Philosophical Discussion : What If The Next Time You Clicked "Post NewTopic" Made You A Terrorist?

I thought this might make an interesting philosophical discusion for the likes of ATS'ers who post frequently here. For those of you who post a lot here, like I do, what I am referencing is the fact that the Terrorism Laws are changing and being modified in order to fit an agenda by people within power.

What if just based on you posting here, made the definition of who you are, fit the profile of what the Government states a "terrorist" was?

This may possibly be what the World Government has in mind eventually.

This may never happen.

I sure hope not anyway.

Can one man make the difference? Which difference will it make? Will that difference affect one person, or perhaps millions?


[edit on 1-7-2008 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

Your post is very confusing. You are posting the semantics of terrorism past any reasonable limit.

Terrorism is associated with the act of manipulating someone through an act of violence, and inducing fear in that person.

How is this related anyway to posting a topic at ATS? It doesn't make any sense to me. I am not sure what your meaning is here.

What if you were labeled a "convicted felon" through the act of drinking a glass of water, and in this context "convicted felon" was synonymous with "thirsty?" Could you then go to jail for being thirsty?

I don't get it. Maybe you can explain.

What if just based on you posting here, made the definition of who you are, fit the profile of what the Government states a "terrorist" was?

I say that it was a crime to classify people as such. Also, that it would be a clear sign of a totalitarian attack on freedom of thought.

Can one man make the difference? Which difference will it make? Will that difference affect one person, or perhaps millions?

Yes, one man or woman can make a difference. Taking a stand is the beginning. The difference is love. Love affect all.

Personally, i couldn't give a damn if i was labelled a terrorist, i was always ready for the event of my being mis-labelled in this way, so it's not as if i'm worried about it.

p.s; i've noticed you've started calling yourself a "Blackwater expert" SpartanKingLeonidas.

Can't think of anyone better placed to do so.

Well, seeing as I have a copy of the Constitution in my glove box, several agencies already seem to think that I fit the profile already, so I can't entirely dismiss what you have postulated as something that would never happen.

The way I see it, gold is mined from the obscurity of the earths crust. Therefore, I'd never assume that we here at ATS were far enough "off the radar" to never be considered as a source of information by the very conglomerates that we discuss.

We watch every day, as dissent is suppressed further and further by a government which was founded on that very principal. "Don't like the war? Fine, we'll take your house...". Post in the 9/11 forum at ATS? Fine, now you can't fly.

I'd still click the button. If it gets to that point, there'll surely be a few dozen other reason to label me as a terrorist, so what's one more?

In any logical time, terrorism is no doubt an act of violence. Physical or emotional assault towards another human being.

However, logic has been removed from Today's America. In George W. Bush's America, terrorism is not agreeing with the US governments policies...on terrorism of course. If you even defend Bin Laden and claim he's a freedom fighter who did what he felt was right in HIS eyes...you'd be called a terrorist when you are clearly stating a fact. But hey, this is the land of freedom fries isn't it?

Like I said, from 2000 to 2008---8 years---logic has been removed from this country's ideology.

The point I was getting to with this thread, in posting it is eventually, it's not going to be an act of violence, but an act of disobediance, or of speaking out that gets a person that label of "terrorist."

That will be a sad day indeed, because then America really will become worse than Nazi Germany ever was, because by then, the people who should have been doing something, will have lost the will to do it.



[edit on 2-7-2008 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

Originally posted by SpartanKingLeonidas
...What if just based on you posting here, made the definition of who you are, fit the profile of what the Government states a "terrorist" was?

What makes you think it already doesn't? After all, a "terrorist" can by ANYTHING THEY SAY IT IS, BY DEFINITION.

Nice catch-22, isn't it?

In our current troubled times, there appears to be no legal definition of a terrorist per se. As an example of how it has been applied in the UK, an 82-year old politically interested pensioner was at a Labour Party conference and heckled Jack Straw, a Labour politician, by shouting "Nonsense" during a speech.

He was ejected from the meeting and when he tried to re-enter the conference was arrested and detained under the Terrorism Act (a treat for our nation implemented by the Labour Government).

How can we define terrorism without recourse to legitimate and legal definitions of criminal acts? When does a "plan" constitute an illegal act? When does intent become an arrestable offence.

There are blurred boundaries around the whole "intent" subject. Clearly, if I am in legal possession of a shotgun, but am running through the town centre shouting "I'm gonna kill everybody" then there is good cause for alarm and an arrest by police officers. However, if I disagree with a policy of the government and plan a demonstration does that constitute a threat that can be categorised as terrorism?

I believe in the fundamental right of innocence until proven guilty. To be honest, the loss of that right is greater than the loss of life in an act of terrorism. I would just point out that WW2 saw the loss of millions of service men and women specifically to preserve the rights of freedom as they were then.

Now, English citizens can be arrested and held for 42 days without charge - whilst evidence is obtained. There were plans to increase it to over 90 days. That is effectively 3 months in prison for something that has not been proven or for which there is no demonstrable evidence at the time of arrest.

Yes, terrorism can mean anything the controlling government wants it to mean. Shame on us for what we have done with the legacy of freedom bequeathed us by fallen country men and women after WW2.

Adolf Hitler entered his government legally. What delight he would have at finding our current laws at his disposal. For all the lives that have been lost to acts of terrorism, the greatest damage is attributable to our governments.

Shame on all of us because it is happening right now.

I find it's interesting that something so small as hitting the enter button, or the click of a mouse could land you in prison, or even on a black flight to a secret C.I.A. prison overseas.

I got the idea for this post in thinking about all the people who spend countless hours online, sayins different things to different people around the world along with the previously outlined ideas I've mentioned I had that brought Me to posting this philosophical question.