THE FREEDOM ASSOCIATION

The Myth of Overpopulation

From the Christian scaremongers of 200 AD to contemporary Malthusians who talk about “fossil fuel depletion”, population reductionists have been wrong, wrong, wrong in their predictions of future doom. In his response to the Optimum Population Trust, Brendan O’Neill says it is time we exposed the prejudices that they disguise as “scientific fact”.

In the year 200 AD, there were approximately 180 million human beings on the planet Earth. And at that time a Christian philosopher called Tertullian argued: “We are burdensome to the world, the resources are scarcely adequate for us… already nature does not sustain us.” In other words, there were too many people for the planet to cope with; we were bleeding Mother Nature dry. Tertullian warned we would face great hungers and crises if any more “burdensome” people were born. READ MORE.

Tim Black reflects on a decade of unfreedom

A DNA database of five million people; thousands of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders dished out in place of justice; the extension of pre-trial custody from a draconian seven days in 1997 to necessity-defying 28 days; a de facto suspension of habeas corpus not seen since the French Revolution got up the noses of William Pitt the Younger’s aristocrat-only administration in the 1790s. The list of attacks on our liberty goes on. It’s a narrative of anti-freedom that characterises the decade. READ MORE.

French Government pushes through “spruced-up” version of draconian Internet piracy bill

"The repressive mentality that imbues France’s anti-piracy bill, even its new version, could jeopardise access to information when alternative ways exist to protect literary and artistic creation. The new version, dubbed “HADOPI 2” after the acronym of the special agency it would create, the High Authority for the Dissemination of Creative Works and Protection of Rights on the Internet (HADOPI), was passed by the National Assembly on 15 September after the original version, “HADOPI 1,” was thrown out by the Constitutional Council in June.

Internet users will break the law just by visiting an illegal download site, even before they download anything. This recalls 19th century censorship, which restricted freedom of expression even before it was exercised. Internet users should not be liable to punishment until they have actually committed an illegal download." READ MORE.

Roger Helmer talks to students about freedom

Roger Helmer MEP, Hon. Chairman of The Freedom Association, addressed an enthusiastic audience of students at a joint TFA & Southampton University Conservative Association Free Spirits bash to celebrate Lady Thatcher's 84th birthday.  MORE

The expanding Big Brother State: e-Borders

When you go abroad you will be forced to give the government:

• The contact numbers of the places where you are staying 
• The addresses of where you will be staying
• Your vehicle number
• The credit card number you used to pay for your trip
• Details of other people in the party

This data will then be shared with the Inland Revenue and Secret Services for up to 10 years. This data will also be used to determine whether you travel (green light), are subject to further questioning (yellow light) or are detained and taken into custody (red light).

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Eroding our Civil Liberties is not the way to Counter Terrorism

In this response to British counter-terrorism policy Kyle McCurdy promotes adherence to long term strategies over short term responsive tactics, an approach that would pose less risk of neglecting civil liberties and government accountability.

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How the state intrudes upon our everyday lives