WHAT THE HELL IS THIS! Gerald stared at the words on the screen as if, somehow, he could make them blink first.
“What’s up?” Gerald’s co-worker, Elise, swivelled towards him, eyebrows raised interrogatively. Gerald was usually such a quiet and studious worker that she found his angry outburst just a little bit shocking.
“See for yourself”, Gerald replied, turning his screen towards Elise.
“Hmmmm.” Elise settled back in her chair with a thoughtful expression. “That is certainly an unusual brief. Not the Boss’s style at all. What do you suppose has led her to issue such an odd assignment?
“I don’t have to suppose anything, Elise, I know what inspired this. It’s the second of those national anti-terrorism seminars. The first one was a complete waste of time, and the second has been a complete waste of time multiplied by ten. Why doesn’t the Boss just tell the Prime Minister to leave national security to the professionals?”
“Because Directors don’t get to tell Prime Ministers what to do, Gerald – as you well know. The PM has immersed herself in this misinformation, disinformation, bad actors stuff, to the point where she can no longer think rationally about national security matters.”
“No, she can’t. What Prime Minister in her right mind would ask her security chief to prepare a ‘How To Tell If Your Neighbour’s A Violent Extremist’ handbook? Dear God! Putting to one side the utterly appalling anti-democratic ramifications of the idea, why would a national security agency provide an actual or potential violent extremist with a helpful list of all the behavioural tells to avoid? How wise is it, do you think, to warn these characters what to keep hidden from their friends and family? Surely the PM can be made to see that putting out something like this only makes the bad guys’ work easier?”
“The problem, Gerald, is that she’s been persuaded that we, and all the other national security agencies, are either incompetent, or racist, or both. She probably thinks that, with the right sort of surveillance, violent extremism can be stopped in its tracks.”
“Nuts.”
“Yep. And the animosities stirred up by the Pandemic have only made things worse.”
“True, but whose fault is that? Who went from being the Good Fairy, trusted protector of the people; to full-on Maleficent, imposing vaccination mandates with a cackle? Who allowed the Speaker to go on whacking that Hornets’ Nest in Parliament Grounds until its occupants erupted in fury and started stinging all-and-sundry? Who made it clear how pleased she was with the sort of journalism that portrayed the country as brimming over with white supremacists and fascists?”
“I know, I know, Gerald. Nor does she appear to understand that the moment a political leader indicates an explanatory preference, that is the only sort of explanation she will receive.”
“Hence, the Boss’s instruction to write this bloody handbook. I’m supposed to go through all our own files, along with the relevant files of our allies, and identify all the tell-tale signs that someone’s undergone radicalisation, and is on the verge of organising and/or engaging in an act of deadly violence. But, that’s not all. I’m also supposed to set up a special number for people to call if they suspect their next-door-neighbours are preparing to ram-raid their Petunias. I’m going to suggest 0-800-STASI.”
“If you’re thinking Stasi, you should talk to Dieter – he used to be a Colonel in the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit, the Ministry of State Security, back in the days of the German Democratic Republic.”
“East Germany?”
“Yep. He moved here to be with his children and grandchildren after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He works for us from time to time. On contract, presumably. Come to think of it, Dieter’s been around the building quite a bit lately.”
“Do you think the Boss would contract him to give me a hand with this assignment? I mean, who is better qualified to write a handbook on identifying real and/or potential enemies of the state than a former Stasi colonel?”
“I don’t see why not. Gosh, Gerald, this is actually getting quite exciting. Have you been watching Kleo – that Netflix series about a GDR assassin?”
“I keep meaning to, but I haven’t yet, no.”
“Oh, but you must, it’s a hoot. Kleo worked for the HVA, the Main Directorate for Reconnaissance – the external arm of the Stasi responsible for espionage, propaganda, sabotage, and assassination. Believe me, Gerald, that girl is dangerous!”
“Hey, do you think, Dieter might have been in the HVA? I mean, espionage, propaganda, sabotage, and assassination – he’d know all about that stuff!”
“Jeez, Gerald, we’re not at that point – surely? All we’re being asked to do is alert people to the tell-tale signs of violent extremism. That hardly makes us the Stasi.”
“Actually, Elise, that’s exactly what it makes us. In the early years of the GDR there really were thousands of actual Nazis to identify and punish for the crimes of 1933-45. By the 1980s, though, the Stasi were keeping tabs on just about everybody. Neighbours were asked to spy upon neighbours – and they dared not refuse. A word in the right ear, and your worst enemy could be thrown out of her job, or you could be sent to prison. When thoughts become crimes, Elise, everybody is a potential criminal.”
“And what better incentive could there be for committing an act of violent extremism than being punished for thinking about it?”
“Exactly.”
Thank you.
While I can appreciate the article & its valid warning regarding governments wanting to punish people for the wrong thoughts that should not be used by people as an excuse to hold onto every thought they have as some thoughts can damage the person if they are not moderated.
“I know the voices in my head aren’t real, but sometimes their ideas are absolutely awesome.”.
Loss of 10 points for not using punctuation, off to the gulags
Very good Chris!
One small change is required I think: When you wrote “Yep. And the animosities stirred up by the Pandemic have only made things worse.”
It should read “Yep. And the animosities stirred up by the government during the pandemic have only made things worse.”
Andrew. View Arden’s UNO anti-freedom of speech address and ponder whether the Pandemic was a fortuitous vehicle for the WEF and whether we should cede more of our sovereignty offshore.
Unfortunately Chris this is the new world that we are becoming. This story was on MSN this morning:
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/unacceptable-and-ignorant-us-tv-reporter-loses-job-after-racist-tweets-resurface/ar-AA13GFuF?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=f31a6e4714a04ce5a7c63c547037765b
A United States television reporter has lost her job after internet sleuths found racist tweets from when she was in high school. She made comments taking a stand against racism and then someone trawls through and finds racist comments she made 8-9 years ago as a teenager. You show me someone who says they never made an offensive comment in your life and I’ll show you a liar.
The article calls her a hypocrite but we use that word far too lightly. Surely what we want is for people to grow and develop and learn to change as they gain greater life experience. If we try and condemn them for things from 10-20 years or more ago aren’t we effectively saying we don’t want people to change. Is it hypocrisy to change your view and behaviour when you learn better?
Unfortunately the modern trend is to shame and condemn. We don’t want people to change – we want human sacrifices on the altar of our wokeness. Just so some can feel smug and righteous about themselves.
Brilliant writing, thanks Chris.
Meanwhile, the Cat Woman of the University is furiously breeding mice in her mama’s garden shed.
“ The only way to flush out these symbols of colonialism is to bait the furry little monsters, “ she mutters, “ Bugger Gareth Morgan trapping them, I wanna wrap their necks in trails of tears, skin them, sell the furs at a handsome profit to make ice cream mittens for Nats endeavouring to look human holding cones on television or garage floor linings for the whinging poor who sleep on them.Nameless ferals are one thing, but any feline with a name from history is suspect when history has to be revised, rewritten, and approved by Christchurch crèche mothers so that truth can be arrived at”
LSD is a drug
Great, though I would question Gerald’s assertion that mandates and Trevor’s actions turned pragmatic people ( and yes they were there too) into raving nut jobs that believe micro chips are in vaccines and Liz Gunn into well, Liz Gunn. I also know former Christchurch locals that might have been surprised by the scale of what happened in the mosques but not necessarily that something of that nature actually happened.
That said I don’t think we should be handing out DIY nut job identification kits. There’s no easy solution but checking under the bed, or behind the couch for evil is a non starter.
Wow. Wheel knows someone that lived in Christchurch once and they weren’t surprised an overseas radicalized Australian terrorist was incorrectly granted a gun license and committed an atrocity?
Convincing.
Oh right KCC. Are you saying there hasn’t been a decent enough showing from far right skin heads in Christchurch over the years?
The resident skinheads have always been brain dead and in plain sight – check out Marc Ellis’ TV episode with Chapman tinning beans and prepping for the apocalypse years ago.
Im sure if you me and your mate who once lived in Chch have heard of those idiots they aren’t exactly a secret society eh.
I think many government vested interests, and their spin doctors like yourself, keep trying to claim Tarrant as some kind of reflection on kiwi society to force these hate laws, gun laws and security powers on to kiwis.
He wasn’t, he was a foreigner radicalized overseas and mislicensed by the police.
Yes we have skin heads and other drop kicks in NZ, were they in the same league? Clearly no.
I am not a government spin doctor. It is just deluded to imply that Mallards stupid actions lead people to believe some of the ridiculous claims being thrown about, Liz Gunn being a classic example. She was a fruit cake long before Trevor turned up the music.
The government has got a lot wrong but adults have to take responsibility for the way they reason or think. You can’t blame the government for thinking you will be a walking transistor if you get vaccinated
I agree but no one is saying that are they?
How about those gangs though eh, the ones who’s numbers are skyrocketing, you know the ones actually shooting and killing people daily, the ones the government gave millions of dollars to, the ones who deal drugs to our kids.
Where are they appearing on the list of people to keep an eye on?
You mean the gangs that the National govt had a good Ole talking to with Scomo and said please stop?
Then Scomo increased the numbers.
Thank you once again Chris. Thank you very very much.
It occurred to me this week, when Kate Hannah of the SDisonformation Project claimmed she has received harassment and a death threat (both of which I utterly condemn), that her project, which I understand is govt funded is complete amateur hour. That an a propaganda arm of the govt (we will tell you who to fear).
I say amateur hour, because if you are their to detect threat (spy), then your job must involve being undetected. Blowing your cover is highly risky.
The spies who work for the SIS go to great lengths to remain anonymous.
One of the violent “white supremacists” from the anti mandate protest
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/130362166/taranaki-man-threw-concrete-pavers-at-police-as-officers-ended-parliament-protest
“ A Taranaki man threw concrete pavers at police as the 23-day occupation of Parliament came to an end in disorder and violence.
Teuira Bau Ritai was one of a group of people arrested in the wake of the chaos seen on Wednesday, March 2, as police struggled to restore law and order to the grounds.”
Disinformation indeed.
Well Chris, it may not all be doom and gloom. Although, prima facie, from where I am standing it doesnt look too hot.
Brent Edwards from the Democracy Project interprets this as Jacinda:
*Wanting to deliver on her Christchurch call obligations to the Muslim community as she has been having her feet held to the fire lately by those concerned
*Will not continue through with the Hate Speech laws from last year other than to amend them to cover protections for religion and/or gender.
Edwards argues that to continue through with her earlier proposal based on offending people and including political speech would be the kiss of electoral death especially just before an election and therefore, she definitively wont do anything more perturbing.
So I guess it depends which side of the fence you are on. Do we believe Edwards comforting and entirely reasonable scenario or do we see something more sinister?
I want to agree with Edwards and usually do but I am seeing a doubling down on 3 Waters and other vote losers so activity along with our new Stasi policy, doesn’t bode well. But in the name of Free Speech, I am praying Edwards is right.
*Bryce Edwards.
“Just” adding religious/gender protection is still massively problematic.
Protecting religion specifically from criticism means no arguing against some pretty mysogynistic stuff in the religious texts, no speaking out on Iran/womens right to choose religious attire, no causing offense arguing against abortion bans, some extremist people fly planes in to buildings in the name of religion.
So far as speaking against gender ideology, there are plenty of people who change their mind trying to de transition overseas, some people having surgery are simply gender confused or have mental health issues, it is critical that these issues are considered and debated.
We must be free to speak against things we don’t agree with.
True – I hadnt thought that through
Keepcalmcarryon And great speakers of the past, like Martin Luther and Thomas Aquinas and the authors of the Old Testament will have to be cancelled just as they tried to do with alleged ‘imperialist’ Wm Shakespeare.
While the people slept, Gerald went into the hen house to lay an egg. Then Gerald, having left the egg he had laid, crossed the road. And he watched as the sleeping dogs awoke, to see what they would do with the egg.
Sidney Reilly knocked on the door on the door three times and was invited to come in three times. And so after three comings and goings, he again awaited outside the door. Because, if all government wanted from the people was compliant obedience, those who worked for the government had to set an example, unless they were first given authorisation that they were above the law that applied to others.
Then came the song of Jerusalem only known to the virgins M0M1M2M3M4M5M6M7M8M9M10M11. Enough for 3 games of cricket. M0-M11, M1-M10, M2-M9 M3-M8, M4-M7, M5-M6. They had many eyes and saw all on the earth.
Then from the others who were not virgins, and not one honest person was found amongst them, was selected a parliamentary rugby team. And they wrote the laws that all those who worked for government would live by, lest they lose their job.
And in reprise no one, not even those with 20/20 eyes, foresaw South Africa opening up their group to South Asian dominance.
And while those of parliament were obsessed with their own futures, it was left to the Black Ferns/Filipon to prevent another try from the end of the universe rainbow in the same corner as in 1994. One pass unmade and such is the fate of our defence of the world.
Treat a man like a dog and he starts to behave like one, its into the dark ages we go.
Forward Thinking. Yes, it’s a darkening medievalism, Galileo, Copernicus, the Spanish Inquisition.
‘How to spot a Communist’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkYl_AH-qyk
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