What is our problem? A wrecked economy? I’ve heard proposed solutions that may be “good for the economy” according to the IMF or the few rich among us, but disastrous for the rest of us. Violence? For years people have been praying to be saved from violence; most of them were, but the real problems got worse. Democracy? Now there’s a challenge.
Did anyone see the film on TV (Al Jazeera I think) about the lone fascist terrorist who killed over 70 people in Norway a couple of years ago? He bombed the Prime Minister’s office then went to a camp for the ruling party’s youth on an island and shot nearly 70 of them before the police stopped him.
It could have been worse if one citizen had been less vigilant. He saw the terrorist, “dressed like a policeman” enter a car a few blocks from the PM’s office, and drive away – the wrong way down a one-way street. He noted the car registration because this seemed strange.
Then he heard about the bomb, phoned police and described the terrorist, which helped them to track him down.
Democratic freedom is not about everyone doing their own thing; it protects their rights as long as their freedom doesn’t harm anyone else. A democracy is strong when citizens feel responsible for preserving and perfecting it. How many of us would take any notice of an apparent policeman breaking such an insignificant law? This Norwegian prevented more deaths by being observant and reporting his observation to the authorities.
Our problem is finding a responsible, trustworthy authority. If the police are not concerned about the misbehaviour of their members or are so afraid that a man in what looks like police uniform can get away with mass murder, where do we look? A newspaper that published every report it received of misbehaviour by police or other public servants would probably have more information than it could handle and would still sell like hot cakes.
A reliable site on the internet might be as good, but it must prove it is responsible. We hear enough rumours on WhatsApp, Facebook etc that we have to sift through to find what truth there may be in them, and maybe to guess who is lying to us.
In Norway and several European countries, government collects more information on its citizens than in Britain or probably even here. The difference is that our government, or whoever claims to fill the gap if we don’t have a legitimate government at the moment, may use the information against us secretly. The British call that “respecting your privacy”.
The Norwegians, Dutch and citizens of some other European democracies don’t mind their government having information about them, because it is not secret. Anyone can go to government offices and ask to see all the information about themselves.
They can challenge it if it is inaccurate. They can also get information they need on their neighbours: somebody asks for a loan and the lender can see his credit rating; someone applies for a job and the employer can ask if the applicant has a criminal record.
Everybody feels responsible for each other and their common welfare. That’s why the streets in those countries are so clean; everybody feels responsible for that.
It all adds up to the old adage: “the price of freedom is constant vigilance”. If we prefer to shut our eyes, we will be a nation of the blind led by the blind, who all fall into the ditch.
Post published in: Opinions & Analysis