Positive Rights News From Europe

Various readers are sending in good news from Europe on the rights front. First, at the EU level, Mark.J brings word that the European Parliament has canned a number of controversial amendments to its updated Telecoms Package, which could have resulted in ISPs being forced to disconnect customers for involvement in illegal file-sharing of copyrighted material. Next, SplatMan_DK writes from Denmark on a recent ruling by the Danish High Court that means that Danes are still innocent until proven guilty in copyright cases, even if their IP address has been confirmed as the origin of P2P traffic involving copyrighted music. Finally, from Sweden, an update on the draconian so-called Lex Orwell, which would have effectively resulted in the routine wiretapping of the entire nation. Eric Blair sends a link on an agreement reached between the Swedish parliament and the sitting government on a new form for the controversial signals intelligence law. Supposedly, the sting has been taken out of the law: only the department of defense and the cabinet may request data, and they'll have to get court approval for it.

Encroachment upon rights held at bay

[BadAnalogyGuy]

So the gradual encroachment of governmental power over the rights of citizens is slowed yet again.

But doesn't the mere fact that the government has the power to limit itself signal that such limitations are arbitrary and subject only to the whims and needs of those in power? While "protecting the children" may not be as crucial as personal privacy to some European people, isn't it just a matter of time until the priorities become reversed and the erosion of rights will again begin in earnest?

How can a government be the arbiter of rights unless it has the power to take them away?

Being a Legal Nazi, but...

[gravesb]

Generally when you talk about positive rights, it means the government must provide something. Negative rights prevent the government from doing something. The US Bill of Rights is generally considered to be all negative rights. So, it is clearer to refrain from using those adjectives when talking about rights unless you are describing how they affect the government, as opposed to whether they are good or bad.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Europe is now a confederacy

[burnitdown]

Thanks to the EU, it's now an alliance with internal tradiing advantages and collective leadership. In English, we call this a confederacy (no necessary relation to the Confederate States of America).

If Israel, Iran and Iraq started their own trade agreement, we might refer to the mid-East in the same way.

Re:Europe is not one country

[meringuoid]

Although it is nice to see positive news, you must remember that Europe is not one country. It is many countries and what is legal in one can be very illegal in another. As if you start comparing laws in Israel, China and Japan, just because it is all Asia.

Not quite the same thing. Israel, China and Japan are not joint members of any supranational confederation. The European Union now includes 27 states, and more and more matters are dealt with cooperatively. Since network rights are inherently international, they're exactly the sort of thing that ends up coming to the attention of Brussels - and the decision they reach will be shaped by the consensus among the various states. Precedents established in a single country today may well affect the whole Union tomorrow.

Re:Encroachment upon rights held at bay

[ThinkTwicePostOnce]

There's an old saying that speaks to your question and is profoundly true:

Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.

Re:Encroachment upon rights held at bay

[2names]

Governments only have power when the populace gives it or, through complacency, allows the government to seize power and strip away the rights of the individual. If we as citizens of Planet Earth do not agressively and steadfastly defend our rights as such, tyranny will prevail and it will be OUR fault.

And now, I await my arrest by the U.S. [insert 3 letter organization here].

Re:Encroachment upon rights held at bay

[BadAnalogyGuy]

What you fail to realize is that you will not lose your rights due to complacency, but rather you will forfeit them enthusiastically to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Re:Encroachment upon rights held at bay

[BadAnalogyGuy]

What YOU fail to realize is that not everyone in the U.S. has succumbed to the "bread and circuses" mentality

In a democracy, it doesn't take everyone to vote yea. It only takes enough.

Re:Encroachment upon rights held at bay

[2names]

While your point is valid, I will ask that you also consider that one voice of dissent is often louder than the entire flock "baaa-ing" in agreement.

Re:Encroachment upon rights held at bay

[BadAnalogyGuy]

Please let the U.S. government in on your theory, because for the past 6 years the silent majority has been riding roughshod over the vocal minority.

Re:Encroachment upon rights held at bay

[Daimanta]

Nothing human is eternal

Eternal vigilance is an illusion

Re:Encroachment upon rights held at bay

[ijakings]

History has proven time and time again that with freedom as a goal amazing achievements have been accomplished. Unfortunately it often takes the removal of those freedoms for the majority of sheeple to take note of whats actually going on.

Re:Europe is now a confederacy

[Iloinen Lohikrme]

Well, Europe essentially is the trademark of European Union. Countries belonging to the European Union form the core of Europe culturally, socially, politically and economically. Countries that aren't members of EU are usually trying to become more European so that they can join the European Union. In this sense to me it makes sense use Europe and European Union as synonyms as after all eventually all countries in Europe that are not part of EU will become part of it.