Is there an actual coup going on? I can't find any articles on this.
Here is one article from today's Financial Times by famous Israeli author Harari, "Israeli democracy is fighting for its life" [1]
Ask HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
41–50 of 54 posts
Re: Ask HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
#42Is there an actual coup going on? I can't find any articles on this.
My understanding is there is legislation being enacted which strips power from elected or appointed groups and places that power with the executive. A soft coup through “patriot act” style legislation
>My understanding is there is legislation being enacted which strips power from elected or appointed groups and places that power with the executive.
Who elected the Supreme Court in Israel? Nobody. The power will now lie in the hands of the legislature, which is the definition of democracy.
Re: Ask HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
#43Coup d'état - an illegal and overt attempt by the military or other government elites to unseat the incumbent leader. How about not exaggerating first. I had to run to Google to see if Israel was actually having a coup, lol. A coup is not something I'll even wish on my worst enemy.
Not all coups are violent/military. Today Israel's extreme government passed the first laws of the judicial overhaul bringing Israel closer to an autocracy, where there is only one power, the government, with unbalanced and unchecked power.
The definition of a coup would include either a show of force or an illegal action. Neither of those is happening here.
[1]https://www.google.com/search?q=define+coup+d%27etat [2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat [3]https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coup%20d%27etat
Re: Ask HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
#44Coup d'état - an illegal and overt attempt by the military or other government elites to unseat the incumbent leader. How about not exaggerating first. I had to run to Google to see if Israel was actually having a coup, lol. A coup is not something I'll even wish on my worst enemy.
Yes, that is a good definition of a coup. Notice that it does not require bloodshed or boots on the ground.
In a self-determining society or democracy all institutions are largely independent; this includes both the institutions of government such as the Executive, Judiciary, and Legislature, as well as the institutions of civil society including the press, academia, industry, education, religion sport, etc. In an autocracy, these institutions are bent to the will of the executive.
When a group in a democracy takes actions to corrupt or co-opt the independence of the institutions, it doesn't matter whether or not violence is involved; it is legitimately a coup, especially as far as practical results are concerned for those newly under autocratic rule.
You are quibbling about dictionary minutiae and ignoring the very real threat posed to OP, and his request for help.
Re: Ask HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
That many want to do this again is absolutely insane to me. I see so much support for Mao BECAUSE of his murder of landlords and business owners, not DESPITE of his atrocities
I don't want to downplay atrocities of that revolution. But, as a quip, if you think the murders were bad wait until you hear what the landlords were up to! Seriously though using the english word landlord is a gross simplification that elides generation on generation of pervasive horrors. It is very difficult for us to imagine how all-consuming and oppressive this environment was, it was much closer to european mano…
[flagged]
Re: Ask HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
#46Let's level set here a bit. There is no coup d'etat. Here's the definition of a coup: _a sudden, violent, and unlawful seizure of power from a government_ that is not what's happening here on either side. Instead here's a quick review of what's happening. Currently the Israeli supreme court can strike down laws based on what they deem "reasonability." As you might guess, this is a pretty strong power for the court to…
Many countries have similar veto powers for their courts. The exact reasoning of course is different.
But no one elected official working for the court in israel. There is an important difference between a court able to block something and being able to do own legislation (as it does often in the US). The Israeli court was never able to do legislation, only to block the government from going too far in any new direction.
Re: Ask HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
#47Earlier quoted context omitted.
My understanding is there is legislation being enacted which strips power from elected or appointed groups and places that power with the executive. A soft coup through “patriot act” style legislation
>My understanding is there is legislation being enacted which strips power from elected or appointed groups and places that power with the executive. Who elected the Supreme Court in Israel? Nobody. The power will now lie in the hands of the legislature, which is the definition of democracy.
That is a good point. I don't pretend to understand the nuances here (such as just how representative Isreal's legislature actually is) and I cannot say whether this represents a positive change regarding their representative government or not.
Re: Ask HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
#48Let's level set here a bit. There is no coup d'etat. Here's the definition of a coup: _a sudden, violent, and unlawful seizure of power from a government_ that is not what's happening here on either side. Instead here's a quick review of what's happening. Currently the Israeli supreme court can strike down laws based on what they deem "reasonability." As you might guess, this is a pretty strong power for the court to…
Many countries have similar veto powers for their courts. The exact reasoning of course is different. But no one elected official working for the court in israel. There is an important difference between a court able to block something and being able to do own legislation (as it does often in the US). The Israeli court was never able to do legislation, only to block the government from going too far in any new direct…
Does it not amount to the same thing? Striking down laws (blocking) and finding interpretations that become precedent (making) seem like two sides of the same coin.
Re: Ask HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
#49Let's level set here a bit. There is no coup d'etat. Here's the definition of a coup: _a sudden, violent, and unlawful seizure of power from a government_ that is not what's happening here on either side. Instead here's a quick review of what's happening. Currently the Israeli supreme court can strike down laws based on what they deem "reasonability." As you might guess, this is a pretty strong power for the court to…
German socialists also described Hitlers rise to power as a "coup" or implied that he "seized" the chancellorship unlawfully. It was too painful for them to admit that so many of their countrymen supported Fascism and that he won a democratic election. I'd imagine botencat is in a very similar situation.
Remember Trump's "Muslim ban"? The US courts declared the law unconstitutional and prevented its implementation. The judicial reform would make it de facto impossible for the Israeli supreme court to strike down whatever crazy stuff the right-wing extremist government comes up with. Death penalty for stone throwers? No problem.
Re: Ask HN: My country is undergoing a coup, which encryption software should I use?
#50State overreach and surveillance is a global trend. Don't mind me saying this: As a Jewish citizen with fair skin, a dual passport you would probably do fine, unless you are an Arab... Even under the most tyrannical regimes such as Iran, Myanmar, Russia, China etc. The elite are rarely targeted by the state apparatus. If you are a majority ethnic group with family links in the military, bureaucracy, big business poli…
I'm afraid I don't agree with this. In China's Cultural Revolution(1966-1976), the elite were the prime target of persecution. They included the intellectual class, the rich, and even political leaders. Millions of elites committed suicide or were persecuted to death during this movement, including even the 2nd president of the country.
Same with the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Famously targeted journalists, doctors, lawyers, scientists, academics, business leaders, etc.