LET'S TALK ABOUT BLOGGING
I am so ashamed of myself.
I've never been very political, I find politics hard to understand. Oh I try to do my little part but only when it's time to vote for local officials or for a new President.
When it's time to vote for President I do try to become as well informed as I can about the candidates running and vote for who I think will be the best one, or in some years it's not a choice of who will be the best, but who will be the lesser of the two evils.
Now I find myself wondering, what is wrong with me? Where have I been all of my life? I must have been living under a rock not to have noticed what is going on around the world.
Living In my own little world, oblivious of what has been going on in the world around me. Finally seeing and realizing that the freedom that I was born into, that I grew up with and sadly took for granted, some people are still fighting for, longing for, hoping for. Not just in one country but in many countries.
Let me clarify, before someone decides to scold me or bash me, you can save your breathe, I am well aware of the horrible things going on around the world, but I never thought about me and how lucky I was to have this one little thing, this thing that I never gave any thought to, freedom of speech.
Now there is a ban on blogs in Pakistan. I am saddened and it has made me wonder, do other countries ban blogs in certain places and we are just not aware of it and in the future can this someday happen to me? It is something that I never thought about. It is the one thing that I always took for granted. It is my right, but can that right be taken away from me. I'm beginning to think that anything is possible.
I can not imagine being told that I can not do something that I enjoy as much as I enjoy blogging. I can not imagine not being able to talk to people in other countries.
But I can imagine, meeting people from other countries, enjoying their posts, learning of their customs, getting to know them and learning to care about them only to have them snatched away.
Friends -- gone in a blink of an eye. Like a Genie popped out of a bottle and made them invisible over night. I hope that will never happen, at least not in the long term, it would be a terrible loss.
Last year I learned of one of Pakistans holidays, 'Basant Bash', it was wonderful to read about someone else's holidays, the pictures were beautiful. I enjoyed it so much.
This year my daughter read a post from a friend living in the US. He told her of going to Pakistan for the kite festival and he posted pictures. She mentioned it to me and wondered about it. It made me feel good that I was able to tell her that I had learned about it last year. Something I probably never would have learned had it not been for blogging.
Now I wonder about the future. Will things get better or will they get worse. Will I be able to read more stories from Pakistan and other countries around the world in the future. Or will they disappear altogether and if they do, I wonder if my blogger friends will miss me as much as I will miss them.
When I discovered blogging, it opened up a whole new world for me, one that I would not have been able to travel if it were not for blogging.
Blogging has taken me all around the world from one chair. I have met people from many countries and all walks of life. Pakistan, Norway, Canada, Australia, my own United States and the list goes on.
Blogging is nothing more then a way of sharing, a way of learning, a way of getting to know one another. To discuss, debate, and learn from each other.
Blogging helps to bridge the gap between cultures and to take away misconceptions of one another. It helps to take away fears of the unknown and creates compassion.
Yes, blogging can sometimes be misused, but the majority of the blogs are used for good, to create knowledge and understanding, hope and friendship.
What could be better then that.
I've never been very political, I find politics hard to understand. Oh I try to do my little part but only when it's time to vote for local officials or for a new President.
When it's time to vote for President I do try to become as well informed as I can about the candidates running and vote for who I think will be the best one, or in some years it's not a choice of who will be the best, but who will be the lesser of the two evils.
Now I find myself wondering, what is wrong with me? Where have I been all of my life? I must have been living under a rock not to have noticed what is going on around the world.
Living In my own little world, oblivious of what has been going on in the world around me. Finally seeing and realizing that the freedom that I was born into, that I grew up with and sadly took for granted, some people are still fighting for, longing for, hoping for. Not just in one country but in many countries.
Let me clarify, before someone decides to scold me or bash me, you can save your breathe, I am well aware of the horrible things going on around the world, but I never thought about me and how lucky I was to have this one little thing, this thing that I never gave any thought to, freedom of speech.
Now there is a ban on blogs in Pakistan. I am saddened and it has made me wonder, do other countries ban blogs in certain places and we are just not aware of it and in the future can this someday happen to me? It is something that I never thought about. It is the one thing that I always took for granted. It is my right, but can that right be taken away from me. I'm beginning to think that anything is possible.
I can not imagine being told that I can not do something that I enjoy as much as I enjoy blogging. I can not imagine not being able to talk to people in other countries.
But I can imagine, meeting people from other countries, enjoying their posts, learning of their customs, getting to know them and learning to care about them only to have them snatched away.
Friends -- gone in a blink of an eye. Like a Genie popped out of a bottle and made them invisible over night. I hope that will never happen, at least not in the long term, it would be a terrible loss.
Last year I learned of one of Pakistans holidays, 'Basant Bash', it was wonderful to read about someone else's holidays, the pictures were beautiful. I enjoyed it so much.
This year my daughter read a post from a friend living in the US. He told her of going to Pakistan for the kite festival and he posted pictures. She mentioned it to me and wondered about it. It made me feel good that I was able to tell her that I had learned about it last year. Something I probably never would have learned had it not been for blogging.
Now I wonder about the future. Will things get better or will they get worse. Will I be able to read more stories from Pakistan and other countries around the world in the future. Or will they disappear altogether and if they do, I wonder if my blogger friends will miss me as much as I will miss them.
When I discovered blogging, it opened up a whole new world for me, one that I would not have been able to travel if it were not for blogging.
Blogging has taken me all around the world from one chair. I have met people from many countries and all walks of life. Pakistan, Norway, Canada, Australia, my own United States and the list goes on.
Blogging is nothing more then a way of sharing, a way of learning, a way of getting to know one another. To discuss, debate, and learn from each other.
Blogging helps to bridge the gap between cultures and to take away misconceptions of one another. It helps to take away fears of the unknown and creates compassion.
Yes, blogging can sometimes be misused, but the majority of the blogs are used for good, to create knowledge and understanding, hope and friendship.
What could be better then that.
posted by EXSENO at 6:10 AM
9 Comments:
We are definitely on the same page! I don't get politics very well either. When I married Chris he used to love talking about politics, he's watch the news all of the time, and he just got it. It made me feel so dumb. But now he doesn't watch any news or try to discuss politics with me anymore... I feel guilty, just b/c I don't understand doesn't mean that he shouldn't still watch the news... Then again maybe it isn't my fault, I brought a good point to him and that was since you can't do anything about it, why worry yourself over it... Maybe that's not the best way to look at it, but that's how I do. I just hope I didn't make him stop doing something he liked to do.
I have meet so many wonderful people from blogging. That I other wise might not of had the chance to meet. It is true that while we have the pleasure of freedom of speech. I never really thought that someone some where couldn't have this right. It makes me so sad. :(
Nicely said! Blogging is a non invasive means of sharing information. It allows us to safely receive and comprehend information at a pace and in any way comfortable to us. Similarly it allows us to vent, express, even criticize in a self controlled environment.
Not sure if you are aware of this or not, but Pakistan isn't the only country that censors freedom of speech. It's here in America too. Well, without getting into a long debate, let me explain what I mean really quick.
There are certain websites in the US that are blocked from the public. I know you may have a hard time believing that, but trust me on this. There are reasons to why they are "censored", but that would make me go into a long ass comment and as you see...I've rambled too long as it is.
Diamondkt,
Are you talking about that private web that is just for very special organizations because I know about that one. Like Universities and Reserchers etc.
My Dear! Blogs \'re blocked in Pakistan for certain reasons. There \'ve been some Cyber War through Blogs in Pakistan, so thy had to take that step. I\'m sure you \'ve heard about the Cartoon issue in Denmark.
Well, Some Paki Cyber youth \'n\' Danish Cyber Youth \'ve been attackin\' each other\'s sites \'n\' doin\' such stuff. I\'m sure the blockage \'ll be taken off soon. Though you can see basant pics on my blog. *Smiles*
God bless you....
Champ,
I politly disagree with you on that subject. I have heard about the cartoon and I think it was a terrible thing for someone to do, but you don't punish everyone for someone elses bad deeds. It is unfair and unjust to the ones who are innocent.
Thank you for your offer, I learned of Basant Bash last year.
EXSENO said...
Diamondkt,
Are you talking about that private web that is just for very special organizations because I know about that one. Like Universities and Reserchers etc.
5:31 PM
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No, I was talking about inter office sites, private network/web. I was talking about regular websites. Things the government doesn't want you to see...and sometimes with all the wackos out there, it's a good thing these are blocked from the general public's eye.
Ah ha, K.
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