, and social media accounts. The internet and social media give us new possibilities of exploring ourselves.
But we have never exposed ourselves in this way before, and it makes us vulnerable if anyone chooses to use it against us. Any information or communication could put young people under the surveillance of the state. Very often, when oppressive states arrest people, they have that information in their hands. It can be used as a way of controlling you, to tell you: we know exactly what you’re thinking or doing. It can drive people to madness.
When human beings are scared and feel everything is exposed to the government, we will censor ourselves from free thinking. That’s dangerous for human development.
In the Soviet Union before, in China today, and even in the US, officials always think what they do is necessary, and firmly believe they do what is best for the state and the people. But the lesson that people should learn from history is the need to limit state power.
If a government is elected by the people, and is genuinely working for the people, they should not give in to these temptations.
During my detention in China I was watched 24 hours a day. The light was always on. There were two guards on two-hour shifts standing next to me – even watching when I swallowed a pill; I had to open mouth so they could see my throat. You have to take a shower in front of them; they watch you while you brush your teeth, in the name of making sure you’re not hurting yourself. They had three surveillance cameras to make sure the guards would not communicate with me.
But the guards whispered to me. They told stories about themselves. There is always humanity and privacy, even under the most restrictive conditions.
To limit power is to protect society. It is not only about protecting individuals’ rights but making power healthier.
Civilisation is built on that trust and everyone must fight to defend it, and to protect our vulnerable aspects – our inner feelings, our families. We must not hand over our rights to other people. No state power should be given that kind of trust. Not China. Not the US.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jun/11/nsa-surveillance-us-behaving-like-china
Well, 9/11 was a false flag operation that allowed passage of freedom crushing legislation and the covering up of massive financial crimes by targeting all the law enforcement units and their files. These massive crimes are part of the global socialist takeover using the banking system to steal all our money while they poison and sterilize the population. All they have to do is keep people distracted, fighting each other and in the dark while they complete their evil plans. They must therefore keep everyone in line and under their all seeing eye until they flick the switch and takeover. The future of the world is literally in the hands of American Patriots. They are going to have to put their foot down soon or it is game over; they can’t allow their guns to be taken.
The U.S. is behaving like China? Oh really, ya think? I’ve been saying that since I got back from China years ago. It’s not rocket science. Unfortunately it falls on deaf ears for the sheeple who have not even been out of their own zip code, let alone state.
Ya think China just might be the blueprint for the so-called ‘government’?
There you go again, #1. How many times do we have to tell you, Henry doesn’t accept conspiracy theories on this site. lol
By the way, we have a government? Where? lol
Who said anything about ‘we’, NC???
I never refer to THE so-called ‘government’ as ‘ours’. They’re nothing less than communist traitors (well, except for Obummer, seeing as how you have to actually BE a citizen (or national) of a country to be a traitor to it, imo)
I’m very particular about that. 🙂
I want to get in on this one with you NC and #1 but feelin – at this moment – kinda cheesy 🙂 LOL. Ya`ll know me 🙂 aw shucks.
What’s up, digger?
Liked the movie. Right at the beginning it talked about corporations, and how they will lie, cheat, steal and even kill to keep their wealth. In other words, TRUTH. I like that in a movie. Beats the hell out of being shovelled b.s. and pure propaganda. Anyway, good movie. 🙂
True, you did say, “THE” so called government and yes, Obama has to be a citizen or national in order to be called a traitor.
I’ll let it slide this time, #1. lol j/k.
Just remember, I’m ALWAYS politically incorrect. lol
Shit eatin` grin ear to ear ya know #1 @9:21 🙂 🙂 . I wasn`t referin` to that movie #1. I did that in another response earlier today :). Now that you mention that it was a good one I may have to watch it 🙂 , thanks. Oh well just all twisted tonight ya`ll know me ROFLMAO 🙂
The one serious flaw in the movie was that the heads of two corporations were arrested at the end, so it really wasn’t true to life then, was it? Sort of crossed over into the fantasy realm at that point.
There you go again, talking ‘theories’. 🙁
You know very well I only deal in FACTS, NC.
It gets old, these potshots from abroad. Hearing how “we” shouldn’t ‘allow’ the government to violate the law, the Constitution, and ourselves.
We’re obviously not allowed to vote on these things, and they certainly don’t ask our opinion. Congress and the law enforcement apparatus of this country, (to whom our grandparents and great grandparents relinquished our sovereignty years ago), are part & parcel of the criminal cabal. Our monetary system was corrupted long ago, and has been, and is being, used to steal not just from us, but from every other country on the planet.
So, short of wasting our ‘one vote’ by being a ‘lone gunman’ brought down by a SWAT team, what do you armchair quarterbacks propose “we” do?
If you don’t have a solution to the problem, then there’s not a damn thing we need to be hearing from you! Believe me, we’re thoroughly aware of what’s gone wrong in our country; We live here after all.
You obviously don’t get out this way much.
There is only ONE solution to this problem. It’s been stated countless times on this site. Our enemy is like the Terminator. They will not stop, EVER, until either we’re dead or totally enslaved, or they’re dead. The ONLY option that leaves us is to kill them before they kill us, once the SHTF.
There’s your solution.
Any questions?
I say hack/takeover NBC, FOX, CNN, MSNBC and all the MSM news airwaves and flood it with the Patriot News.
Communications first, disarmament of the treasonous government second.
Put the fear in them by using their MSM propaganda against them, make them run and then disarm them when they are scared shitless.
They are beyond being scared shitless. They are delusional NC. and that is why the only way to deal with them is to take them out. They do not want to work out a deal. They think that it is their way or no way and that is how they think and they have prouved it time and time again.
Just like you, I know what the ultimate solution is #1.
My rant is about the folks elsewhere who think it’s perfectly OK to chew us a new one because ‘we’ haven’t reined in our outlaw government.
For alternative options, NC’s idea would sure as hell put a hitch in their giddyup. Without the talking heads feeding pablum to the masses, the masses would be forced to do their own due diligence. That would start a revolution in short order.
After re-reading your comment, I see that I mistook the intent, and it was fairly obvious. My bad. It’s been a long week.
Like I said to NC @ 10:36 . It is a sad state of affairs but it is true #1. 🙁 There is no living with or working with TPTB.
Not a problem, and you’re damn sure right that it’s been a long one…