Japanese Politician Compares Protesters Against State Secrets Bill To Terrorists

Liberal Democratic Party General Shigeru Ishiba on Friday posted comments to his blog in which he compared those demonstrating against the governments proposed State Secrets bill to terrorists.  What's sad is that Mr. Ishiba isn't the first nor will be the last to use terrorism as a slur against those who oppose a governments policy.   During the runup to the Iraq war the Bush administration used similar tactics in declaring either you're "with us  or you're against us" implying rather implicitly that any opposition to the invasion of Iraq was tantamount to supporting terrorists.  Statements weren't the only means used to silence those they considered to members of the radical left.  The USA Patriot act, warrantless wiretapping, illegal searches of homes and businesses and indefinite detention of Americans labeled enemy combatants.     Where does it all stop.  For its clear that Mr. Ishaba doesn't believe in the peoples right to for redress of their grievances against the government.  He's saying they should shut-up and let those who their betters decide what's best for them.

Mr. Ishiba Japan has an elected representative government. You may have heard of this particular concept its all the rage now.  Yet, the Liberal Democratic Party which you lead clearly doesn't believe in the  peoples right to demonstrate against a law which they strongly believe will infringe upon the their constitutional rights.

LDP Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba is under fire for comments he made on his blog on Friday, in which he likened civic groups protesting outside the Diet against the state secret bill to terrorists.
Ishiba wrote that their “noisy protests against the government decision are tantamount to terrorism.”
On Sunday, Ishiba responded on his blog. “No matter which side you are opposing or supporting, to simply shout, carry on, and cause a public disturbance for many people, is decidedly an ineffective way to express public opinion.”

History seems to believe a subject Shigeru Ishiba missed during his education:  I am sure he's never heard of the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, the Orange Revolution in the Ukraine, the demonstrations in the Philippines which lead to the downfall of Ferdinand Marcos which led to the election of  Corazon Aquino.  

All three of these revolutions were nonviolent and led to dramatic changes in the way these countries were governed.