Response to FBI Targeting Political Activists as Terrorists

回應FBI視政治活動者為恐怖主義分子

...but I'm curious if you see any difference where

我十分好奇你們是否看出了不同之處

just very very kind of obviously peaceful activists,

那些十分典型的和平活動者

like environmental activists, animal rights activists,

如環境主義者 動物權利保護者

people that attend a documentary or that use sidewalk chalk on the street

那些製作紀錄片的人員 或者是用粉筆在街道上

in order to write their slogans are now being targeted

寫下標語的普通人 現在成為了活靶子

as if we are seeing a new low of what you call

譬如我們現在目睹一個新的低點

"quashing dissent".

它被稱為"鎮壓異議"

As many students of history are familiar,

正如很多歷史系學生所熟悉的

Galileo, famed mathematician and astronomer,

著名數學家和天文學家伽利略

known today by many as the “Father of Modern Science,"

在今日被視為"現代科學之父"

was forced in the 17th century

而在17世紀

by the Catholic Church under threat of torture

卻受到來自天主教會的威脅和折磨

to recant his “heretical” view

要求他放棄"異端學說"

that the earth revolved around the sun and not vice versa.

即禁止"日心說" 而提倡"地心說"

This scientifically valid idea voided long held religious dogma

"日心說"極大地挑戰了長期以來的宗教信條

and hence challenged the Church's integrity itself.

因此撼動了教會的完整性

In a letter from 1634, René Descartes,

在一封1634年的信中 笛卡爾

one of the world's most noted thinkers and philosophers, stated:

一位世界著名的思想家和哲學家 他寫到:

“Doubtless you know

毫無疑問

that Galileo was recently censored by the Inquisitors of the Faith,

伽利略最近受到了宗教裁判所法官的審查

and that his views about the movement of the earth

他關於地球運轉的觀點

were condemned as heretical.

被指責為"異端學說"

I must tell you that all the things I explained in my treatise,

我必須告訴你 在我的著作中解釋的所有事情

which included the doctrine of the movement of the earth,

包括關於地球運轉的學說

were so interdependent

都是緊密地相互聯繫的

that it is enough to discover that one of them is false

只要發現其中一個是錯的

to know that all the arguments I was using are unsound.

就足以得知我使用的其他論證也站不住腳

Though I thought that they were based on very certain and evident proofs,

儘管我認為它們是基於相當確鑿而明顯的證據

I would not wish, for anything in the world,

我並不希望為這世界上的任何事

to maintain them against the authority of the Church.

堅持自己的觀點而反對教會的權威

I desire to live in peace and to continue the life I have begun

我渴望平靜的生活 繼續我已經開始的生活

under the motto 'to live well you must live unseen'.”

謹記這條格言:"想要過得好 必須活得低調"

If we step back and think about the challenges that faced

如果我們退一步 想一想

this small progressive and scientific community

這個先進的科學小社群所面臨的挑戰

during the 17th century in Europe

把17世紀的歐洲

and compare the fear and patterns of suppression

來自當時已經建立的正統思想

coming from the established orthodoxy of that time to that of modern-day,

所實施的恐懼和壓制 與今天的情況相比較

we find only a mere variation.

我們只發現一個變化

Descartes' revelation and retreat from exposure

笛卡爾揭開了真相卻不敢將其公之於眾

as expressed by the motto 'to live well you must live unseen'

正如那條格言所示:"想要過得好 必須活得低調"

is a disheartening disposition that speaks volumes

這真是一個意味深長卻令人沮喪的傾向

and sadly carries on to this day across the world.

並且可悲地被一直沿用到今日 遍及整個世界

The use of fear, intimidation and other time tested variations of oppression

把恐懼 脅迫以及其他經過時間考驗的各種壓制手段

continue to persist, as the dominant institutions of our society

作為我們社會的主導制度一直被沿用

work to protect its established order regardless of social validity.

用來保護已建立的秩序 而無視適用社會之時是否有效

Even more, the overall culture itself,

更惡劣的 則是整個文化本身

which invariably tends to support the accepted beliefs put forward

總是趨向於支持傳統觀念 並被一個時期的

by those who define the power of a period,

掌權者不斷大肆宣傳

also tend to condemn those who pose a challenge,

同時也對那些持質疑的人們大肆譴責

as it becomes a threat to the mass-accepted identity itself.

因為這些質疑對被廣泛接受的認同本身 構成了巨大的威脅

The result is that many are simply not willing to risk their lives,

最終 許多人只是不願意去冒這個險

occupations and reputations to challenge the orthodoxy of the time.

犧牲自己的生命 工作 名譽來挑戰當時的正統思想

In late May, 2011, news reports were generated

2011年5月下旬 新聞報導

that detailed how the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States

詳細披露了美國聯邦調查局(以下簡稱FBI)

was actively targeting “Political Activists”

如何積極地將"政治活動者"

under the pretense of “Terrorism”.

污蔑為"恐怖主義"

Just as people like John Lennon and Martin Luther King

如約翰·列儂和馬丁·路德·金恩這樣的人

were watched and harassed by the FBI for their activism years ago,

因他們當時的運動而遭受FBI的監視和騷擾

it appears modern, so-called “Anti-Terrorism” resources are being used

新興的 所謂的"反恐主義"手段似乎正在被大加利用

to target environmentalists, peace, animal and political activists.

來瞄準環境主義者 和平主義者 動物保護者 政治活動者

Just like the accusations of “Communism”

正如用"共產主義"的指控

against people like Martin Luther King, Jr. in the mid 20th century,

去對付21世紀中葉像馬丁·路德·金恩這樣的人

this newer, more generalized device of the 21st century called “Terrorism”

在21世紀更新穎的 被更廣泛稱為"恐怖主義"的手段

is no less a “heretical," accusatory tool

也是一個"異端學說"的指控工具

than what was employed by the Inquisition centuries ago

與幾個世紀以前宗教裁判所採用的手段並無不同

to maintain the politico-religious social system.

該手段用來維持當時政教合一的社會體系

So, we can sympathize with Descartes' notion,

於是我們可以和笛卡爾的觀點產生共鳴

as to move against the zeitgeist

反時代精神

is to position yourself against the odds,

則是將自己置於不被看好的處境

regardless of how empirical, necessary or obvious

無論你想傳遞有依據的事實

the truth you wish to convey and act upon is.

是多麼的經驗主義 多麼必要和顯著

Unfortunately, Descartes' position is unacceptable in the modern world.

不幸的是 笛卡爾的觀點在當今世界已經不再受歡迎了

The risks that now exist within our current order

存在於我們目前這個秩序中的危險

are beginning to far outweigh the temporal personal risks

正逐漸超越產生於反對行為中

generated by the act of activist objection itself.

個人所暫時面臨的危險

It is no longer issues of accurate data, “rights” and “freedoms”.

它不再是關於精確數據 "權利"或"自由"的問題

Today our very stability as a civilization is in question

如今 我們"文明的穩定性"本身正成為一個問題

and, if left unhindered, it threatens us all,

如果對它置之不理 它將威脅到我們所有人

regardless of one's position in the modern feudal hierarchy.

無論一個人處於這個"現代封建等級制度"的哪個位置

We can sit in confusion and watch

我們可以迷茫地靜坐旁觀

as global unemployment rises due to technological unemployment

技術發展使得全球失業率攀升

and the resulting regional instability that is sure to grow.

由此導致的區域不穩定也勢必升級

We can stare blankly at the systematic debt collapse of the world economy,

我們可以眼睜睜地看著世界經濟的系統性債務崩潰

country by country, like dominos,

像多米諾骨牌一樣 一國接著一國

as self-appointed global banking institutions

就像故步自封的全球銀行機構

that derive money out of nothing impose austerity measures

憑空造錢 施加緊縮措施

against the poor and middle class of each country

欺壓各國的窮人和中產階級

to help support the wealthy, furthering the ever widening income divide.

養肥富人 更加拉大了貧富差距

We can twiddle our thumbs as what we have called “democracy”

我們可以豎起拇指 像過去那樣高喊"民主"

turns inexplicably into global plutocracy

之後"民主"就不明不白地演變成了全球富豪統治

and the world economy becomes measured by how much money

世界經濟以富人之間

the rich move around amongst themselves.

相互流動的金錢數量來衡量

We can distract ourselves with our little gadgets as the rainforests,

我們可以繼續"玩物喪志" 而那些被稱為"地球之肺"的雨林

considered by many the “lungs” of the planet,

正以越來越快的速度消亡

are destroyed at faster and faster rates,

削弱了吸收大氣中

reducing our ability to absorb the growing CO2 in the atmosphere.

逐漸增多的二氧化碳的能力

We can keep the TV on as clean water and food shortages

我們可以全天開著電視 而飲用水和食物的短缺

that currently affect over 1 billion people

正困擾著十幾億人

continue to grow to 2 billion or 3 billion.

而且這個數字還在增長 達到二十億或三十億

We can scan the tabloids at the grocery store news stands

我們可以掃一眼雜貨店架上的小報

as the very basis of industrial civilization, the hydrocarbon economy,

當工業文明的基礎 即汽油經濟

inches towards crisis scarcity

逐步走向匱乏危機

with virtually no active initiative taken to change course.

卻沒有採取任何實際的積極行動來改變現狀

We can continue to pretend that our “leaders”

我們可以繼續假裝我們的"領導者"

are anything other than “mis-leaders”

不是一個"錯誤的領導者"

set in motion by monetary commercial interests

被金融貨幣的商業利益所驅使

that follow the rules of the free-market

遵循自由市場的規則

with all legislation and offices

擁有一切法律和機構

going to the highest bidder one way or another.

選擇出價最高的方式

And we can stand amused as a new global arms race gains speed

我們可以"愉悅地"旁觀全球軍備競賽升級

as each country comes to terms with the very real reality

每個國家都在以下事實面前妥協：

that wars for resources are upon us

我們正面臨以一種

in a way unlike any other period in history.

前所未有的方式進行資源爭奪戰

This is what separates our world from the one that Descartes hid from.

這將我們的世界和笛卡爾唯恐避之不及的世界區分開來

The fear tactics of the orthodoxy,

在這個情景中

in this context, the FBI or any such “Intelligence Agency,"

正統觀念的恐懼戰術 比如FBI或類似的"情報機構"

are no longer worthy of viable concern or even acknowledgement.

不再值得注意 甚至沒必要承認

At no time in history has any true social change

歷史中從沒有一次真正的社會變革

come in a manner that was not opposed with hostility

沒有遭受到敵意的反對

by the dominant orders of the time.

這些反對來自於當時的主流制度

If you choose fear, then fear exists

如果你選擇恐懼 那麼恐懼就會出現

and those little lists and statistics

那些黑名單和數據

held by the intelligence and police agencies have merit.

在情報和警察機構手中就有了價值

If you choose love, pride and self-respect

如果你選擇愛 自豪 自尊

then no accusations, lists or threats can ever stop you.

那麼任何指控 黑名單或恐嚇都無法阻止你

The trick now is in numbers

如今的詭計多多

and if we can gain critical mass

如果我們可以爭取到足夠多的人

to non-violently override the “divide and conquer” techniques

以非暴力方式推翻"分而治之"的

used to keep the orthodoxy in place,

用以維持"正統觀念"的把戲

the game is over.

遊戲就結束了

The Zeitgeist Movement is a global sustainability activist group

時代精神運動是一個提倡全球永續性的運動團體

working to bring the world together

致力於將全世界團結起來

for the common goal of species sustainability before it is too late.

趁一切還來得及之時 向著物種永續性的共同目標努力

It is a social movement, not a political one

這是一個社會運動 而非一個政治運動

with over 1100 chapters across nearly all countries.

它擁有超過1100個支部 幾乎遍及所有國家

Notions of division such as nations, governments, races, political parties

分裂的界限概念如國家 政府 種族 政黨

religions, creeds or class are regarded as non-operational distinctions.

信仰 信條 階級 這些都被視為不具運作實益的區別

Rather, we recognize the world as one system

相反 我們意識到世界是一個完整的系統

and the human species as a singular unit, sharing a common habitat.

人類只是一個單元 共享同一片棲息地

Our overarching intent could be summarized as

我們的總綱領可以概括為

“the application of the scientific method for social concern.”

"將科學方法應用至社會關懷之中"

To learn more about our work, please visit www.thezeitgeistmovement.com

想要瞭解更多的訊息 請造訪時代精神運動官網 www.thezeitgeistmovement.com