Human Rights Are a Weapon Used against the People
From the desk of The Brussels Journal on Tue, 2007-06-26 16:55
A quote from David Warren at his blog, 23 June 2007
The most frightening proposal [in the forthcoming EU Treaty] is the one least appreciated: to create a European “charter of fundamental rights” that will accomplish the precise opposite of what it claims. It will swing the iron claw of “progressive thought” through the soft flesh of human variety, enterprise, and freedom, on an unprecedented scale.
It is time people realized that “human rights codes” are a weapon employed by the state to suppress disapproved behaviour by the individual. They cannot be wielded by the individual against the state, as independent civil and criminal courts could be. They are star chambers used, and designed to be used, to mount show trials, in which persons who fail to snap to attention when commissar issues the latest political corrections may be publicly demonized. By removing all of their victims’ established legal protections – presumption of innocence, the right to know one’s accuser, to be tried by a jury of one’s peers, et cetera – they put a jackboot directly in the teeth of the tradition of human liberty descending from Magna Charta. The tribunals are created, always, by bureaucratic fiat.
Democracy is not quite dead in Europe, but getting that way. The cumbersome, incompetent, ridiculously corrupt, incredibly arrogant, and unelected Euro-bureaucracy is already in a position to dictate trans-European policies that by-pass all national legislatures. […] An organization that began after the Second World War as a free-trade agreement has morphed into the world’s biggest nanny state. It has tremendous power, and no responsibilities: the prerogative of the harlot on a scale that is impossible for the citizen to imagine.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the Polish prime minister, tossed a spanner quixotically into the works this week, by complaining about the proposed new voting arrangements, that would extend Germany’s influence at the expense of Poland’s. He noted that Poland would have a much bigger population, had it not been for the millions of Poles exterminated by Germans in the Second World War. “If Poland had not had to live through the years of 1939-45, Poland would be today looking at the demographics of a country of 66 million.”
I like this man. He creates trouble for people I dislike. He is among the few European politicians willing to mention the two things you never mention in the company of European politicians: the War, and Europe’s Christian heritage.
Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss...
Submitted by Amsterdamsky on Wed, 2007-06-27 10:20.
"The "regulation of Investigatory powers act" removed most regulation from the use of the police's powers to investigate whoever they want to, for whatever they want to."
Not sure this changes much really. French police already do whatever they want to whomever they want. I have been stopped and searched randomly there at least 10 times in the last year because I have Dutch license plates. I certainly wish our Dutch police would return the favor to these assholes. No respect for any EU treaties whatsoever. When the Dutch reject the next "Constitution" it will mostly be about getting rid of France.
Newspeak is the official language
Submitted by MarkE on Wed, 2007-06-27 10:01.
The "charter of fundamental rights" is not the only example of newspeak we see, nor is it the worst (we do still the right to do as we're told, without question).
The "regulation of Investigatory powers act" removed most regulation from the use of the police's powers to investigate whoever they want to, for whatever they want to.
The "Freedom of Information Act" is used to make it harder to get information about our politicians.
Of course, if you complain you are accused being against having fundamental rights, regulation of police investigations and freedom of information. This usefully absolves those defending the acts of any need to counter your arguments against them.
“charter of fundamental rights”
Submitted by Amsterdamsky on Wed, 2007-06-27 09:03.
“charter of fundamental rights” that will accomplish the precise opposite of what it claims.
Freedom is slavery! Black is white! The quote is exactly correct.
“If Poland had not had to live through the years of 1939-45, Poland would be today looking at the demographics of a country of 66 million.”
If we are counting dead Polacks why not dead US servicemen? That is a voting block larger than Luxembourg.
If I am not mistaken this is the clause we should be worried about
"5) Replacement of Article 6 on fundamental rights with a text reading as follows:17-18-19-20
"1. The Union recognises the rights, freedoms and principles set out in the Charter of Fundamental
December 2000, as adapted on [... 200721], which shall have the same legal value as the Treaties."
English?
Submitted by Cogito on Tue, 2007-06-26 19:43.
"They are star chambers used, and designed to be used, to mount show trials, in which persons who fail to snap to attention when commissar issues the latest political corrections may be publicly demonized"
When I read this sentence, I read it again hoping that at second reading, I would understand it. Not. So I read it again, no analysed it and yes! I understood it.
In the mean time I had guessed that David Warren must be British, not American.
Sure his English is definitely much, much better than mine, but take this from one of the many non native english speakers among readers of this website: It is not your English that is the most readable and enjoyable.
Same goes for Eliab Harvey and Daniel Hannan, and George Handlery. Sorry guys, I guess it 's me, not you, though my English is pretty good for a non native English speaker.
Also, American writers seem to be as non native English speaking as me, measured to their degree of understandability. That is probably a way of blaming Brits for their writing style in a way they can appreciate :-)
Oh, yes, allow me:
They are star chambers, used and designed to be used to mount show trials, in which persons, who fail to snap to attention when the commissar issues the latest political corrections, may be publicly demonized.
Oh yes: Good content! I like the Kaczinsky brothers too, for about the same reasons.