I wrote before about the dangers of over-playing the significance of the web in Iran. It’s hard not to moved, though, by this Iranian blogger: I will take part in the rally tomorrow. It might become violent. Perhaps I may be one of the people who is meant to die. I am listening to all…
Showing all posts in June 2019
Only Jews who praise Israel allowed
The Australian Jewish News conducts a vox-pop and asks, “What would you say to Jews who don’t believe Israel should exist?” The responses prove my point; blind and unthinking nationalism defines the mainstream Jewish community. Israel for them isn’t a reality, it’s some utopia (in other words, utterly removed from the brutality of an occupying…
They blog, I blog, we all blog
The following review of my book The Blogging Revolution appears in the latest edition of Harvard University’s Nieman Reports: An Australian blogger interviews dissident bloggers worldwide, and in his book he explains why what they do matters and who is trying to stop them. By Danny Schechter I am a blogger, a media critic, and…
Don’t wait for the web to bring democracy
As Iran teeters and the Supreme Leader warns protestors, Zionists, foreigners and the media to back off – he would be comical if this wasn’t so serious – many in the West should be cautious about heralding the Twitter Revolution. As I write in my book The Blogging Revolution, new technology doesn’t on its own…
A democracy that shines for Jews
The Electronic Intifada reports on the petty lengths to which Israel will go to harass Palestinians in and around Jerusalem: Israel is currently using provisions in the lengthy documents of the Oslo accords as the legal basis for intensifying efforts to suppress activities in Jerusalem that the state says are linked to the Palestinian Authority…
When the right wording is important
Was it policy or pressure that led Lamar Outdoor Advertising to tear down billboards featuring a pro-Palestinian political message?
The edges that we can’t see
The latest photos from Iran’s ongoing Green Revolution. Western journalists should remain cautious, however. This isn’t just another lovely expression of resentment by those under a dictatorship. It’s far more complex than that.
The silencing of an important voice
This is concerning news sent by Israeli human rights group New Profile: Dear Friends, This morning I by purely chance learned Haaretz had fired Meron Benvenisti.… I phoned him and he confirmed this, relating that Haaretz had fired him at the end of May.… His dismissal will be formally activated at the end of June,…
Victory is not theirs
Who says the Iraq war hasn’t been a wonderful success (for imperialism and oil companies)? Furious protests threaten to undermine the Iraqi Government’s plan to give international oil companies a stake in its giant oilfields in a desperate effort to reverse a steady decline in oil production and revenue. In less than two weeks, on…
The criminal known as Tony B
Next step we hear anything about Tony Blair – such as his latest bleating regarding the chances of achieving Middle East peace “within the year” – remember this: Tony Blair was aware of the …existence of a secret interrogation policy which …effectively led to British citizens, and others, being …tortured during …counter-terrorism investigations, the Guardian…