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Around the world, freedom is in retreat and tyranny is on the rise under cover of COVID-19. Do you agree?

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I think tyrannies get more exposed and became more fragile because of this virus. Most dictatorships, as expected, reacted inadequate to the pandemic. Therefore we see the rise of protests, revolutions and wars here and there. Even China started to act more aggressive in attempt to switch peoples attention to external ‘enemies’.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Its a shame people can't see this (Covid response) as the power grab that it is.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Its definitely and possibly linked to the NWO(New World Order), One World Government, Agenda 21 (http://www.torn-republic.com/p/blog-page_29.html) the U.N secret plots of a totalitarian world government in seeking to kill most of the planet’s population.

Such conspiraloon theories stem from the discredited, anti-Semitic Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

Stuff this "definitely" rubbish.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Its definitely and possibly linked to the NWO(New World Order), One World Government, Agenda 21 (http://www.torn-republic.com/p/blog-page_29.html) the U.N secret plots of a totalitarian world government in seeking to kill most of the planet’s population.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Less freedom does not mean more tyranny. Case by case.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

These people who believe they are losing, have lost, and even believe may never again see freedom clearly have little concept of what a pandemic means. These people clearly rely on general media or social media not medical journals nor the empirical evidence provided by and backed up by medical and pharmaceutical professionals. This strain of influenza is far worse than any other currently circulating, and it is rapidly hurting, damaging, or destroying lives. We are temporarily being told to reduce our freedom of movement, temporarily having to be controlled. If you fear this more than the viral threat to yours, your friends or families lives, then you clearly are incredibly self-centred.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

@Lovecrafting

Common sense and philosophy helps understanding how we were able to create a democracy.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Sal AffistToday  08:38 pm JST

@kyronstavic,

so if I gave you an upvote, does that mean you are wrong?

Probably ;-)

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@kyronstavic,

so if I gave you an upvote, does that mean you are wrong?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Tokyo-EngrToday  08:14 am JST

There is a very good article on this (link below)

https://reason.com/2020/10/05/the-post-pandemic-new-normal-looks-awfully-authoritarian/

In many ways the non health related effects of the pandemic will be much worse than the actual virus itself.

That was a very good article. I was saying the same on this forum months ago, albeit far less eloquently, when NHK started hammering the "new normal" meme on the nightly news.

And getting ridiculed for it.

Not that I care about that. Getting downvotes on this website is more often than not a good indicator that you're right :-)

In my home state of Victoria in Oz, the Andrews Labor government seems to have taken a leaf out of China's book in dealing with the crisis: night-time curfews, 5-km travel limits, banning anti-lockdown protests, arresting journalists who report on these "illegal" protests when they happen, arrests and fines for people not wearing masks or able to justify why they are more than 5 km from home. And the customary lies and obfuscations when caught screwing up (see the Coate inquiry on the hotel lockdown fiasco). Hardly surprising since this government signed up to China's Belt & Road Initiative! Not tho mention the omnibus Bill currently before the state parliament that would allow "authorised officers" to arrest people they suspect will commit a COVID-related crime in future - before it's even committed! Such as organising an anti-lockdown protect in public, or encouraging people not to wear masks or social distance.

The government is pursuing a policy of easing the restrictions in stages, with the goal of total elimination of the virus. This is something that could take a long time, meaning that this could go on indefinitely.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

I think people growing up watching the X Files has made an entire generation of deluded conspiracy theorists that need to get a grip on reality.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

I think, beyond seemingly tyrannical Covid-19 policies, freedom still goes on . . . . in U S, former Vice President Biden is well ahead in the Presidential General Election polls vs the incumbent President,

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/national/

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Whether by design or happenstance, Covid is being used as a Trojan horse to introduce controls over the population that the public would never have previously agreed to.

Yeah, and those controls will remain long after the virus goes away.

I hope the ANTIFA and BLM folks wake up one day and realize that central banking is the real enemy.

Yes, and when the reset to this unsustainable banking system happens, it will be blamed on Covid, rather than the bankers. ANTIFA and BLM are there to get people fighting among each other rather than addressing the real problems.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

COVID-19 is only assisting governments around the world to increase power over people. They were doing that well enough before the virus.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

I would agree freedom has been in retreat for the past few decades. As stated above the middle class was being slowly destroyed but now with Covid the destruction has turned into evisceration.

I hate the term "new normal" as the implication is that the virus, in its current form, will be around forever (which it likely will not).

There is a very good article on this (link below)

https://reason.com/2020/10/05/the-post-pandemic-new-normal-looks-awfully-authoritarian/

In many ways the non health related effects of the pandemic will be much worse than the actual virus itself.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

No!

For the US, middle class incomes have been declining for a long time. I hope the ANTIFA and BLM folks wake up one day and realize that central banking is the real enemy. When they can barrow at 0%, but families have to use credit cards at 17%, that is not freedom, it’s......?

For social democracies, developing nations and just down right corrupt nations, any and every crises will trigger more control.

“But why did you bite me?”

“You knew I was a snake”

invalid CSRF

invalid CSRF

1 ( +7 / -6 )

Around the world, freedom is in retreat and tyranny is on the rise under cover of COVID-19.

Two separate proposals are glued together here to form a disjointed and dishonest question. That freedom is in retreat in many places is unrelated to Covid, but rather because of a people's lack of vigilance and solidarity to resist. Tyranny needs state terror using the police and army to rise, not a pandemic that can kill tyrants, too. The people always have the ultimate democratic weapon: the freedom to overthrow tyrants with a bullet or a noose.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

tyranny is on the rise under cover of COVID-19. Do you agree?

No, people are just paying more attention to it now so it may seem that way.

Around the world, freedom is in retreat

No it is not. Temporary medically required restrictions are in force to deal with a pandemic. This will pass.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

I have noticed that the most left-leaning towns and cities have issued the most arbitrary and draconian regulations. Seems like they've used the pandemic as an excuse for a bit of a power grab, or at least for turning up the heat on the pot of water we're all bobbing around in. Eye-opening, really.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

Hard lockdowns, tracing apps, fines for breachers (any rewards for comply?) .... despite the unprecedent crisis, I just don't want to take them for granted.

Due to a menstruation cycle, I hear some Japanese women feeling a bit disturbed when their body temperature is frequently checked in public places.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Whether by design or happenstance, Covid is being used as a Trojan horse to introduce controls over the population that the public would never have previously agreed to.

For example? And it needs to be things that are permanent and not temporary restrictions to limit the spread of a pandemic.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

A paranoid conspiracy theory by deluded libertarians who are unwilling to accept that a pandemic requires some modest and temporary restrictions on our freedom. It is very childish - I have seen the "Karen" videos with idiots bleating about how a mask interferes with their first amendment rights etc. Grow up.

During WW2, British people carried identity cards by law and people understood the reasons for doing so. At the end of the war, people stopped doing so. And while there has always been a paternalistic minority that supports compulsory ID cards, it is not aligned with the social contract, so has never caught on. You can have temporary restrictions based on a scenario and then return to how things were before.

-4 ( +11 / -15 )

I'm not paranoid enough to believe it.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

EXCUSES are given using anything these days. VERY sad.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Whether by design or happenstance, Covid is being used as a Trojan horse to introduce controls over the population that the public would never have previously agreed to.

15 ( +22 / -7 )

B-b-b-but isn't that a conspiracy theory?

Remembers folks, your government loves you and only wants they best for you. Or else.

10 ( +19 / -9 )

"Around the world, freedom is in retreat and tyranny is on the rise under cover of COVID-19."

Tyranny didn't need it, but it certainly is helping.

All good people have to do is stand there and do nothing...

9 ( +13 / -4 )

I'm reminded of a song by Alex T Stone: Dark Days Coming

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

I forgot how that saying goes, but governments shouldn't let a good disaster go to waste so to speak. In my home country, a local city is enforcing people to have a QR code application to gain access to restaurants and other establishments. It's happening. We might wake up one day to be surprised that we might not even be able to buy anything unless we have certain applications and other requirements in our possession.

13 ( +20 / -7 )

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