Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Oxymoron of the week
Secret \Se"cret\, a. [F. secret (cf. Sp. & Pg. secreto, It.
secreto, segreto), fr. L. secretus, p. p. of secernere to put
apart, to separate. See {Certain}, and cf. {Secrete},
{Secern}.]
1. Hidden; concealed; as, secret treasure; secret plans; a secret vow. [1913 Webster]
2. Withdrawn from general intercourse or notice; in retirement or secrecy; secluded. [1913 Webster]
Police \Po*lice"\, n. [F., fr. L. politia the condition of a state, government, administration, Gr. ?, fr. ? to be a citizen, to govern or administer a state, fr. ? citizen, fr. ? city; akin to Skr. pur, puri. Cf. {Policy} polity, {Polity}.]
1. A judicial and executive system, for the government of a city, town, or district, for the preservation of rights, order, cleanliness, health, etc., and for the enforcement of the laws and prevention of crime; the administration of the laws and regulations of a city, incorporated town, or borough. [1913 Webster]
Secret police. An oxymoron of hate and fear. To go with secret evidence, and decisions made in secret, and lives turned upside-down at the whim of a political hack who "by law" need never give any account of, or reason for, his actions. Symptomatic of the casual overturning of civil rights won by brutal struggle over many, many, painful years. Of a population too easily lead and bovinely complacent to worry about things that don't immediately concern them. Yes, I am deeply disturbed by all of this.
1. Hidden; concealed; as, secret treasure; secret plans; a secret vow. [1913 Webster]
2. Withdrawn from general intercourse or notice; in retirement or secrecy; secluded. [1913 Webster]
Police \Po*lice"\, n. [F., fr. L. politia the condition of a state, government, administration, Gr. ?, fr. ? to be a citizen, to govern or administer a state, fr. ? citizen, fr. ? city; akin to Skr. pur, puri. Cf. {Policy} polity, {Polity}.]
1. A judicial and executive system, for the government of a city, town, or district, for the preservation of rights, order, cleanliness, health, etc., and for the enforcement of the laws and prevention of crime; the administration of the laws and regulations of a city, incorporated town, or borough. [1913 Webster]
Secret police. An oxymoron of hate and fear. To go with secret evidence, and decisions made in secret, and lives turned upside-down at the whim of a political hack who "by law" need never give any account of, or reason for, his actions. Symptomatic of the casual overturning of civil rights won by brutal struggle over many, many, painful years. Of a population too easily lead and bovinely complacent to worry about things that don't immediately concern them. Yes, I am deeply disturbed by all of this.
# posted by Chris @ 11:15 am 
