10 February 2014 — Le Monde Diplomatique
France’s Minister Valls: a mediocre, ambitious opportunist now dictating the ethics of speech. And all in what passes for a socialist regime. As we see in the UK, it’s amazing how quickly “Western democracies” move toward authoritarianism when it suits the ruling circles.
Freedom of speech is something we only really talk about with reference to statements we condemn. Damage done to this principle may last long after the motive and the rulers who exploited it have been forgotten. In the atmosphere of near-panic immediately after 9/11, only one US senator, Russell Feingold, voted against the Patriot Act with its freedom-destroying raft of measures, which were adopted en bloc by Congress on the pretext of combating terrorism. Thirteen years and one president later, these emergency measures are still in force.
The New Dark Age 