censorship > The signs are more than enough. Ignoring them is dangerously foolish: the infamous (meta-modern) "freedom of speech", a supposed component of neoliberalism, ends with it...

In February, the government of the french oligarchy (Macron & co.) passed a law "to strengthen the fight against sectarian offenses and improve support for victims." This is a sweeping law: first of all, there is no legal definition in france of what constitutes a "sect." Traditionally, this term referred to religious or political groupings deemed "heretical." However, the french law does not concern itself with any kind of "orthodoxy," and the use of the term "sect" is precisely because it is vague and can be adapted as needed. Any grouping - from the organizers of a demonstration to members of an internet forum - can be labeled a "sect." Even three people sharing the same beliefs can be characterized as such.

The vague, indefinite, flexible definition of who exactly commits acts or holds views that constitute harmful "offenses" requiring state intervention rivals in ambiguity the concept of "offense" itself. Things become clearer when the state's responsibilities for combating this "evil" are spelled out:

First duty: surveillance! "Sectarian movements that threaten public order or contradict laws and regulations will be monitored and analyzed."

Second duty: prevention and suppression! "Coordination of preventive and repressive actions by public authorities against sectarian offenses"...

Third duty: monitoring economic activities (of sects...) Here, cooperation between state and private "entities" is foreseen, including banks among the latter.

Fourth duty: financial support for "victims" (of sectarian offenses)... They may file complaints anonymously and under protection, so that crimes committed by sects can be documented.

Since these "offenses" aren't defined solely as actions but also potentially include speech, Articles 4 and 5 of the law - concerning health - are particularly enlightening. In this context, "sectarian offenses" refer specifically (and disturbingly) to attempts to persuade individuals needing proper medical care either to avoid it altogether or follow alternative methodologies which could pose risks to their health. This clearly hints at opposition to the sanitarian campaign promoting genetic engineering-based mRNA platforms as salvation.

Given that the french state - as do all modern states - already has extensive legislation addressing crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, the deliberate vagueness surrounding "sectarian offenses" unmistakably amounts to censorship. National ideology doesn’t dare utter its own name, hence resorting to verbal gymnastics instead. Elsewhere, they don't have such problems.

Capitalist restructuring, radical paradigm shift, industry revolution 4.0 - they're already generating intense tensions within societies half-dissolved by neoliberalism, and even greater crises lie ahead. Likely accompanied by raw, unprocessed reactions. Meanwhile, elites - and their political facades - are unwilling to negotiate anything: The old notion of a social contract becomes dangerous during transformations like these, especially when pursued amid fierce intra-capitalist competition and great haste. Censorship forms part of their strategy of imposition.

Who among us is prepared to consider all this before it's too late?

P.S. Cyborg completes ten years on newsstands (and thirty issues). It wasn’t pre-planned - it emerged naturally. It hasn’t been easy. We’re not academics - we’re workers convinced that our class must and can keep its head above water through hard work - in times like these.
So we won’t celebrate. There’s nothing much to celebrate about. Our class isn’t helping itself - it’s drowning…
As for us? We’ll carry on - for as long as we can.

Ziggy Stardust