Diary: Lillooet and the Zeitgeist of the Police State

AND THAT'S MY TAKE" (LILLOOET AND THE ZEITGEIST OF THE POLICE STATE)

One would expect this kind of affront to rights and freedoms in countries generally regarded as being repressive. One might even think in the United States, with the last decade in particular witnessing the systematic dismantling of its rights and freedoms, we would see the open beta testing of the right to peaceful assembly being vanquished with the stroke of a pen. But, no, it appears small town Canada will hold the dubious distinction of being the zeitgeist for the open construction of the Police State.

Welcome to Lillooet, British Columbia. Population 2300. Located a little more than a two hour drive north of Vancouver, this sleepy community is an absolute treasure in terms of scenery and outdoor recreational pursuits. The last few years of wildfire season have placed Lillooet front and center in the news as Mother Nature cleanses and rejuvenates herself. Buried deep, if reported at all, is the recent surprise development of a new bylaw (Bylaw 343) proposed by Lillooet town council making it illegal to meet or assemble in public.

Thinly disguised as an attempt to control vandalism and loitering, Lillooet's proposed bylaw would seem an unlikely arena to beta test one of the keystone principals of freedom on which we define ourselves. Any reasonable person would have to infer that those who are guilty of loitering and vandalism would have the same due respect for a law that prevents gathering in public. The proposed bylaw is loose on specifics, leaving it wide open to interpretation and enforcement. For instance, it fails to define what is construed to be a public assembly, how many people are needed for a formal meeting, and what kind of performances would be illegal. Even with such definitions, Bylaw 343 stands perpendicular to the founding tenets of our basic rights and freedoms.

Perhaps, though, Lillooet is the perfect venue for such an experiment. There is almost no risk. If the bylaw is enacted, Lillooet becomes a precedence for other communities, large and small, to adopt similar laws. In a small population, any direct opposition would be minimal. Can you imagine such repression being openly beta tested in a large urban area such as Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, or Vancouver? Even the architects of the Police State know it is too early to tempt such a fate.

If the proposed bylaw is defeated, and given that the mainstream corporate media has ignored or buried the story, few people would be aware of the experiment and it could be returned to the appropriate boardrooms to be rewritten and birthed somewhere else.

Either way, the challenges facing Lillooet in terms of vandalism shall remain intact. Bylaw 343 will not solve any of the veiled antagonisms exploited as the embryo for its enactment.

What is taken from us should Bylaw 343 be enacted is priceless. Like the foundation of a home needing to be without compromise to ensure its integrity, so too are the basic foundations of our rights and freedoms including that of assembly and gathering in public.

And that's my take.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photographer. Author. Poet. Songwriter. Student of Human Behavior. Community Activist. Social Commentator. Environmental Steward. Wage Slave.

Visit Curtis Sagmeister online at www.sagmeister.ca

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