I offer this video as evidence. Not of Al Gore's differing views. He is not a political factor these days. Rather, I offer it to show the potential power of the internet in the coming years. The people now have access to the past in a way they never have. This video, though long and somewhat dry, is one that I'm certain Al Gore wouldn't want the American people to see. Yet, we can see it. No one has fully exploited this technology yet. But people will. Some honestly. Some not so honestly.
Technology is changing the world.
Thoughts?
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Gore Criticizes Bush 41 For Ignoring Iraq's Ties To Terror!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
I certainly see and agree with yout point about technology. Everything (at least as public figures) we say, do, write, eat, etc is recorded for all time, and easily replayed for a massive audience with almost no cost.
Already politicians are using YouTube to get quick messages out.
We saw a stunning example of easy video and the internet in the Virginia Senate race in 2006, with the "macaca" video really doing in Senator Allen.
I think it will ultimately be a good thing, as it should hold politicians more accountable.
As a side note, I am not sure why you think Al Gore wouldn't want anyone to see that video. He made brilliant points.
The vidoe showed me another thing about changing society. He didn't need to talk in soundbites there. He was able to offer a lengthy, uninterrupted dialogue. You don't see much of that anymore. Politics is all about slogans and bumper stickers these days.
The Orange Revolution in the Ukraine a couple of years ago, I believe, might not have been possible except for the internet. In that case, the winning candidate in the election had been a) poisoned and b)cheated on the vote count. The internet became the main forum for getting out the moment by moment protest, ultimately resulting in the reversal of the election.
the internet is very powerful, and, for that reason, we should expect powerful people to try to control it. Taxation of the internet and government interference needs to be constantly checked if the internet is to remain an open forum. China is experimenting with keeping the internet under control in order to keep their people under their thumb. we can only hope that they fail.
the relationship between the invention of the printing press and the subsequent world-wide metamorphasis known as the Reformation, the Rennaissance, and the rise of Republican Democracies (like USA and the transformed Western Europe) are not isolated events.
In the age of the internet, nations will rise and fall much faster, I believe.
post script: to answer the question of why Gore would not want this video out; Maybe he wouldn't mind. He would be alone, though, among his party, admitting and outlining Saddam's link to terrorism and his potential dangers for the future. However, you may be right. As he is not running for office, perhaps he wouldn't try to downplay such things.
Your analogy to the printing press is excellent. Spot on.
From at least my standpoint, saying Hussien had no hand in 9/11 is different than saying he had no terrorist ties.
We all know he (Saddam) used to write checks to the families of suicide bombers who killed Jews, so saying he wasn't involved with terrorism would be silly.
But that is another discussion for another day.
Isn't it ironic that the internet that Al Gore "invented" is now coming back to bite him in the rear?! :)
But if Hussien had terrorist ties, and intentions against America, (which he did in both cases), then we are fully justified to be there for national security reasons, and Democrats can't afford to admit that for their own political agenda.
I definately agree that the internet is the free, (in that anyone can participate), media of the future and that no tyrrant can leave it unchecked. So now all we have to do is watch and see who wants to regulate it by laws or taxes to see who is most afraid of free speech. I'll bet it is the same ones who fear a populace who can defend themselves.
Jim, I think you make good points.
Regarding regulation of the internet, I think there are two motives. One is to control speech. This can be done by authoritarian dictators, or in democracies.
The second is just to make money.
Taxes are an efficient tool in a democracy for doing a little bit of both.
What I wonder, though, in places like China, is if the internet can truly be stopped.
"What I wonder, though, in places like China, is if the internet can truly be stopped. "
It can if companies like Google continue to support the Chinese governments censorship policies.
I am sure Chinese citzens get internet content they aren't supposed to, they just do so at their own peril. I suppose they have to weigh risk vs. reward.
"But if Hussien had terrorist ties, and intentions against America, (which he did in both cases), then we are fully justified to be there for national security reasons, and Democrats can't afford to admit that for their own political agenda. "
Jim, you did a few things here that make your point invalid.
1. You modified Hussien's terrorist efforts to include "against America", which I assume you means directly against American targets. There is no proof of that. Hussien supported Terrorist efforts, either in principal or financially, against Israel.
Al Queda attacked the US on 9/11, and Hussien had nothing to do with it. The Bush Administration SOLD THE WAR based on Hussien's ties with Al Queda, and his ACTIVE WMD programs which he would eventually turn over to terrorists attacking the US. We can play the Powell speech at the UN if you like?
That is a remarkably different claim than Hussien supported terrorism. And we should note that Gore's speech was in during the 1992 campaign.
He was illustrating the reality that Reagan and Bush Admins buth financially and materially supported Hussien's regime while it suited them, knowing full well of his terrorist ties. Why was that ok?
2. I had a 2, but one was so long I will skip it.
Post a Comment