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PeterWaring

Listed below are comments made by PeterWaring between Wednesday, 28th May 2008 and Monday, 2nd June 2008.

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Gordon, the Government and Everything 1:39pm on 02 Jun 2008 I think that the issue of national security is a basic concern for everyone.

The focus on the number 42 is unbelievable; national security is delivered by a holistic approach comprising laws, technical deterrants and people's behaviours. For me its really important that people are not frightened of the terrorists nor frightened of the police; however it is important that people have positive values and are prepared to stand by them. In otherwords what should be important for the detention of terrorists (applies to criminals too) is the people who make the decisions (their values and integrity) and their ability to judge the value of the information presented to them to make these decisions in a objective manner.

I would be more interested in understanding how the PM would monitor, control and report transparently detentions made using this law (including the outcomes of (conviction, failed presecution or deportation) that whether the time limit is 28 or 42!
Did Mary Whitehouse have a point? 1:09pm on 28 May 2008 I think that TV has a lot to answer for, and its not really all about the sex and violence on TV, its about the perception of society, self perception and normallity.

Its true that TV presents disasters and people in adversity, but as a function of Human Nature we all aspire to belonging in the 'have' rather than 'have not' part of society; TV presents the top end of the 'have' part of society (in a way understandably because what is interesting when the topic is middle of the road?). This sets vast numbers of people to perceive that they are failing, perhaps even as far as hopelessly! I think it is this contrast that exacerbates the further negative influence that is the showing of the use of bad language as acceptable (e.g in the apprentice (taken naively to be a representative (not reprehensible|repulsive) group of educated people)).

However, the balme is not totally at the door of the TV controllers - no regulation, in the name of free speach, means market forces apply - these are not necessarily a force for good!

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PeterWaring