December 22, 2005
The Revolution will not be MSM’d, but SMS’d (or maybe blogged)
For too long the mainstream media and mainstream politicians have failed to address the nation make or break issues of multiculturalism and immigration.
From this, millions worldwide are increasingly gaining a voice by taking the media into their own hands and setting up weblogs or using Short Message Service (SMS) to reach thousands on their cell phones.
The riots triggered in France by Islamic youths this October utilized both methods. More recently, though, SMS was used to encourage and coordinate the riots across Australia.
Last month, when the riots roared to their height in France many noticed a "media blackout." According to MediaGuardian:
One of France's leading TV news executives has admitted censoring his coverage of the riots in the country for fear of encouraging support for far-right politicians.Jean-Claude Dassier, the director general of the rolling news service LCI, said the prominence given to the rioters on international news networks had been "excessive" and could even be fanning the flames of the violence.
Mr Dassier said his own channel, which is owned by the private broadcaster TF1, recently decided not to show footage of burning cars.
"Politics in France is heading to the right and I don't want rightwing politicians back in second, or even first place because we showed burning cars on television," Mr Dassier told an audience of broadcasters at the News Xchange conference in Amsterdam today.
The riots were even downplayed here in the United States. Billionaire Saudi Prince al-Walid bin Talal – a shareholder in Fox News – claims he "persuaded network chief Rupert Murdoch to change a screen banner during a broadcast that identified the recent unrest in France as "Muslim riots."
Middle East Online has the story:
He said that during last month's street protests in France, the US television network Fox -- owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation in which Al-Walid himself has shares -- ran a banner saying: "Muslim riots.""I picked up the phone and called Murdoch... (and told him) these are not Muslim riots, these are riots out of poverty," he said.
"Within 30 minutes, the title was changed from Muslim riots to civil riots."
Now this month in Australia the situation parallels that of France, except it's as Mark Steyn described: "non-Muslim women are hectored and insulted in the streets of both Clichy-sous-Bois and Brighton-le-Sands. The only difference is that, in Oz, the "white youths" decided to have a go back."
SMS's allowed for thousands of Australian youths to network and orchestrate this month's riots. Some text messages even spread into New Zealand.
Unjustified violence occurred in each riot. But, the solid fact remains: integration with the immigrant community in both France and Australia has not happened properly. Both the media and the politicians failed to address this. Therefore, many citizens felt the social elite were "out of touch" with reality. As long as this continues, we will continue to see the rise of low cost technological methods that the average person can utilize to keep thousands of people "in touch" with reality. Gil Scott-Heron proves correct in his prediction. The revolution will not be televised, but broadcast through blogs, SMS's, podcasts, and more.
Posted by Mike Tate at December 22, 2005 08:22 AMHi Mike,
“Billionaire Saudi Prince al-Walid bin Talal – a shareholder in Fox News – claims he “persuaded network chief Rupert Murdoch to change a screen banner during a broadcast that identified the recent unrest in France as “Muslim riots.”
I saw that. It’s scary to think that Saudi Arabians are dictating what sort of news coverage is provided to Americans.
The Saudi notion of “free exchange of ideas” is a scary one….they prosecute those who disagree with the state religion.
Louis,
That link was to World News Daily, an absolutely unreliable source of information. Beware this post’s code word: “multiculturalism”, it will be bound to sidetrack the issue of how new technology is changing the way the counter-culture world works.
Posted by: Dave at December 22, 2005 08:38 AMHi Dave,
I read about Prince al-Walid in a column that appears in the local paper. I’m inclined to trust the author (Diane West) even though I frequently disagree with her.
I’m now very curious about whether the information is true.
I’m getting very grouchy about right wing attacks on the media. I’m convinced that those behind them don’t want us told that the terrorists are winning in Iraq (I’m refering to the recent elections of course) so they attack the liberal media for being biased.
“Liberal bias” accusations are used to suppress the truth.
Posted by: LouisXIV at December 22, 2005 08:43 AM
You see, THIS is what I like about the Republican & Conservative web site: you ignore all the fluff like huge federal deficits, increasing government intrusion into our lives, foreign imperial adventures in far-flung countries that don’t really matter to us; and you zero in one what really matters to Republicans and conservatives - whizz-bang technology. Once again, and I’m sure not for the last time: Bravo!
Posted by: spongeworthy at December 22, 2005 10:28 AMSponge,
It’s quite evident that you don’t pay very close attention…These are the blog titles for the last few days…
Laws & Sausages
Domestic Surveillance: Illegal?
Iraq Creates Strange Bedfellows
“Everything I thought I knew was wrong.”
Our Golden Freedom
Don’t Rebuild New Orleans
Impeach Bush!
Iraqi Elections are Getting to be Routine
Read before you blog…
The US is so far behind the rest of the world in understanding multiculturalism !
look at how well places like Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, India and China treat people who are different. After all where else can you be treated to half time beheadings, wife burnings and gay torturing.
Because the US is full of evil intolerant Christians we have to suffer thorugh such atrocitites like ; SHould gays be allowed to marry?
Get with it US. Those evil intolerant Christians must be overcome so we can be like the rest of the world!!
Posted by: mike at December 22, 2005 12:24 PMMike,
Despite an attempt at satire your argument is that the rest of the world sucks so we should be like the rest of the world. Yet, it sucks to be like the rest of the world.
Got GED?
Posted by: Dave at December 22, 2005 12:36 PMNon-discerner,
I looked at your list and I stand by my assertion, that C’s and R’s ignores all the fluff and homes right in on the important stuff - nothing there about enormous deficits, nothing there about increasing federal intrusion into our lives (except to condone, nay praise, it on specious arguments) and nothing with a conservative slant about our foreign imperial adventures.
Believe me, I did read the web site before positing. And I laughed and laughed.
Posted by: spongeworthy at December 22, 2005 05:30 PMMike,
You for got hangings anyone that disagrees with the looneys.
So some Arab invester don’t like the term Muslim Riots and gets it removed from the news in the US. Just another reason of many that forgieners shouldn’t be allowed to invest in US companies.
Hi Ron,
“Just another reason of many that forgieners shouldn’t be allowed to invest in US companies.”
The Saudis could easily bring us to our knees by slowing oil production or by selling stocks, or by several other means.
The Saudis are to a very large extent calling the shots here.
The Chinese could easily bring us to our knees as well by ceasing to finance our debt.
Posted by: LouisXIV at December 22, 2005 07:08 PM
The Saudis could easily bring us to our knees by slowing oil production or by selling stocks, or by several other means.
All the more reason to ban forgieners from investing in US companies.
And even better reason why we should be pumping oil out of AMWR. As well as off shore and ANY WHERE else there’s oil.
Hi Ron,
We don’t have enough oil to put a dent in dependence on Saudi Oil.
Saudi Arabia could easily bring us to our knees even if we drill in Alaska.
Posted by: LouisXIV at December 22, 2005 08:06 PMYou’re theory would only be valid if there is equal access to Blogs. Unfortunately, Conservative Blogs do not allow any outside point-of-view into their world. All Liberals and Independents are instantly banned. Until the echo chambers are removed, you are wasting your time.
Posted by: Aldous at December 22, 2005 10:16 PMLiberalism is a mental disorder for sure.
Posted by: John at December 22, 2005 11:13 PMBecause the US is full of evil intolerant Christians we have to suffer thorugh such atrocitites like ; SHould gays be allowed to marry?
Get with it US. Those evil intolerant Christians must be overcome so we can be like the rest of the world!!
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Why does everyone want to come here then? Why are YOU AND I, financing the lowering of our standard of living?? Why are Christians constantly attacked by godless animals like yourself?? Not all white people are Christian you know, and because white folks have rights too, that doesn’t make us racist or intolerant. If you want to see who’s intolerant, look at the Muslims in this world. Look at American negroes who get bent on the race card when they don’t get what they want.
Remove your head from your ass and look around you. Don’t be so ignorant and INTOLERANT of Christians. Remember, the United States of America was founded on Christian ideals, whether you want to rewrite history or not. LOL
Posted by: Silent Majority at December 23, 2005 09:57 AM
