PowerSwitch

Talking about National Security, is very effective in its sphere, but it is just too specifically military to be very useful when it comes to undermining most peaceful, domestic, democratic dissent. What the ‘extremism’ narrative has done, however, is get people used to the idea that there can and should be limits to democratic dissent.

2015 brought further revelations from Edward Snowden via Nicky Hager and others that, not only have the GCSB & Waihopai been conducting mass surveillance on New Zealanders for years (as ABC has said since the spy base was first announced in 1987) but also that they have been spying on a number of other countries (from our Pacific neighbours to Bangladesh and China, on behalf of the US National Security Agency (NSA). Plus spying on Tim Groser’s rivals from other countries during his unsuccessful attempt to become head of the World Trade Organisation. The Government either completely ignored or tried to minimise these damning revelations. The “independent” Intelligence Review can be guaranteed to recommend even more repressive spying agency laws to “protect us from the terrorists”. The Government has embroiled NZ in America’s new war in Iraq (will Syria be next?).

Research by Dr. David Bailey provides empirical evidence for what many activists and campaigners have long suspected: that we have entered a prolonged period of dissent characterised by an escalation in the magnitude and diversity of public protest.

A spate of studies and meta-analysis in recent years depict how large-scale citizen mobilisations have been intensifying for more than a decade, reaching a new peak in the past five years.

RenewableCandy wrote:FitBits are the new 'selfie drones', I have it on good authority.

Not only do they follow wherever the victim goes, they also relay all his/her vital signs.

Which is why the Renewable getting-fit programme (such as it is) is proceeding without one.