The article entitled Bloggers of the world, unite written by Antony Loewenstein (2007) describes how blogs, a new technology is giving a voice to individuals. In particular Loewenstein explores the 2006 Lebanon war and how Israelis were able to connect with Lebanese through blogs. These bloggers were able to post about scared Israeli citizens in Northern Israel fearing that random missiles would drop at any minute in their living room. Through this article Loewenstein explores that non-democratic nations, do not have the same opportunities as do democratic nations. For this reason it is through blogs and citizen journalism that non-democratic nations have the opportunity to voice their opinions, feelings and general thoughts. For example; there are 700,000 active blogs in Iran, discussing sensitive issue such as; President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,the country's nuclear program, holocaust denial and US interference in the middle East.
Example of bloggers include, a female Iraqi blogger (http://firstwordsfirstwalkfirstiniraq.blogspot.com/)
who blogs about her feelings towards how Westerns have stereotype Arab muslims, and how these stereotypes are nothing but myths. She believes that blogging has helped her and Arabs alive, abandon paranoid attitudes and stereotypical views of westerners. Another example of a blogger is Juan cole (www.juancole.com) and Democrat Senator Andrew Bartlett, who runs Australia's finest politician's blog (www.andrewbartlett.com/blog)
Bartlett writes about parliamentary deliberations and the often-tortuous political process.
I personally believe that blogs are giving bloggers a voice and are keeping them sane. Bloggers are able to speak of there thoughts and opinions. Blogging is especially good for those who feel oppressed by blogging they are finding people with the same views who they can speak to and are giving outsiders a look at there world. Furthermore I believe that Loewenstein article is fantastic as it highlights the importance of blogging. Without blogging many would not have a voice!
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It's great that you did a reflection on Antony Loewenstein's reading as it was a really interesting one and one that I completely agreed with. Especially the fact that Lowenstein takes the growth of blogging into a more important context which is on a more political and global scale of newsworthy events that are relevant. After all blogs are an extension of someones thoughts and personal views and granting that platform to people who's thoughts are oppressed. Especially with the situation in Iran, granting a platform for discussion for the people in Iran gives them an outlet and gives us as outsiders a very different and far more HONEST and better understanding of the situation and what people are actually going through!
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