Torture, disappearances, kidnappings, rule by executive decree, the dispensing and systematic violation of human rights, parliamentary democratic powers and constitutional rule, and summary extrajudicial executions, are the hallmarks of fascism. And across the West, we now have them all. Torture is in violation of international law, the Geneva Convention, and
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Dead Wild Roses: The Art of Civilized Torture – The Legacy of Dan Mitrione
This is where ‘patriots’ and others accuse me of hating the West and America. Good. Our inflated sense of being the ‘good guys’ and on the right side of history shields us from the monstrous atrocities that have been and are being committed in our name. The very truth
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Faiza Shaheen discusses the UK Cons’ attempts to paper over the harmful effects of austerity. And Amir Fleischmann points out that while the human cost of cuts to public services is all too real, the supposed fiscal benefits are usually illusory: Many social
Continue readingcartoon life: How I’m seeing nowadays
Seriously, the head cold and the cough rattle your eyeballs.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Anushka Asthana, Jessica Elgot and Rowena Mason report on Jeremy Corbyn’s path as Labour leader – which include genuinely moving the UK’s political centre of gravity to the left while improving his party’s electoral prospects in the process. – Andrew Boozary and
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Derrick O’Keefe makes the case for much-needed regime change in British Columbia, while Nancy MacDonald notes that such a result is far from guaranteed despite the Christy Clark Libs’ gross abuses of the public trust. And Christopher Pollon examines the close link between
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Terry Glavin argues that Canada’s response to Donald Trump’s Muslim ban needs to consist of more than the platitudes offered by Justin Trudeau, while Tom Parkin and Chantal Hebert point out that even Trudeau’s words to date have unduly downplayed Trump’s dangers.
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Relax. We’re a "Post-National State" Now. We Have No Core Values.
Sheesh, didn’t this guy get the memo from our first post-national prime minister, Justin the Liberated? I refer to Michael Doucet, executive director of Canada’s Security Intelligence Review Committee, the outfit that oversees our country’s spy apparatus and operations. Doucet questions whether Donald Trump’s espoused support for torture means Canada
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: You should be worried about Canada’s Anti-terrorism Act
Canadians observing the recent election in the USA should not become complacent over the threats to our securities and freedoms. Our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is showing arrogance and disregard for our freedom through Read more…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Mainly Macro offers a useful definition of neoliberalism, while highlighting its relationship to austerity. And Ed Finn writes that we shouldn’t be too quick to presume neoliberalism is going to disappear just because it’s proven to be harmful in practice – and that
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.- Lucy Shaddock offers a response to the Institute for Fiscal Studies’ report on poverty and inequality in the UK, while McKinsey finds that hundreds of millions of people in advanced economies are seein…
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Stephen Harper and the Afghan Torture Scandal
For years there have been rumours that Stephen Harper knew that some of our soldiers in Afghanistan were torturing the prisoners they captured. Or did nothing to stop others torturing them.But didn't do anything about it, because he just didn…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week.- George Monbiot discusses how neoliberal ideology has managed to take over as the default assumption in global governance – despite its disastrous and readily visible effects:(T)he past four decades have been characte…
Continue readingThings Are Good: White House Planning to Close Guantanamo Bay’s Infamous Torture Centre
Guantanamo Bay on the beautiful island of Cuba sounds like a great place if you don’t know anything about it. We do know what happens there and it’s immoral and likely illegal (probably even worthy of investigation by the International Criminal Court which the USA hasn’t ratified). The USA has
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: I missed International National Torture Day?
No one tells me ‘nuthin anymore. We missed the UN international torture day, it happened on June 26th and of course I hear about it after it happens. Our media coverage was, underwhelming, as torture must not bring us down from the elation felt in the US for the SCOTUS
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Freedom of Omar Khadr and the Shame of the Con Regime
I wrote my first post on Omar Khadr eight years ago, and called it The Guantanamo Kid and Canada's Shame.And nothing that has happened since has ever changed my view. For what was done to that child soldier has been one of the most shameful episodes in modern Canadian history, and
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On constitutional questions
Most of the analysis surrounding the Cons’ terror bill so far has assumed that CSIS’ powers will be interpreted based on a plain reading of the legislation. Under this reading of C-51, any action which could violate the Charter or other Canadian law would only be authorized by a warrant,
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On oversight
Since one of the main issues talked about so far in relation to the Cons’ terror bill is the question of oversight, I’ll point back to what I said the last time we were told that the way to split the difference between abuses of power and a desire for
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Break The Law And Aussie Cops Will Make You Listen To Nickelback!
Oi Oi Oi Indeed.
Continue readingAmericans OK with torture
The Pew Research Centre recently released the results of a survey of Americans about the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on CIA interrogation practices, a report which revealed the agency has engaged in torture. One might expect that the citizens of a nation known for its attention to civil rights would
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