Now I know that terrorism versus civil liberties is a contentious issue and all, but I firmly believe that prevention is better than cure. And so, where there are reasonable grounds for suspicion that a terrorist act is going to take place, I would much prefer to see it nipped in the bud. Certainly that rather than some sort of rucksack- related Tube massacre and the security services telling us “Oh yeah – we kind of thought that was going to happen”.
That doesn’t mean that I am in favour of all the new laws which have recently been brought in in the UK by a struggling ZaNu-labour Government, though. The whole 42-days detention is a little OTT as far as I’m concerned. But of course, with the changing face of the terrorist threat over the past few years, some tightening up and realigning of the laws was certainly necessary.
But have these laws got a little bit daft now? Nothing so simple as “murder” or “rape” – two men in Blackburn have been charged (and here I quote):
…with possession of an article in circumstances which give rise to a reasonable suspicion that possession is for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.
…over a plot (which didn’t exist) to assassinate Gordon Brown. Bit of a mouthful, hey? I wonder if the officer who read the suspects their rights had to have a little crib sheet to make sure he got it right.
OK. Enough of that. I am going to go and switch the kettle on in circumstances where the heating of water together with the possession of dark brown powder may give rise to a reasonable chance of preparation and inbibing of a pleasant morning beverage.
4 Comments
Yup, and nonsense charges like that are probably gonna be more commonplace.
You can be arrested for having a tub of toothpaste.
cloudgazer » you buy your toothpaste in a tub?
I’ve never deluded myself that the UK was “Utopia”, when compared with South Africa, but I’m starting to become really concerned with the nannying/big brother laws being passed in the country that I live in.
There are so many things that I am now not allowed to do, and if I do the things that I can do incorrectly, I will be fined and/or receive a criminal record!
“Common sense” is being obliterated by “Health & Safety” rules, and words are disappearing from our daily vocab… words like “accident”.
Nothing is done without carrying out a risk assessment, so I sincerely hope you weighed up the risk of boiling water to make that coffee. After all, you have vulnerable (read children) people in your home, and your children have the right not to be exposed to a dangerous environment which a boiling kettle represents.
Don’t worry, I won’t carry on with my risk analysis… I have a feeling you’d cosh me if you had the chance!
Helga Hansen’s last blog post was: Work + No Time = No HNT (Note: 6000 miles… is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)
cloudy has that big ole smile to service, of course it’s a tub.
They also arrested a 78 year old man for alignment problems with his wheelie.
Life in the fast lane…. and there’s always that old nugget.. “If you’ve done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear”