A Position

[CJFreeman]

Resolution: Civilians have a right to know the processes and actions of their government.

I’d like to examine the vice of privacy within the government office(s) and the corollary that citizens are entitled to know the decisions and directions of the officials they elect. The line between the right to privacy, and the right to public knowledge is tenuous, so it will need some paring down if we desire any solidity in our argument.

First, popular media is the new epistemology. That is, the popular culture absorbs its points of view from the corporately funded biases of political platforms transmitted through mediums such as television, radio, and the internet. If a citizen wishes to have all the bombast and poppycock of half-truths, they need only approach one of these mediums to receive their desire. Equally telling, however, is that a half-truth is composed of its counterpoint the “half-lie”. These two entities exist in a complacent, yet, nebulous symbiosis of red-tape, economics, and inane jargon backed by the glad-handing legislature of a paycheck. Clearly then, if people demand they be told by the government what decisions and directions are being made, the popular media will satisfy that demand; popular media is both a fulcrum and a sycophant, in this case. Hence, what is handed down to us as satisfaction, is more likely superficial and condescending.

It is clear then, that popular media is not entirely trustworthy as a source of knowledge, and alternative means such as traditional research, public readings, and becoming a member in one’s local ridings are more purified methods of sequestering information.

Second, our nations ~ Canada, and the United States of America, respectively ~ function under the bold, and magnanimous ideology of Democracy. There are no repressive factions seeking to create a bull’s eye out of our noses for voicing an opinion; there are no strictures in place that we have not helped to create by electing the people who make them; there are no rights that we have not voiced unanimously as what we deem to be ‘rights’. As such, in this democratic society, the directions and decisions of the government we, the people, elect, can and should be freely available to the curious citizen.

Third, the function of a democratic government is simply to organise, protect, and conserve the life of the public (which is the nation). So at what point then, does the government have the right to keep information from the public that (1) elected it, and (2) is directly affected by it? Some will answer that the government protects equally well by with-holding information, as it would by giving it. If this were true though, would there be a debate? No.

It is clear then, that the integrity of the public has been compromised, not protected by sub rosa decisions of our national leaders. The familiar maxim “knowledge is power” comes to mind here, and an unknowing public is powerless; and, in turn, to purge people of their right to knowledge, is to strip them of their strength, and a peculiar type of reverse treason. That is, treason consists in betraying one’s country; but here we see one’s country betraying the public. I conclude then, that people have a right to know the decisions and directions of the government they elect. The alternative is that the government denies the rights of the public they presumably protect, and boarder on betraying the public that gives them their power.


Christopher J. Freeman, The Un-politician

[taxes_are_stealing]

Your position is a good one, and one that I completely agree with.

Our government has successfully created a consumer society, ignorant to the ways of its own government, that has little care or desire to have any involvement (other then the ablity to cast a "vote" ) in its government.

Exposings its ways, truths, secrets, and other knowledges to the people that they claim to serve would be the first and biggest step to the downfall of the current people incharge/control (not to mention a downfall of thier money aswell) of todays government.

The main problem is that this government looks out more for the minority ( the extremely rich and powerful) and less for the majority of hardworking citizens.

[rhod01]

I think many of us of the 'masses' accept that some things are better kept secret.

It's usually when we discover or hear the possiblity of a 'big lie' or anything based on self-indulgence and corruption/cronyism, that people care.

Like the possiblity of the Iraq invasion being based upon a lie, and politicians appointing 'friends' and 'mates' to easy and highly-paid positions.