They say paranoia is just being in possession of all the facts. Clearly the minister of state security knows more than I do — he accuses us of “war talk” in relation to the secrecy bill. What? Not just that but we apparently have engaged in “personal attacks on members of the ad hoc committee working on the bill”. Eh?
There I thought I was doing my normal round of parliamentary submissions, one or two interviews, several tweets, and in fact I have been engaged in war talk, and in personal attacks on people.
Apparently the minister thinks, “this type of engagement is unwarranted and does nothing to add value to the debate and the work that is currently under way. If anything, it is dangerous and misguided”.
Really? Dangerous? Now look, I think I can craft a mean sentence every now and then, and I have been known to say a few cutting things, but I hardly think that puts me in the category of dangerous. Except … well you know, in the world intelligence, all is not as it seems. Perhaps, as I walk around saying things like, “The secrecy bill is a bad idea” people collapse behind me like dominos, just out of view.
In fact, as I type, there are people gasping for breath as my sentences whack them in the midriff … or not. Come on.
What really is dangerous is having a bunch of spooks that take themselves so seriously that they have actually tabled a bill allowing them to control all the information out there that isn’t a weather report (although, actually, I think those could be legitimately classified), and expected that we would all tap our noses, or whatever spies do, wink, nod, and pass to the other side of the road. Real people get that this is about real information, about their money and their government, and they just aren’t buying it.
Well said.
I don’t give a fig about ‘press freedom’ but as a tax payer I want to know that the people towards whose salaries I contribute, are doing what I pay them for.
And if they were/are not doing that job why should I pay them? (I hope that doesn’t border on: “No taxation without representation.” Because such thoughts may be seditious and bring my country to its knees.)
“….that they have actually tabled a bill allowing them to control all the information out there that isn’t a weather report….”.
Just imagine that a group of people must “control all information”…. I already spend hours on News24 and Thoughtleader, only reading 10% (???), responding when I feel like it.
With technology, one can scan a lot more but still, making a judgement call will take longer, a lot longer.
“Information overload” is the answer. All journo’s to produce twice, three times the amount of stuff, include letters to your oma (could contain sensitive information) and pudding recipes (could help making bombs).
In the process, you all create the many jobs Zuma promised some time ago. It is called “Patriotism”
there are already two holes in South African weather. The wind, rain and clouds all seem to stop at the borders of Lesotho and Swaziland, then carry on on the other side of the border….
Oddly enough rain that never falls on any weather a South African sees, later gets drunk by a South African…
So… erm rainfall in a state within our boarders is already an international-national secret
If you lived in Durban you’d know that we haven’t had any of the rain the weather reports have promised for months. They’re clearly being manipulated before release to the media to keep us calm in the face of drought.
Of coarse we have the whistle blower issue. That Person could be put in prison for blowing the whistle.
Another example is that of the Zuma tapes, the spying on the former president and NPA makes one wonder if these examples would not multiply.
All attempts to get to the truth on the aforementioned have thus far been blocked for one reason or another. The mind boggles thinking about the problems under the new act.
Please, can someone out there in favour of the Bill, please give us some examples of what should have been suppressed in the past? I am sure there has to be many examples. Or am I wrong? Come on, Davew Harris et al! Give us a list.
Those who want to control the free flow of information actually do not like information. They prefer propaganda and would be quite happy if the media promised to only publicise propaganda. The need for these bills would then fall away.