Am I really the only one?

[Firef1y72]

Am I really the only one concerned about the far reaching consequences of the bill that came in effect on Thursday.
Right now we are effectively living in a police state. With the potential to remain so for 2 years with no right to demonstrate. There is so.much potential for abuse of power. A dissenter can be sectioned on the say so.of a single doctor. Local elections were postponed to next year with very little (if any) public outcry. Some people seem to be wetting their knickers at the thought of informing on their neighbours. Others are demanding the the army patrol the streets.

Remember those history lessons we had at school about Europe in the 30s??? As my history teacher told us, one of the reasons we learnt about that was so we don't repeat the mistakes of the past.

Why on earth do you think it would be abused

Life must be really exhausting for you.

Am I really the only one

As this is the 4th thread I’ve read on MN on this subject I’d say no, you’re probably not.

Yep
We’ve effectively handed away our civil liberty.
And the police have grateful accepted and road blocks are in place already with police demanding to know your movements. And very few people care ....another catchphrase ‘stay inside, save lives’ is all it took.
139 children in my schools have child protection plans and of them less than 10 have taken up their school places. I have teachers out Monday to Friday knocking on doors attempting to at least have eyes on these child. We asked the police to do well being checks on 3 over the weekend ....nope apparently they don’t have the man power for that. But they can set up road blocks to pull people over about whether they can walk their dog on a hill in the middle of nowhere.
It’s a fucking disgrace.

the world as a whole has been moving further and further to the right

Totalitarianism is not exclusive to the right

and this onefullfact.org/online/viral-list-uk-lockdown-rules-not-right/

fullfact.org/online/viral-list-uk-lockdown-rules-not-right/

There are loads of threads about it

No I’m not worried. If it gives them the powers they need to deal with the utter fuckwits who cannot follow the bloody rules then 🤷🏻‍♀️

They’re not about to go around sectioning people for the hell of it. In case you’ve not heard,they’re a bit busy with a pandemic.

I'm with you on this one op but we are in the vast minority. Right now. Until months down the line our civil liberties have been slowly eroded away. You will like this article. But I doubt anyone else will! charleseisenstein.org/essays/the-coronation/

Without the MH amendment about one doctor instead of two, the alternative would be not having two available and people being left to fend for themselves. How is that better? My DB has been sectioned 3 times, and in honesty the second was only there to sign on the second line.

Yes, we know people are scared and people are dying.
But that still does not mean we can and should throw
our democratic systems out of the window. That's what leadership is about in the first place.
mid

You're not the only one op. Have a look at a recent article in new scientist where the imperial author (Ferguson?) Says it's actually only 20k dead, not the 500k he first said (I think)
Statnews has some interesting articles including one by an American greek epidemiologist, couple of articles in the ft about an oxford research group's differing opinion on the path the pandemic might take in the uk.
A big response based on some data that seems a bit iffy. The way everyone has become spies on their neighbours like Soviet secret police in 3 or so days is a shocker! I'm in nz and we now have an online form to report lockdown infringers!

Yes it's worrying. But at the moment we don't have much choice. There will be time to repeal the Bill when it is safe.

Re: believing that
boris has 'strong civil libertarian instincts'..
Gosh, requiring considerable effort NOT to respond to that statement

I agree with the post you're referring that Boris is libertarian leaning, so would be interested to read your fuller response

People have been sectioned in the past for no reason, other than they have been distressed. It is also the classic thing that abusive men do to the wives they wish to get rid of, one way or another.

If doctors are increasingly stressed, which they are, the likelihood that they need independent checks and balances is increased. The second doctor is a check and balance.

Read: or google:

Shortlisted mind book of the year:
Richard Bentall ' Doctoring the Mind - why psychiatric treatments fail'.

@Firef1y72
How do you think this thread will end.?
What do you want or need from this.?

books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=HIeqr8vLSS8C&oi=fnd&pg=PT1&dq=richard+bentall+why+psychiatric+treatments+fail&ots=HveT78D85u&sig=cp5dcEuyUAsSlwL2gY_kDbJBekw#v=onepage&q=richard%20bentall%20why%20psychiatric%20treatments%20fail&f=false

I support the current measures and am following them. I am worried about Covid 19 and know that we need these extreme measures, and perhaps more stringent ones in the near future.

However, I am also with you too, OP. Support for the current measures whilst necessary and concern for how it pans out in the future are not mutually exclusive.

My understanding is that the measures are reviewed every 6 months, and have an expiry date of 2 years. I hope it works out that way. I think it should, but seeing is believing.

@motherindenial with the chronic shortage of beds do you really believe this is the case? If anything the really sad part is the lack of support available for people for who hospitalisation would save their life.

I despair if this is really anyone's primary concern right now. Get a grip. Ditch the paranoia and bring it back if anything concerning happens at the six month point when its reviewed. For now, it's required.

It is certainly required. It isn't my primary concern, but it is still a concern.

I think things will be OK, but it is still something that will need to be watched in the future once the current emergency recedes. This is, I think, why safety measures were brought into the bill, such as the six monthly review and the two year expiry time.

I suppose if people can be sectioned more easily it will take out, for example, those on MN who are "going insane" already despite comfortable income [husband], a garden, a big house, and no school run to "cope" with. Very worrying if people deteriorate.

Am I really the only one

As this is the 4th thread I’ve read on MN on this subject I’d say no, you’re probably not.

Aww shame, so the OP's not 'speshul' or yoonique' after all

In three months time (if we all make it that far as posters on this thread) - I wonder what information will emerge about how the current decisions were made?

Shoot me down if you like - but I really hope people (including mumsnetters) keep this discussion up.

And I'm not a perfect person, is anybody? But one thing I've learned is that seemingly o.k. person with a 'good' husband and a 'decent' income and a 'garden' - can also be that person who struggles with their mental health and needs support, and possibly someone who experiences the hardships of the changes with the C-virus the most.

Before these measures about the C virus there was so much talk in the media and elsewhere about loneliness. And isolation. Might be wise to acknowledge that people with existing disabilities or mental health issues might have their existence worsened by the measures. Too difficult to imagine?

There is a lot of talk now about 'puling together' or 'pulling yourself together'...not helpful for someone who might be depressed or suicidal, or sitting alone at home (or struggling with a difficult time financially, with the kids with a teen...)…