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I hate the word. But we need it. This is not to denigrate the great achievements of Rob Kall and other terrfic editors. The site is swell. But...There is always that 'but'. What's the goal? The forum? We hardly can see more then 2-3 comments per thread. The guidance? But about 80% of the current articles are reactive- they react to the MSM news, thus following them. The truth? of course, this site is incomparably more truthful than any other but the truth is only good when it is useful. I remember only two comments since Y2004 which said that those people had ' discovered the truth' through us.
We lack the purpose. I think, that concept of the purpose is somehow contradictory to the overwhelming idea of ' freedom of expression' and many people on the site are desperately afraid of the ' ideology'; in every mentioning of the global purpose they see the 'jaws of organized religion, party, movement, etc.' Thus this site becomes a place of freedom so rare.
That is all good. But unless the purpose or ideology does exist freedom on its own is just a noise. I am not saying that I am a terrific leader and that my opinion counts the most. But I am saying that, for instance, the site has to announce openly, on the main page that it is:
1. 100% against Iraq/Afghanistan war.
2. 100% against torture of anyone by anyone.
3. 100% against the war with Iran or aggression against any country for that matters.
4. 100% against the Bush and /or GOP administration.
5. 100% against any laws adopted without the representation of the people those laws can hurt ( I mean anti- abortion and /or immigration laws)
6.100% pro-iinternal problem solving thus solidarizing in this with the conservatives from http://www.antiwar.com ( we need allies)
There has to be a CREDO, a core of 'values' and that core must be used in the selection of articles. Maybe the compendium of those articles could be recommended to other sites and even sold to the election campaigns. We need agressive promotion of the CREDO and we need to become HELP to ALL healthy forces of the country. NO MORE REACTIVE- our site has to promote itself and it can only be done if the people see what it stands for.
I am not insisting that the 1-6 above are the only principles. Those are mine, though. And here is the #7:
WE HERE ON OPEDNEWS STAY ON THE PERCEPTION THAT THE US CITIZENS DO NOT DIFFER IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE FROM ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE WORLD IN BEST OR WORST. WE ARE EXACTLY THE SAME. OUR ONLY DIFFERENCE IS LUCK. BUT IT IS RUNNING OUT.
