Home Secretary Charles Clarke has published his list of unacceptable behaviours which will result in deportation of those foreigners found to be at odds with them.
We know, of course, from the July 7 and July 21 bomb events that at least some of the most murderous people in our midst are actually British traitors. Quite possibly some of their support network, mentors, suppliers and financiers will also be British.
They may have received inspiration - from British citizens - in a manner that might not have broken the law but which was in breach of Mr Clarke’s list of unacceptable behaviours.
What do we do with those particular people?
Part of the dilemma we face now is this: on the one hand we want the freedoms of thought, dissent, demonstration and argument that we spilled centuries of blood to obtain. On the other hand, we have a mutli-ethnic community which, while mainly respectful of the British way, includes those who are contemptuous of everything that freedom really is. They are not the kind of people that we British envisaged when we thought of ideas of freedom.
Do we give up the freedoms? Because, let’s face it, we can’t easily deal with the traitors in our midst without taking a turn for the authoritarian.
Or do we imprison those British citizens who would, had they been foreigners, been deported using current legislation?
If the burden of proof for deportation is lower than for standard UK criminal cases - which it may be and, perhaps, should be - then how do we reconcile imprisoning British citizens for unproven crimes with the desire to avoid an overbearing state?
Think also of situations where the laws we’re clamouring for could be used against us.
What if The Falklands were successfully over-run by Argentina? (Not possible, I know, but for the sake of argument, imagine it). A weak British government works out a ‘compromise’ and does not seek to liberate the island. Over the years the islanders are forced to accept their lot and even take part in local elections to select their preferred governor. The ownership of the island seems settled.
But I, a freeborn Englishman, rant and rave about the situation of British comrades under foreign occupation and exhort them to fight their rulers, resist the occupation and to kill them where possible. Am I encouraging terrorism? Are the British people fighting back against tyranny rebels, resistance fighters or terrorists? The authorities there will certainly call them terrorists and demand the British government punish me. If we’re not careful, the British government will be able to.
I realise my example is overblown but it illustrates the point, I hope. I believe we should be relentless in our pursuit of the evil in our midst. But we must use some imagination to see where ideas we think will help in our efforts against terror will actually run contrary to our desire for freedom of thought, deed and speech. I don’t have the answers - just some of the questions.
We must ask ourselves these questions though because a mistake made now may not reveal itself until it is too late for us to rectify….
