Neither Freedom Nor Security

"Those who would sacrifice essential liberties for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin

The Australian Labor Party, not content to merely follow the governing Liberals to the right of Attila the Hun has chosen to boldly regain the political initiative with respect to the "war on terror" (WOT). Ahead of a planned "emergency summit" of Australia's state leaders, Labor is stoically sacrificing our liberties in order to safeguard the nation from the terrorists who would destroy us.

While I appreciate the sentiment, is this really necessary? Our Prime Minister, "Honest" John Howard, assures us that our involvement in the WOT has not increased the chance of a terrorist attack on Australian soil. In fact he's convinced that staying in Iraq is the only way to lower our risk profile.
Very comforting. But then why is Attorney General, Philip Ruddock positively exhorting us to feel "extremely nervous"?

Troubling times indeed. I'm not sure whether I should be alert or alarmed.

And while I'm not sure about Laborite Nicola Roxon's assumption that the majority of the Australian populace have never read Orwell's 1984 - thus giving them "a pretty realistic view" about having their freedoms curtailed, I am 100% confident that the Labor Party will continue to set new records for electoral irrelevance.