Freedom, Security and the Alternative World

The risks to freedom of thought in the post-Paris and Belgium attacks climate are very real, as Western leaders threaten to label all and any dissent from the norm as “extremism”. Andy Thomas looks at the possible consequences …

With the world being pulled ever deeper into a gruelling Middle Eastern war, accompanied by curtailments of Western freedom in the name of ‘safety’ from terrorism, the ‘alternative’ community may find itself under siege in the coming period. Fear has a habit of leading to kneejerk public conformity, and talk of false-flag attacks or challenges to authority will be given even less credence than usual; such views may even find themselves being actively legislated against.

Since 2015’s double-dose of terror in Paris, and the more recent bombings in Belgium – events inevitably well under the truthseeker microscope – more than one European politician, including British prime minister David Cameron, has voiced the view that those who question the official story of this or the likes of 9/11 should be labelled ‘extremists’ on a level equal to that of Islamic State murderers. The likelihood of any test case making it through the courts is admittedly slim – my own books The Truth Agenda and Conspiracies both take to task the official narrative of 9/11 and similar events; will such publications really find themselves being censored, or their authors prosecuted? And yet Amazon has started to refuse to sell certain titles, so perhaps more subtle ways of restricting information are being found. The intent to link conspiracy theory with violent extremism certainly makes it clear that the establishment is starting to close ranks against the success of the free speech engendered by the Internet. This is sharply illustrated by the draconian surveillance powers being widely brought in to monitor it. Such indiscriminate measures must be fought. A sensible balance between security and freedom is always desirable, but the new climate of fear is tipping the scales firmly towards the risk of state abuse around the world.

Patience and real discernment will be required within the truthseeking community to ride out the coming period. But it has to help itself too. Crying ‘false flag’ each time any atrocity occurs can become too entrenched. Genuine problems also exist, and learning to tell the difference without automatic resort to outlandish rumour will help conspiracy views be taken more seriously. The ‘fake flag’ theory camp is also on the rise, which has it that certain incidents never really happen at all – but can every dead body from a terror attack be fake, and the hundreds of relatives and friends at funerals really all be ‘crisis actors’..? Perceived lack of discernment is too often used to discredit alternative theories in general; clear thinking will be required more than ever in the face of the current aggressive wave of establishment anti-freedom propaganda. Yes, crisis actors may sometimes be hired, and clearly false-flag terror does occur, but only solid evidence, not loose suspicion or hearsay, will convince the outside world that truthers should be listened to.

In the Napoleonic wars of the early 1800s, Britain entered a dark period of suppression and zero freedom of speech for nearly two decades. Informers lurked in alehouses, public gatherings or protests were heavily curtailed and mobs were hired to intimidate dissenters who asked for freedom to be restored. Through fear, much of the population went along with this. Today we appear to stand in the early stages of a new global war against free speech, which might well last decades again, and France has been the touch paper once more. The victory against Napoleon would eventually lead to a reassessment and a public demand for freedoms to be restored. Let us hope this happens this time around – but will victory against nebulous Jihadist forces ever really be able to be claimed? And, with today’s technology, would governments truly choose to then close off the many avenues of snooping and control they are currently opening..? We must closely hold to account the motives of our leaders and keep shining a light on their actions if we are to protect true liberty.

The New Era of consciousness growth long predicted for these times seems to be in full swing. However, it isn’t coming through an instant enlightenment as some had hoped, but by the act of being presented with problems that have long been percolating and now need to be met head-on. It is how we deal with them that will determine our destination. Dark days may lie ahead for a while, but with the application of wisdom and the avoidance of ill-considered reactionism, they may present us with an opportunity that could one day be looked back on as a gift. If enough positive dominoes can be tipped by those with a wider perspective, a lasting victory for common sense and freedom may yet be won.

Andy Thomas

www.truthagenda.org

(Originally written for New Dawn Magazine)