“Tell me readers, what word would you have used to describe the government pissing 680 people’s reputations up the wall (and I’m not talking about their own)?”

How about multiple counts of libel ?

Some Merriam-Webster Dictionary definitions of libel

“2 a: a written or oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression b (1): a statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt (2): defamation of a person by written or representational means (3): the publication of blasphemous, treasonable, seditious, or obscene writings or pictures (4): the act, tort, or crime of publishing such a libel ”

Philip’s latest blog post… Britannia Rules the Waves

But this assumes that when they whitter on about “community” they don’t mean it (“community”) in the same way as they mean it when they use words like “regrettable”.

Creating disincentives for real people to volunteer their time towards their community creates spaces and “opportunities” (another weasal word straight out of the Blackadder book of cunning plans) for hand picked party activists at local level to take over. Effectively devolving control, rather than democracy down to the lowest level using the command and control model.

This has been a feature of the local landscape for some time now. Where all local activity and spending at “community” level is controlled through a variety of organisations set up with picked gatekeepers who are used to ensure that regeneration outcomes match those created from the centre of the corporate state.

And it makes absolutely no difference whichever of the three main parties are running the local, town, or parish council. Any sign of independence is ruthlessley stamped on and eliminated to ensure that the market and corporate model is the one put on the ground.

We are truly facing a Hobsons choice here. We are currently at the stage today (2008) where we were in 1995. Two years away from an election with the “official” opposition being lined up for government (with a small g) giving the illusion of change/choice.

The organisations used this time around will be different – church and religious groups will be more prominant once the Anglican Church in the UK has fallen to the current coup attempt. But the model, methods, motivation and outcomes will be just the same corporate Thatcherism we’ve had since the post war mixed economy was ditched in 1979.

Of course, the real point of this story is that a lot more people are going to be vetted, which means that entirely innocent people who’ve made the mistake of volunteering at their kids’ school are going to be branded criminals. Pretty big disincentive and unlikely to encourage the ‘community’ our beloved leaders are always on about.

Backword Dave’s latest blog post… Blair Invites Head Of International Paedophile Ring To UK