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I agree that crimes and criminals should be reported to the police, but the UK seems to take it too far as usual. No surprise there

So now the entire populace is supposed to be the "thought police." Arrest people for crimes, not political views.

AndyC wrote:Not to defend the police, but ...

A spokesman for London's Metropolitan Police said police were only looking for information on criminal acts, and "does not seek to stigmatize those people with legitimate political views."

"We appreciate that the leaflet could have been worded better," a police statement acknowledged

And who decides the line between a criminal act and a political view? In many countries, certain political views are called "criminal" in order to imprison opposition.

People being encouraged to spy on their neighbors is a very very slippery slope to be on.

74novaman wrote:People being encouraged to spy on their neighbors is a very very slippery slope to be on.

I recall GWB asking us to do much the same thing post-911

Rex B wrote:

74novaman wrote:People being encouraged to spy on their neighbors is a very very slippery slope to be on.

I recall GWB asking us to do much the same thing post-911

Did I say "but only if its happening in britain?"

Any encouragement of a police style state, anywhere in the world is always a bad thing for freedom. Better?

Are these the same police that are breaking into peoples' homes?

AndyC wrote: Even in the US, one can legally have the most horrific political viewpoint eg. racist right-wingers who would have every non-white person enslaved, or radical left-wingers who want every person of Anglo-Saxon descent burned at the stake - but until they actually plot to act upon those thoughts, no crime has been committed.

However, freedom of speech is not universal across the Western world - in Germany, for example, it's a crime to be a Holocaust denier - so you tell me who gets to decide and whether or not it's fair.

At the risk of COMPLETELY derailing the thread, you're correct. In the US we have very strong 1st amendment protections regarding political speak. (wish they'd uphold the 2nd as strongly). So in the US, the Constitution and the Courts are the ultimate arbiter (or to get picky, the people are, but we've chosen to use the Constitution to represent our will)
As for Britain, no clue. do they have any protected free speech rights, or can parliament change their minds on what is acceptable?

But there has been plenty of historical cases where political parties have been banned, and membership in those parties deemed a crime, at which point a political action becomes a crime. So I guess the concern I have is an encouragement from the Govt to spy on your neighbor for "subversive activity" as opposed to outright crimes, because they can always make that activity a crime later. The East German Stazi had ROOMS of paperwork on spying reports by ordinary east germans against their neighbors, for example. This is why the "we have no problem with LEGITIMATE political views" part is concerning.

Because of those historical examples, I just really hate any "report any suspicious behavior to the state!" efforts. I guess that was my only point in tying crimes to politics. Sure, we're protected here. Don't know if that is the case in Britain or anywhere else.