Belgian municipalities have started forcing people to use web browsers to interact with public services. That’s right. It’s no longer possible to reach a variety of public services in an analog way in some Belgian regions. And for people willing to wrestle with the information systems being imposed, it also means cash payment is now impossible when a service requires a fee. The government is steam-rolling over elderly people who struggle with how to use technology along with those who only embrace inclusive privacy-respecting technology. These groups are apparently small enough to be marginalized without government reps worrying about lost votes.
Hypothetically, what would happen if some Amish villages existed in Belgium? I ask because what’s being imposed would strongly go against their religion. Would the right to practice religion carry enough weight to compel the government to maintain an offline option even if it’s a small group of Amish? If yes, would that option likely be extended to everyone, or exclusive to the Amish?
Opafi@feddit.de 5 months ago
This is not a philosophical question so I’m not sure if it fits this community. Even worse, your wording is highly suggestive. If you’re so mad about your government “steam-rolling over elderly people” why don’t you vent somewhere else?
tchotchony@mander.xyz 5 months ago
It’s also simply not true. While there’s a big push to book an appointment online and do smaller admin stuff yourself (requesting an ID and driving license), municipalities still have to allow people to book on the spot, or help them on the kiosks available. Actual efficiency depends on the friendliness of the administrative people in question I guess, but it’s absolutely still possible to not have to go online for it.
From the flemish website (…)Maar waar ze altijd welkom zijn op het gemeentehuis als ze dat wensen. aka: They’re always still welcome to visit public services in person if they prefer to do that.
freedomPusher@sopuli.xyz 5 months ago
“have to” ≠ reality
If you go to the commune to deregister, you talk to someone who directs you to send the request via post. If you hand-deliver the request into their postbox, they simply ignore it.
If you go to the commune to reserve parking in front of your property for workers, they point to a QR code. If you insist on an offline transaction, the receptionist refuses. If you say that you need to pay cash, the receptionist says “impossible, because you must do the transaction online”.
freedomPusher@sopuli.xyz 5 months ago
When a group claims rights to practice their religion because being forced to go against their religion is unconscionable, and they get granted their religious freedom while another non-religious group equally considers being forced to live a certain way unconscionable, but don’t have the shield of religious freedom, how is that not a philosophical discussion?
Opafi@feddit.de 5 months ago
Great, so your hypothetical Amish have already been granted all their hypothetical wishes, so you answered your own question. You didn’t post this for answers or discussion, you have all that already. You only posted this trainwreck of a thread to have an outlet for your anger. And now that you have been mad and answered your own question, why don’t you bake some bread or do some other useful stuff after maybe deleting this whole episode from lemmy so you don’t waste other people’s time?