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By Adrian NieoczymPart of the hype surrounding the Internet as it went mainstream in the 1990s was about how it was going to transform our democracy by giving people the means to connect with one another and co-ordinate political action.
And that has been at least partly true. In places like Iran and Burma, where there are incredibly oppressive regimes, people have been able to use the Internet and social media to co-ordinate their protests and activities when meeting face to face is just too dangerous.
But that hasn’t been the case so much in places like North America, where having the vote is pretty much taken for granted.
Oh we’ve used the world wide web to connect in virtual communities alright, but we tend to come together around things like our favourite celebrity or ’80s television show. Meanwhile, voter participation rates have been continually falling as people feel more and more disengaged from the governments and political parties that claim to represent us.
But there is reason for optimism.
As has been widely reported, Barack Obama was masterful at using social media to bypass the traditional media and deliver his message directly to his audience.
And during our last federal election, the outrage Canadians expressed through Facebook and other online campaigns played a large role in getting Green Party leader Elizabeth May into the televised leaders debates.
Canadian cyber-citizens took to the Net once again soon afterwards to oppose the federal opposition parties efforts to form a coalition government and helped convince Michael Ignatieff he should kill the idea once he took over as Liberal leader.
Locally of course, we recently saw Kevin Craig make skillful use of social media as part of his successful city councillor campaign.
And now it appears angry Canadians are using Facebook to express their anger at the Conservatives for proroguing parliament and to tell them to “get back to work.” It will be interesting to see if that electronic activism leads people to actually gather in the flesh at rallies planned across the country for Jan. 23.
In the U.S. meanwhile, what has come to be known as the Tea Party movement has used the Internet to co-ordinate the efforts of disillusioned members of the Republican Party who feel the party has become too liberal.
These Tea Party Republicans have gotten themselves into low-level elected positions of their local precincts, which are sort of like our political parties constituency or riding associations. They have used that power to influence who the party puts forward for political office and are helping to put people who represent their values on the ballot.
My guess is I would strongly disagree with Tea Party Republicans on a lot of things but I admire how they’re going about exercising their right to have a say in how their country is governed.
And that ultimately is what we need Facebook and other social media to be, not a place to just post our indignities about what government is doing but something that makes it easier for us to do something about it.
adrian@kelowna.com
250-575-3517
5 Responses to “Adrian Nieoczym: Power to the people”
Tags: Facebook, Internet, prorogation, Prorogue, stephen harper, Tea Party Republicans
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In whose opinion are those expressed here,”the best opinions on the web”?
Just asking.
Whether the anti-prorgue rallies are “grassroots” or just another machination by Liberal Party activists is open to question,my opinion is it’s the latter.
This is the latest in a long string of manufactured ourage and fear mongering by progressive activists who live to tell us popcorn and beer swilling peasants we should be outraged or fearful.
I guess the reason most of us don’t panic at the mention of H1N1, global warming,climate change, body bags,detainee mistreatment,etc., is that our dull minds just can’t comprehend the enormity of the injustices perpetrated by the Harper government.
It is good of the progressives to enlighten us, and I thank them for it. This Saturday,I shall be at the forefront of the grassroots movement concerned about the proroguing of Parliament, while sipping coffee at Tim Horton’s,and contemplating the actions of my betters at the rallies.
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The Tea Party movement must be doing something right at the grassroots level as the Senate seat in Mass. is most likely going GOP tomorrow and not Democrat.
For the GOP to take a long time Kennedy seat is shocking.
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Adrian is quite correct in his view that technology can have a huge impact. I would however, caution folks to understand that rapid change can be hi-jacked by those who live on the dark side of society.
When Gutenburg invented his printing press, the first printed Bible changed the western world forever. Television is credited with giving President J.F. Kennedy a boost into the white house. Television became a major factor into forcing the United States to withdraw from the Vietnam war.
On the negative or dark side of huge communication change we have the creations of Dr Goebels, who used the new tricks to advance the Nazi cause. China today is using battalions of hackers to try and control the internet.
Here is North America unfettered and uncontrolled communication on the Net allows for “say anything and do anything” activity that is loaded with smear and manipulated polling. Just watch the blogs and face book polling if you have any doubts.
When society ignores basic concepts of right and wrong,the process of democracy loses.
A good example of this was last week when Liberal Leader Ignatieff tried to speak and was thwarted by Green Peace
activists. The media gave the activist all the attention. Thus, civil disobedience wins over the principle of the right to free speech. I don’t support Mr
Ignatieff, but no one should have the right to hi-Jack his right to speak. Green peace can have their own organized venues.
We all understand that our media sets the agenda for public debate. If that is so, then how can we possibly
compare a 17 day prorogue with a huge change in the ideology of the United States.
Even here at home, shouldn’t our media be encouraging and reporting on issues such as “crime and punishment”, or
National security? What ever happened to discussions of human rights or changing our unelected Senate?
When journalism abdicates it’s role and allows petty issues to rise to the forefront because the media is new…then we are in trouble.
When we support silly protests about 17 days while a terrorists gets of with a 12 year sentence (most time won’t be served) Then, we need to question what is happening to our society.
I worry that when Political correctness is put before Justice and freedom, the norms and standards of a democratic society are lost.
When rapid technology takes place society needs time to adapt and develop standards and norms of behavior. In the short term we should recognize that some will manipulate
the opportunity to their advantage…that doesn’t make them right.
Today the internet including social networking is having a huge impact on every day communication. Society needs to understand the consequences of this new unfettered technology. While we move forward and learn, lets keep
the basics and standards of ethical values with us… every step of the way.
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Certainly, I have not heard any kind of groundswell of discount surrounding Mr. Harper’s calling a new session of parliament two weeks after the old one was set to resume. There are good reasons, from Mr. Harper’s perspective, for doing so.
Certainly, Mr. Cretien, proroged parliament on three separate occasions for partisan reasons. He even called a snap election, well short of when one was required, when he thought it would promote Liberal interests. I don’t recall widespread media or public outrage at that time.
It certainly makes you wonder why this protest is being promoted so energetically now, when we can be fairly sure it will only be attended by the usual Liberal partisans and malcontents.
This is not to say that we shouldn’t have an adult discussion about our constitution and how it might be made more democratic and accountable. We’ve had an increasingly autocratic leadership since, at least, the days of Pierre Trudeau that has cut accross party lines. Those who favour democracy and individual freedom, see a need for discussion about this to determine how to reform our current system.
However, noisy demonstrations by those whose main complaint is not so much prorogation as who is doing it, doesn’t seem to me the best way to start.
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I am glad there are other ways for people to get their message other than the media. The media is owned and controlled by the wealthy and it is nice to be able to go on the web to find out things that do not make the news that people should have a right to know.
The okanagan has been pro conservative for quite awhile and the people that have put Harper in power do not want to see that change so they will come up with their conspiracy theories any time anyone questions things the conservatives do.
There will always be good and bad to everything that is why we have brains to discern what is good and bad.
Please continue discussion on the forum: link