Darfur Awareness Followup

Staying with the issue of Darfur, on the heels of yesterday’s podcast, I noticed an interesting study on public opinion of the Darfur situation in the US, published on the PEW center’s site. (love PEW center because I have the patience and the time to read through their numbers and reports)

My attention was particularly sparked by the survey of how the public feels the media is covering the crisis in Darfur as compared to Iraq or Iran. As you can see in this image, not only do 49% feel it receives too little coverage, but if you look at the “don’t know” category.. 14% don’t know. Which makes me wonder if they really don’t know anything on the topic, which is still very possible considering the lack of coverage, or if they simply don’t care.. which is unfortunately also possible.

One statistic that represents exactly why I do the work that I do on this blog: 75% of those who had heard a lot about the situation believed that the US had a responsibility to take action to stop the genocide. The less that people had heard about Darfur the more they didn’t want the US to do anything.

Might sound simple enough, but for me it reminds me of an important relationship – the more you hear about a topic, learn about it, talk about it, argue about it; the greater the chance you will get involved and be concerned.

bm209 Olympic Boycotts and China’s Role in Darfur

Using a wide range of strategies, human rights activists around the world are calling on China to stop funding the genocide in Darfur. Their most important tool- the Olympic Games in 2008. While some experts and activists call for a boycott in the tradition of boycotting olympics to make a political statement, others are proposing different strategies.

My Guest is Jonathan Zimmerman, Director of the History of Education Program, Steinhardt School of Education, NYU.
(you can read some of his op-eds on China and Darfur, here and here)

We Discuss:
-China’s role in Darfur
-Resources and the need for resources
-Historical olympic boycotts
-Leading public figures who won’t take a stand against China
-Beyond Boycott

In the second part of the program you hear excerpts from a press conference launching the Olympic Dream for Darfur campaign. Audio includes Mia Farrow, Eric Reeves and Jill Savitt

Meanwhile, My Nephew

While a few months ago I may have changed the title of this blog to Citizen Reporter, that does not mean the personal side of things will suddenly disappear. It doesn’t mean I will pack up my opinion, my thoughts, my concerns, and things that happen to me.

That said, I will still focus on things happening in the world, especially that which goes under discussed, under reported, un-addressed. But in between, naturally the blog is still a personal creation at its core, and I still carry my internet moniker with pride.

The other thing I’d like to share with great pride is a recent photo of my nephew, now 3 years of age. My readership research indicates that more than 30% of you adore photos of my nephew (especially my readers in France), and who am I to deny you of such joy?

Tomorrow it is back to the reporter side of citizen reporter. See you then.

Gaza on my Screen

Sitting there eating my tofu-stew, watching BBC News, supposedly about to go to some Amsterdam club to see a band play… and there it is on the screen: Hamas Takes Gaza.

On the euronews podcast I watch the video of Fatah supporters in the street, armed to the teeth, supposedly prepared to fight to keep the city.

Since by nature I always look behind what I’m given, I sit watching these images thinking about all those who benefit from the chaos. The desperation that comes with poverty and decades of fighting, loss of your home, loss of family members… loss of all logic. Meanwhile wealthy nations, who have long played a big role in what does and does not happen in that part of the world, standby and roll camera. That’s what it has become for them, a little media blip for your daily dose of violence and confusion. For me to watch as I eat my dinner and prepare for an evening out on the town.Then Ill blog about it.

While people keep dying.

bm208 Blogging New Orleans til the Very End

He knows the city will flood again, and is fully aware of all the corruption and neglect that goes on in New Orleans. But the American Zombie says there is no where else in the world he would rather be, than living in New Orleans, and exposing the bastards, up until the very end.

We discuss:
– His early blogging following the hurricane
– Blogging as a reporter and a watchdog, covering the rebuilding
– Corruption, from insurance, to taxes, to the mayors office
– Who is Mayor Ray Nagin really?
– Who is profiting from the bad state of things?
– Decline of New Orleans, death of America
– The inevitable flood and looking to the future

NOLA

 

Prison Writing

I’ve recently tried to get in touch with Josh Wolf, citizen journalist recently released from jail. Obviously since his release he’s had nonstop places to be and people to talk to, but I figured I would get in line and see about interviewing him.

The purpose of my interview was NOT going to be his case and the whole question of journalist-blogger rights. That topic, while important, has been well covered by the alternative media online.

Instead I want to talk to Josh about prison life. Especially about the conversations, the thoughts, every aspect of prison life and the experiences of other prisoners. He had lots of interesting things to say while he was in prison about what things they did have a right to and what things he thinks they should have a right to, and I wanted to explore all that and hopefully learn from it.

Well I still haven’t heard back from the man, but I will remain patient. In the meantime, I was excited to hear about his project “Prisonblogs.net”. Free blog hosting for prisoners, a space where they can communicate their thoughts and experiences. Over my 7 years of publishing on the internet, I’ve come across many letters from prisoners republished on a few blogs. I glad to see that someone like Josh is helping to make this more possible and will be reading along with great interest.

ps- Do watch his appearance on Colbert.. it’s fun.

**UPDATE: Just recieved an email from the man. thank you internets.**