THE WORLD SOCIALIST WEBSITE (WSWS) has called Martyn Bradbury out for his selective support for the principles of free speech.
Tom Peters writes that while the editor of The Daily Blog might claim to be a defender of free speech, it doesn't seem to apply to the Socialist Equality Group.
Peters reports that on the December 6 edition of the weekly Working Group podcast Bradbury made a lengthy statement as to why freedom of speech was important. He declared:
'I refuse point blank to be manipulated by the Security Intelligence Service [SIS] and their odious new nark-line to dob in enemies of the state that they launched last month. I refuse point blank to see my fellow Kiwis as my enemy. Just because you have a different political opinion and a different point of view to mine doesn’t make you my enemy.
'Just because you are right-wing, vote ACT or National, or listen to [right-wing broadcaster] Sean Plunket, doesn’t make you my enemy… I refuse to be played by the f—ing SIS into believing my fellow citizen is my enemy.'
But Peters says that Bradbury doesn't mind the SIS going after the Socialist Equality Group for having contrary opinions. He points out that in April Bradbury wrote 'The SIS should openly investigate Socialist Equality Group [SEG] as Chinese enablers and for possible treason.'
Tom Peters says that Bradbury is a political hypocrite, commenting that 'While Bradbury says conservative National Party and far-right ACT Party supporters should not be treated as “enemies of the state,” that is precisely what he has demanded in the case of the Trotskyist movement, which opposes the Labour Party-led government (and its backers including The Daily Blog) from the standpoint of international socialism.'
Peters points out that socialist and left wing groups have, historically, always been the main focus of attention for the SIS:
'Bradbury’s suggestion that the SIS is targeting right-wing supporters of the opposition National and ACT parties is frankly ludicrous, and he knows it. The New Zealand spy agencies and police have a long record of surveillance of left-wing organisations and individuals, including supporters of the Soviet Union, members of the Pabloite Socialist Action League, opponents of the Vietnam war, and more recently journalist Nicky Hager, who exposed New Zealand war crimes in Afghanistan.
'The fundamental purpose of the intelligence agencies is to defend the capitalist state. That is why Bradbury’s decision to “dob in” the Socialist Equality Group to the SIS should be taken as a serious warning by all working people and anyone concerned with defending democratic rights.'
Bradbury is the right's tame 'left wing commentator'. He sounds vaguely leftish but likes to brown nose with reactionary arses like Gerry Brownlee. Fucks it up for everyone else.
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