Every day it seems that we are being driven by fear into an age of unreason. How do we explain the allegations that our spooks have invaded parliament in search of enemies of the state. Those enemies, we are told, are journalists and non-government organisations running wild in our parliament.Yesterday our sister newspaper, the Sunday Times, revealed shocking details about our spooks lecturing parliamentary staff about supposed national security risks involving the media and non-government organisations.Two of the more sensationalist claims by the spooks are that there are two journalists in the parliamentary press gallery who are known to be operatives of the US and French intelligence agencies. Another claim is that the NGO Right2Know acts in the interests of foreign powers.How have we arrived at this state of affairs?Any political organisation that is losing power and influence will lash out at any one, including its own.We have seen this script before in a number of countries: the government cracks down on supposed enemies of the state and begins to craft a truth that suits its agenda.It is important not to lose sight of the danger to our parliament posed by politicians.We cannot allow security agents to run amok in search of "enemies" and "agents".That is why National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete should respond to these allegations.She has a duty to protect the freedom of parliament as enshrined in the constitution.The security clampdown takes place in the run-up to a new series of security vettings for parliamentary staff initiated by the new secretary of parliament, Gengezi Mgidlana.We should remind Mgidlana and the ruling party that we are the sons and daughters of people who did not fear speaking truth to power. Our past leaders used their voices and the art of persuasion to get us to where we are today. We cannot now allow ourselves to be driven into an age of unreason...