UK democracy in action : Waving Palestinian flag may be a criminal offence, Braverman tells police
Home secretary also suggests clampdown on pro-Arab chants in letter that will concern free speech advocates
Waving a Palestinian #flag or singing a chant advocating freedom for Arabs in the region may be a criminal offence, Suella Braverman has told senior police officers.
In a letter to chief constables in #England and #Wales, the home secretary urged them to clamp down on any attempts to use flags, songs or swastikas to harass or intimidate members of the Jewish community.
Her words, which follow deadly attacks by #Hamas on Israelis and a #military response, will deeply concern #freedom of speech advocates and members of the #Muslim community.
In the letter, #Braverman said police should not restrict themselves to potential offences related to the promotion of Hamas, a proscribed organisation.
@zleap@faab64
> Or just released as there is no room in the prison.
they will make room for these cases and release some real criminals.
> If the UK government agree that what Israel is doing to the Palestinians in Gaza is self defence does this mean that if we are robbed or raped etc by someone we can go after them and beat them in to total submission and claim self defence?
states (or state like actors) can't have natural rights. you can't compare states doing war to rape or robbery.
rapists and robbers are getting away with just a few years in jail here in germany. if you kill in self defense someone who tries to rape or rob you, the state then tries everything possible to put you in jail for it. it's absolutely ridiculous. but i'm rambling.
Having trouble remembering the difference between the flag of Belgium and the flag of Germany?
Remember this simple rhyme:
“Black touches Red, you’re in Germany like Kaiser Fred¹.
Black touches yellow, you’re in Belgium, so have a waffle with marshmallow².”³
¹This assumes that you know that Kaiser Frederick III was the second Emperor of Germany.
²This is only a slant rhyme, and it barely works since — while dessert waffles are associated with Belgium, and they would be pretty good with marshmallows on them — marshmallows are not particularly associated with Belgian waffles.
³Yes, I am not particularly good at coming up with mnemonics.
Starlight Marina - I was walking around the marina just outside of Monticello, NY when I noticed the small flag tied to the power pole and being whipped by the wind. I wondered how long it could last. An image for every eye.
Powerful and Continuing #Nationalism
Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of #patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. #Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.
Disdain for the Recognition of #HumanRights
Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of “need.” The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, and long incarcerations of prisoners.
Supremacy of the #Military
Even when there are widespread #domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.
Rampant #Sexism
The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional #gender roles are made more rigid. Opposition to #abortion is high, as is #homophobia and anti-#gay legislation.
Controlled #MassMedia
Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation or by sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Government #censorship and #secrecy especially in war time, are very common.
Obsession with #NationalSecurity
Fear of hostile foreign powers is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
#Religion and Government are Intertwined
Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.
Protection of #Corporate Power
The #industrial and business #aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
Suppression of #Labor Power
Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor #unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.
Disdain for #Intellectuals and the #Arts
Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to #HigherEducation and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other #academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts.
Obsession with #Crime and #Punishment
Under fascist regimes, the #police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego #CivilLiberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
Rampant #Cronyism and #Corruption
Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
#Fraudulent#Elections
Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by #SmearCampaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control #voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.
This post is a summary of Fascism, Anyone? by Lawrence W. Britt published in 2003 by Free Inquiry magazine."
@DoomsdaysCW
> Historian LawrenceBritt studied the fascist regimes... and found they had 14 elements in common. He calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism
Disturbing how many of these can be seen in the election campaigns of the parties in the new NZ coalition government 😳
For those flying the #DisabilityPride#flag, make sure to use the new one with straight lines and muted colors. It was created because the old one was visually overstimulating for many people, and triggering seizures and migraines when viewed on a computer screen.
The flag is rich with symbolism. Designed in 2019, and updated in 2021, by Ann Magill, the flag has five colored stripes running diagonally across a black background. The five stripes represent unity of different subcommunities of disability:
Red: physical disabilities
Gold: cognitive and intellectual disabilities
White: nonvisible and undiagnosed disabilities
Blue: psychiatric disabilities
Green: sensory disabilities
The black background represents mourning disabled people who have died due to negligence, suicide, rebellion, illness, and eugenics. In the original design, the zigzag represented the creativity of disabled people in navigating barriers. While this isn't represented explicitly in the new design, I believe that the very fact of a creative redesign to meet the accessibility needs of disabled community members is an expression of what the zigzags stood for.