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Thank God for the Internet. The Internet is just about the only form of free expression and honest dialogue left for us in America. The mainstream media has been harnessed by the corporate heavyweights, and in this period in our history people can’t honestly believe anything that comes from the government. I believe its fair to say that news; both national and international is best seen through a computer monitor than through a TV screen.Of course there are some wild things said on the Internet. As with any type of media, people should take the time to find out who is behind the headlines. Just as with television or radio, it would be a difficult job to find anyone that will bite the hand that feeds them. The difference between the Internet and the mass media is that the cost of reaching out to people and delivering fair and balanced reporting is within almost anyone’s reach, all it takes is a computer and an Internet connection.
This brings with it, all sorts of problems; one is the authenticity of information. Many Internet journalists and bloggers aren’t subject to the scrutiny that television or the press is subject to. It is extremely difficult to sue anyone on the Internet that has defamed anyone’s character by spreading ingenious information if you the only thing you can identify that person with is an Internet “handle”. This is one reason that some sites insist that you use an identifiable name. I have a hard time believing anyone that forwards information that won’t reveal his or her real name. Since I have been writing on politics and other issues, I have always used my real name.
This however, doesn’t present that much of a problem. Most people that get their news from the web are usually smart enough to understand this. We don’t need the government stepping in to tell us what we can say and how we should say it. I can understand governmental intrusion on the commercial side of the web. There are many scam artists that will use the web, just as they use television, radio and the US Postal Service. The segment of the web that pertains to political matters and news however should be left alone. Let the buyer beware when it comes to conspiracy theories and partisan politics. I would rather deal with information that may be tainted than to have another form of media that is beholden and corrupted by the government or corporate interests in the way that traditional media has been.
Saying that, I am amazed at the changes I have seen take place not only on the web, but also in other media. I believe that the initial change came about through the Internet. It has become a force to be reckoned with in society, much in the same way that television did, starting with the televised debates between Kennedy and Nixon in the Early 60’s. I have heard it said many times that the difference in the way that Nixon and Kennedy used television was the key to the Kennedy win.
The You Tube debate that the Democrats held clearly illustrate the power of the web. People that otherwise would not have had the opportunity to ask questions of the candidates now had a chance to be a part of the political process. In much the same way, individuals now have the opportunity to speak their minds about anything, but more than that they are given the chance to be heard by others. This is an enormous opportunity for a real participation in the political process. I have some examples of my own that I want to pass along and with that, I would like to give you a little background about myself and how I some of these events occurred.
I’m not wealthy, and I don’t have a Rolodex of influential friends. I don’t attend political party events or donate huge sums of money in order to get influence with people in high places. I’m just an average middle-class (lower) American. It has only been through the power of the Internet that I have been able to accomplish things that I never thought I could do. Basically the things that I’ve managed to do have come about by writing on the subjects that I believed that I had something to say about. I have done this by writing on my own blog and by writing for websites such as Opednews.com. I would have to admit that without Opednews.com and to a lesser degree Smirkingchimp.com and a few other sites I could never could have been heard.
In May of this year, I was able to call Senator Mike Gravel, a Democratic candidate for President, and talk to him for almost an hour. I taped the conversation and it was submitted to Opednews.com and Smirkingchimp.com and I also put the interview on my blog. If someone had told me two years ago that I would be able to interview a candidate for President, I would have thought that person crazy. Not only that, I have managed to get published on The Democratic Underground, Commonsence.com, The Information Clearing house, The Guerilla News Network and many more websites. My blog, along with an article I wrote recently was mentioned by The Wall Street Journal.
I am not alone. From the web have come very serious and intelligent journalists. We have seen a number of great sites that are almost as influential than many MSM venues. Yearly Kos brought all of the Democratic political candidates to the table seeking approval from the Internet community. Now, almost all politicians have their own website. Today in America, if you have a computer and something that you believe people should know, or believe in something that you want to share with others, all you need to do is get on the Internet.
I believe that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney never counted on the power of the Internet. I believe that they thought that once they managed to reign in the MSM, that putting this nation under a dictatorship of the right would be easy. Yet, I believe that the power of the written word, via the worldwide web has enabled the American people to understand just exactly what the neo-cons have been trying to do. The Internet has been the backbone of the Progressive Movement that has helped to reign in some of this administration’s abuse and also caused the Democrats to re-think some of their actions in their efforts to placate the corporate hierarchy.
The Internet should never be censored or controlled by our government or any other government. The 1st amendment covers the people that write for a website, a blog, or post comments on articles. Just as the press should never be muzzled, the same applies to the net.
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