[LINK] Gillard backs internet filter

[Brendan Scott]

On 07/08/2010 04:06 PM, Stilgherrian wrote:
> On 08/07/2010, at 3:56 PM, Brendan Scott wrote:

[]

>> Now that the cold war is over there is no political reason to
>> promote individual liberty any more.  You ought to expect gradual
>> and relentless encroachments on individual freedom - the last 20
>> years ought to be evidence enough.
> 
> Isn't this over-thinking it?
> 
> The policy got up because a vocal section of the community that's
> very good at lobbying, namely the Australian [some-]Christian Lobby,
> called for it, and there was a party leader who took a pragmatic
> approach to winning an election.


If you accept the thesis, it is relevant to the debate because it creates a background presumption in favour of Government intervention and end-justifies-the-means.  Filtering is just one more thing. 

As to the thesis, it's a Thursday afternoon off-the-top-of-my-headism and I would love to be peppered with counter examples.  Where are the political initiatives to defend freedom in the world?  I can think of one - Iceland deciding to house a wikileaks server. 

B