Australia: Feds raid home of journalist who exposed mass warrant-less spying.

originally posted by: Justoneman
Looks like a sad day to be Aussie. Sorry guys and gals.

I am wondering how the leftist from that side of the Planet think who visit ATS?

This is the work of the newly re-elected conservative government. They are now openly attacking any press organisation that criticises them. Right wing government, not left. Today the AFP raided the headquarters of the ABC, Australia's public broadcaster. This government is displaying fascist tendencies only 2 weeks after re-election.

originally posted by: SilentSaturn
Hence why trump promoted 5g...

Not sure what that is supposed to mean...

Lots of people are excited about the potential for 5G, and aren't involved in any conspiracy regarding any possible sinister capabilities it might have to control and/or fry your brain.

originally posted by: Krakatoa
Major correction....they are NOT privileges....they are RIGHTS. And the U.S. Constitution does NOT grant them, nor does the government. The audience for the Constitution is the U.S. Government....it outlines what they CANNOT do to the citizens inherent rights they are born with, please stop spreading lies by calling them privileges.


It is a MAJOR difference.

Correct... I have to try to correct people who incorrectly call voting a right when it isn't. Anything granted through the power of the State (or Fed) is a privilege, not a right.

originally posted by: SilentSaturn
a reply to: CriticalStinker

Yup.. Look at what the left and right are focusing on while 5g and social media giants take over.... It's all apart of the plan. Hence why trump promoted 5g...

"Divide and conquer" is how they work. They know what makes us tick. They find the most controversial subject and constantly propel them into light.

And that's why this Op wont make top page. Even ATS members are fully submerged in the matrix.

You're so right about your last line. You had to drag Trump into the conversation and for what? Never mind, I know. You're fully submerged in the matrix.

originally posted by: LogicalGraphitti

originally posted by: SilentSaturn
a reply to: CriticalStinker

Yup.. Look at what the left and right are focusing on while 5g and social media giants take over.... It's all apart of the plan. Hence why trump promoted 5g...

"Divide and conquer" is how they work. They know what makes us tick. They find the most controversial subject and constantly propel them into light.

And that's why this Op wont make top page. Even ATS members are fully submerged in the matrix.

You're so right about your last line. You had to drag Trump into the conversation and for what? Never mind, I know. You're fully submerged in the matrix.

Believe it or not, leaders of countries are often relevant discussion when talking about the direction of a country or the west as a whole.

I don't think the member is anti-Trump so much as they are bringing up their opinion on how governments are using distractions while they enact their agenda (I personally don't believe that 5g is nefarious).

I think a more relevant example of this would be Reality Winner getting 5 years for releasing a document to the press, and also Julian Assange facing 175~ years in prison for publishing leaked information and also allegedly attempting to crack a password (way more nuance behind that part).

a reply to: Krakatoa

Is that idealism or reality though?

In the US, the government is definitely bottlenecked by founding documents, which was intentional of course. But, that just makes it a little trickier.. it certainly doesnt mean the reality matches the ideal.

All they have to do is work through proxies, like corporations and the media, and those enumerated Rights can be rendered irrelevant while maintaining the "letter" of the law, yet eviscerating the "spirit."

The social and political groups that actively pursue such things definitely seem to see it as priveleges. Likewise, they are seen as priveleges when stories like this happen. The most youll see from this new religion is condemning it now because the opposition is in power.

In the US, I feel the best course of action to preserve the ideal in reality is to classify the social group as a non-theistic religion, because of the inherent limitations. But, Im not sure if such things exist in some other western nations.

So, we may both agree on the ideal.. But even in the states, the government can work through the proxies of education, corporation, and media. When this is coupled with a large enough segment of the population (bolstered by the scale manipulation intrinsic to online spaces), Rights can absolutely be rendered as priveleges in reality. This is implied more and more by those stating things like "these documents are obsolete," etc. They are most certainly not held as Rights by enough people to be concerning, in reality or ideal.

The government, even through corporations, CANNOT abridge the protections listed in the Constitution. If it is deemed by someone that they are doing that, then the justice system is the vehicle to correct that wrong. Going all the way to the SCOTUS who should rule based upon the law's constitutional merit.

People can call a rose a daisy all day long, but that does NOT make it a daisy.

The Constitution lays out the protections the PEOPLE have from government infringement. The court (up to the SCOTUS) decides if the bounds were overstepped.

I am just sick of hearing people attempt to justify violations of the Constitution by using examples of privileges as if they are an equal thing. THEY ARE NOT. Our rights are inalienable and inherent upon birth. A privilege is something given, and can be taken away. It is a major difference that the Constitution makes that is 180 degrees from all documents before it, since it is the PEOPLE telling the GOVERNMENT what they cannot do.

a reply to: Krakatoa

Ill have to strongly disagree that government "CANNOT" abridge the protections listed in the constitution. Governments have, currently do (as evidenced by stories like this one), and most certainly will in the future. Now, if we are to say that the US is different because of the founding documents, that would imply that these Rights are indeed capable of being rendered priveleges, in reality.

And, that must be prevented.

Its like the topic of abortion; Some believe it to be murder, the other side says "nope" and keeps on truckin. Similarly, you can say that Rights can not be rendered priveleges in reality, but those who feel they were priveleges all along, and obsolete at that, will keep on diminishing them regardless of our ideals.

This is why I feel the founding documents are not only critical, but that they are one of our greatest achievements. Because our ideals do not always match reality, sometimes in horrific ways. However, they must be upheld by the nation itself, or regardless of our ideals and beliefs, reality will reflect something much, much different.

We are getting a glimpse of that through stories like this, and while this is happening elsewhere, it would be folly to believe that those who push this form of globalism do not have a global agenda. And, they dont give a damn about Rights, or what our founding documents say about what they "cannot" do.

They are not stupid enough to do it so abruptly as to instigate war, but it most certainly is their stated goal. And, if they can achieve enough support from individuals.. It wont matter one bit what one thinks they can or cannot do.

a reply to: myselfaswell

quod erat demonstrandum*

Good use of it though. I agree.

originally posted by: Krakatoa

originally posted by: rickymouse
That policy is normal in other countries, the people of the USA have some extra privileges compared to most other countries. We will be losing these privileges within the next seven years or so, thanks to MSM twisting everything. Maybe MSM is purposely twisting things, an agreement with the Feds to trick people into asking for censorship. Remember, the big wheels in media are very rich, they want more control over the market so they will work with the Feds to make sure they are the only ones allowed to say the news.

Censorship is done in most European countries which includes Canada and Australia.

Major correction....they are NOT privileges....they are RIGHTS. And the U.S. Constitution does NOT grant them, nor does the government. The audience for the Constitution is the U.S. Government....it outlines what they CANNOT do to the citizens inherent rights they are born with, please stop spreading lies by calling them privileges.


It is a MAJOR difference.

But having rights is a privilege that Americans have, rights that many of people of other countries do not have the privilege of having. Our ancestors worked hard to insure we had those rights, but non-citizens do not have those rights in this country, they are not privileged to have those rights here.

Correction, my ancestors were not here to fight for our rights, my grandparents and great grandparents did not come to this country till the mid to late eighteen hundreds. But the rights were given to us. Having these rights is a privilege to me.

originally posted by: TheConstruKctionofLight
a reply to: sine.nomine

What you mean like the USA? What happened to all those arms when the legitimacy of Trump or Obama and the BS politics and the Patriot Act and the surveillance....and...and...

Do the police fear the US armed populace?

Why don't you ask McMinn county, TN? (1940's)

Or the police in the LA riots? (1990's)

Hell, ask that asshat in Broward. (Today's)

Tweet by John Lyons ABC's Editor and head of Investigative Journalism yesterday:

AFP: I’m still staggered by the power of this warrant. It allows the AFP to “add, copy, delete or alter” material in the ABC’s computers. All Australians, please think about that: as of this moment, the AFP has the power to delete material in the ABC’s computers. Australia 2019.

Alter is a very broad term as well. This is draconian. This country is going down the toilet fast.

a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

It''ll go over their head

Which is disappointing for a once quality truth finding website.

For those who may read this let me make one thing balltearingly clear;

POLITICAL PERSUASION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SURVEILLANCE STATE OR PRESS FREEDOM.

I'm not going to elaborate any more than that. If you don't get it, either do some research or # off.

And just to set the record straight;

It was the Labor Party who FAILED to amend and increase protection for whistleblowers because they were too busy fighting over who should lead the party.

It was the CURRENT AG who amended the legislation to increase protection for jounalists reporting information provided by whistleblowers.

It was the LIBERAL PM at the time (for US people read Conservative PM) who did NOT support the mass surveillance of Australians.

originally posted by: rickymouse

originally posted by: Krakatoa

originally posted by: rickymouse
That policy is normal in other countries, the people of the USA have some extra privileges compared to most other countries. We will be losing these privileges within the next seven years or so, thanks to MSM twisting everything. Maybe MSM is purposely twisting things, an agreement with the Feds to trick people into asking for censorship. Remember, the big wheels in media are very rich, they want more control over the market so they will work with the Feds to make sure they are the only ones allowed to say the news.

Censorship is done in most European countries which includes Canada and Australia.

Major correction....they are NOT privileges....they are RIGHTS. And the U.S. Constitution does NOT grant them, nor does the government. The audience for the Constitution is the U.S. Government....it outlines what they CANNOT do to the citizens inherent rights they are born with, please stop spreading lies by calling them privileges.


It is a MAJOR difference.

But having rights is a privilege that Americans have, rights that many of people of other countries do not have the privilege of having. Our ancestors worked hard to insure we had those rights, but non-citizens do not have those rights in this country, they are not privileged to have those rights here.

Correction, my ancestors were not here to fight for our rights, my grandparents and great grandparents did not come to this country till the mid to late eighteen hundreds. But the rights were given to us. Having these rights is a privilege to me.

No, they are NOT a #$#@$ privilege.....period. Get it!!! Everyone has those rights when they are born, everyone. However, in the USA only citizens have the protections outlined in the Constitution to limit government.

I don't give a rats furry backside that citizens of other countries don't see themselves as the ones with inherent RIGHTS...or a document that tells their government where the line ends when it comes to protecting the rights of its citizens. See, other countries citizens are subjects of their government...and whose fault is that? It is theirs, for establishing and perpetuating a system where they allow a government to tell them what they can and cannot have as far as privileges. If the government has to tell you what they are, and approve, then they are not rights.

Once someone emigrates to the USA legally and goes through the process to become a US citizen, then they too have the same protections of those rights as someone born here.

Our forefathers fought, shed blood, and many died to establish this from of government to protect the citizens,. Unlike all other forms of government before, acknowledges the citizens are the final arbiter of who resides in the government, and are protected from having that government punish them for having a dissenting opinion of them.

If other people want to have the same protections for THEIR inherent RIGHTS, then they have two options:

1. Establish a form of government based upon the model that protects the government from infringing upon those inherent rights.

2. Emigrate legally to the USA and become a citizen.

Just a correction - I believe China is the country with the worlds most sophisticated public surveillance. But I’m sure the UK is a close 2nd or 3rd...

a reply to: gladtobehere

Umm no.. Just no..!! The ABC journalists were raided for activity related to election tampering, writing false and completely baseless news articles in a bid to sway public opinion. The ABC and SBS have been on the anti capitalism/conservatism/free speech - Pro Marxism/Communism/feminism/LGBTQ bandwagon for some time now. Now they are reaping misbenifits, of their deeds. It's called McCarthyism..!! It was made possible again with the latest election results and the commies (and their allies) are crapping themselves..!! This is just the beginning too from my understanding. Universities will be next on the target bucket list, then hopefully the rest of the Film and TV industry.

a reply to: Ironclad3000

It's called McCarthyism..!!

McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence.

You are an idiot.

originally posted by: Ironclad3000
a reply to: gladtobehere

Umm no.. Just no..!! The ABC journalists were raided for activity related to election tampering, writing false and completely baseless news articles in a bid to sway public opinion. The ABC and SBS have been on the anti capitalism/conservatism/free speech - Pro Marxism/Communism/feminism/LGBTQ bandwagon for some time now. Now they are reaping misbenifits, of their deeds. It's called McCarthyism..!! It was made possible again with the latest election results and the commies (and their allies) are crapping themselves..!! This is just the beginning too from my understanding. Universities will be next on the target bucket list, then hopefully the rest of the Film and TV industry.

Sorry but what you just said is pure bul***t. The raid had nothing to do with the election. It was from a report from 2017 about dodgy things our troops did in Afghanistan. As for the rest of what you said, that called Fascism...