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Top Five Books


saint_dave

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1984 has the Government of said nation willing the populace to grass on their neighbours as they may be plotting against the country and they should be denounced as an "Enemy of the State". There are also incidents of the police turning up on doorsteps in the middle of the night, kicking their way into houses of these said subversives and dragging them off for interrogation and, perhaps, "re-adjustment". There need be no evidence, just a suspicion is enough to point the finger. Now, I'm not sure exactly which Western civilisation actually does indulge in this, as I haven't really lived in that many. However, there is no way on earth anyone could ever say it happens in THIS country.

I'm hoping you're being totally ironic, here, HHiBSS - I can't believe you'd back up CC...

...and you're not just waiting for someone to pop in and helpfully point out that a couple of lads living in Leytonstone, who their neighbours all confirmed had 'gone islamic' since their schooldays 'wif beards n stuff', were wakened in their bedrooms and shot by just such a force of polis?

And have since been shown to be innocent of every charge that could have been concocted against them?

...or that a Jock left a pub in norf lahndahn carrying a chair leg in a plastic bag and someone told cops it was a gun so he got shot for that?(Edit: to STRESS he was shot - DEAD)

...or that scabloid newspapers set up phone lines for the GBP to call in and inform if their neighbours are suspicious and they print the addresses of 'paediatrics' who need burning out of their houses?

It's far from sunshine and light in the UK.

I voted for Ken Livingstone in London - till Thatcher undemocratically disbanded the GLC cos it went against her desires. Small wonder Ken's book was called 'if democracy worked they'd ban it', or something similar...

Edited by chingford
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a couple of lads living in Leytonstone, who their neighbours all confirmed had 'gone islamic' since their schooldays 'wif beards n stuff', were wakened in their bedrooms and shot by just such a force of polis?

And have since been shown to be innocent of every charge that could have been concocted against them?

...or that a Jock left a pub in norf lahndahn carrying a chair leg in a plastic bag and someone told cops it was a gun so he got shot for that?(Edit: to STRESS he was shot - DEAD)

...or that scabloid newspapers set up phone lines for the GBP to call in and inform if their neighbours are suspicious and they print the addresses of 'paediatrics' who need burning out of their houses?

All shocking and, thankfully, rare examples of the abuse of police powers, but by no means any indication that we are remotely close to living in a totalitarian police state. To claim that we are does a gross disservice to those living in places such as Burma, where there really is a totalitarian police state.

The first example (and also that of Jean-Charles De Menezes, one presumes) is peculiar and exceptional over-reaction to (for want of a better phrase) "The War on Terror". The second a shocking example of what happens when you get f**kwits employed as police officers, and the third, well you unfortunately cannot legislate for Daily Mail f**kwittery in a country which treasures its free press.

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To claim that we are does a gross disservice to those living in places such as Burma, where there really is a totalitarian police state.

My still salient point is that to ignore that a significant number of such examples can be easily found and quoted HERE IN MODERN-DAY UK, does a gross disservice to those who have suffered at the hands of the State, and its functionaries: press, police, army...

...and to those who will be in future firing lines. No pun intended. :(

It may not be Burma but it's not all tickety-boo.

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My still salient point is that to ignore that a significant number of such examples can be easily found and quoted HERE IN MODERN-DAY UK, does a gross disservice to those who have suffered at the hands of the State, and its functionaries: press, police, army...

...and to those who will be in future firing lines. No pun intended. :(

Who's ignoring it? Not you, and not me - I'm certainly not denying those examples have taken place (in fact I pointed out one you'd forgotten to cite), but that's the point - they are very specific instances that are regrettable, but extremely uncommon. They certainly do not in any way lend validity or credibility to a comparison between the UK today and a totalitarian police state.

It may not be Burma but it's not all tickety-boo.

No, it's not all tickety boo, but it's a f**king sight better than Burma , Saudi Arabia or North Korea, which is my - still salient - point. .

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I'm certainly not denying those examples have taken place (in fact I pointed out one you'd forgotten to cite)

No. Not forgotten. Too many to list.

they are very specific instances that are regrettable, but extremely uncommon.

We must disagree, then.

Check this week's P.I. PAGE 26 - and how Azelle Rodney happened to be in the wrong car at the wrong time and happened to be shot SEVEN times in 'a pre-planned drugs surveillance operation'. Nowt to do with him and they'd been watching these people for a long time and yet... they couldn't tackle them safely in a safe place when this unrelated victim was not there?

(The real baddies were unharmed btw...) Shot SEVEN f**kIN times and his family can't ask questions of why and who. Or they can... but be ignored...

No, it's not all tickety boo, but it's a f**king sight better than Burma , Saudi Arabia or North Korea, which is my - still salient - point. .

As I'm more concerned with the shite in this land than in the others you cite for irrelevant comparison,

your "f**king sight better" is far more generous than mine. :)

I widnae f**kin mind if it f**kin happened in f**kin Shetland, though...

I hope this helps? :)

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As I'm more concerned with the shite in this land than in the others you cite for irrelevant comparison,

your "f**king sight better" is far more generous than mine. :)

I think you're in danger of losing sight of the point at issue, Ching. To remind you, it was whether or not the UK can usefully or validly be compared to a totalitarian police state akin to that portrayed by Eric Blair in his infamous novel Nineteen Eighty Four. The other countries I cite are highly relevant to this point, as they really are examples of totalitarian police states. Britain, despite the examples you've talked about, simply isn't. I find it quite remarkable that you seem to be insisting that it is.

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OK... Late on Sat night.

The point at issue for ME is that things that things that should 'only' be thought to happen in a totalitarian/1984 state - DO happen here. With appalling regularity.

(What the f**k's the mega-bugging controvesry, if not THAT!?)

I don't feel happy with the number of examples already on offer of such an appalling system being a reality.

You think it's ok.

This is not a furrin country. Your examples 'cited' are irrelevant to me.

I hate the shite that's happening here. Now. In my examples. and the buggin thing.... which is still breaking news...

However you've lost sight/cite of the real issue - which was/IS top 5 books.

And I seldom pitch intae that....

Plus I don't actually give a f**k - being past it...

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You're quite right. Nineteen Eighty Four wouldn't be in my top five books.

But you're not right to say

I don't feel happy with the number of examples already on offer of such an appalling system being a reality.

You think it's ok.

I do not think it's okay, and have never said so, and I'd be grateful if you'd acknowledge that. I'm as appalled as you are at the examples cited. But I do not think they are evidence of "such an appalling syem being a reality". The bugging controversy - well, it's still very much a breaking story, and we'll see what we will see - but in a true totalitarian state we would never even have heard about such a story.

Edited by Crispian Crunchie
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I do not think it's okay, and have never said so, and I'd be grateful if you'd acknowledge that. I'm as appalled as you are at the examples cited. But I do not think they are evidence of "such an appalling syem being a reality". The bugging controversy - well, it's still very much a breaking story, and we'll see what we will see - but in a true totalitarian state we would never even have heard about such a story.

Well, it's gotta start somewhere. I mean first thing it's a firm handshake between friends and before ye know it forced anal sex and wondering "How the hell did this state of affairs come about?".

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With respect, HH, I fail to see how a description of how you spent your weekend is relevant here. :rolleyes:

Taking such a metaphor as being an actuallity is evidence beyond all doubt as to your Grammar School bum-boyness. Did you grow the beard to hide the crust forming round your gob?

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