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Australian Government Sanctions People For Sharing Unauthorized Thoughts

Johnstone, Cailtin
http://caitlinjohnstone.com/2022/03/08/australian-government-sanctions-people-for-sharing-unauthorized-thoughts

Date Written:  08/03/2022
Year Published:  2022  
Resource Type:  Article

Stomping on speech which doesn't align with the authorized opinions of the government and the globe-spanning empire of which it is a member state.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt:

Whether you agree with these opinions or not, you'd have to be blind not to see the dangers of speech getting stomped out which doesn't align with the authorized opinions of the government and the globe-spanning empire of which it is a member state. It is not valid to simply label dissenting ideas 'propaganda to legitimise Russia's invasion' and then shut them down; in a free society we're meant to debate ideas and explain our positions to convince others that they are correct.

An ostensibly free and democratic nation labeling basic political opinions and ideas about points of geopolitical contention 'pro-Kremlin propaganda' and implementing punitive sanctions in response has implications that are uncomfortable to think about. As an Australian who frequently disagrees with Canberra about unaligned foreign governments including Moscow, I am frankly feeling a bit nervous that I might myself be designated a person 'of strategic interest to Russia' and penalized in some way for 'disseminating false narratives'.

Securing more and more control over the ideas and information that people share with each other is an objective of unparalleled importance of the oligarchic empire loosely centralized around the United States. It is an intrinsically valuable goal; anywhere control of speech can be expanded is strategically useful for that expansion in and of itself, independent of the excuses made to justify it. Hopefully we all collectively find a way to unplug each other from the imperial narrative matrix before they can secure total control.

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