The Road To Democracy

Those who think that America is a democracy are wrong.  If we are a democracy then Julian Assange wouldn't be arrested for expressing his right to free speech; Bradley Manning wouldn't be tortured for whistle blowing; Politicians would represent the people to the fullest.  Putting the powerful in their place is not the only solution though.  Unlike some of the super neo-liberals out there I do not believe that there is a conspiracy to control the people and in fact believe that the people have failed to do what we were empowered to do.  I'm calling on the people to not just listen to the facts but to investigate them.  I'm asking that people read scholarly journals more than newspapers.  We should not be subjected to sub par schooling and then expected to perform miracles on standardized tests.  There is an inequality expanding in the middle of our social and economic classes.  I find myself being torn between a society that does not know what is happening to the poor and the poor who do not know what is happening anywhere.  Republicans and Democrats love to keep us apart, they really do.  I'm here to ask all of you to pursue truth over brand.  What I mean by this is ask yourself why you believe the things you do.  Where did that information come from?  Our school budgets are being slashed left and right.  What used to be silly mockery of college students from the conservative extremists has now become slanderous attacks against college professors and now public school systems in general.  We cut the resources out from under everything we do and then want to know why quality is not checked.  Wealth is most certainly going to the top one percent and people from all social classes defend the rights of those who take rights away.  As a country we economically bully smaller countries into becoming a financial colony of us or face the threat of military coup, war, and depression at the hands of American Patriots.  I am asking all people to not trust my blog or anyone else's.  I'm asking you to not be afraid of the world around you long enough to go out and find truth in everyday life.  Realize the ability and power you have as an autonomous being.  Demand politicians listen to you or face a very real threat of your vote.  We have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  We govern ourselves.  If you don't feel like you are part of government then it isn't really democracy.

Facebook Democracy

Hi guys, I'm back. I know it's been way too long, but I've really decided to start taking this blogging thing a bit more serious.

Anyway, last week I read a terribly uninteresting article in Bloomberg Business Week titled "The Kids Are Not All Right". This article was also advertised on the cover of the magazine with a half-assed picture of angry Egyptians protesting in the streets. I was a bit frustrated by the whole thing from the catchy front cover to the lousy ending line.

The author starts off by admitting the role played by facebook and other social networking sites in revolution for the Middle East but, somehow, ends by discrediting the whole movement. He emphasized the drive of the people over the internet as the main influence, which I took as some sort of accusatory stance on those who fully recognize the important influence internet had/has in fighting oppression. My immediate reaction, you ask? Duh! Of course the internet would be nothing without it's users! Any fan of the cult classic movie Tron could understand that concept.

What he fails to recognize is in oppressive authoritarian countries assembling at the local coffee shop was not exactly an option. Nor is it as effective in today's internet driven society. At the end of the piece he finishes with this cynical statement: "After all, reading is just reading."


I find it strange that a journalist would ever end an article in such a way. The fact is I could have written the exact same article about the printing press in the 1400s. But would I ever dream of calling it's impact small? Absolutely not! The internet will forever be known as my generation's printing press, and although Bloomberg doesn't like the competition of alternative news sources, they may find themselves caught in their own propaganda one day when the internet puts them in their place. Who knows? Maybe it already has.