I’m on Twitter and find it a good resource to find articles I want to use recommended by people with similar leanings. It’s also a good way to ensure other bloggers don’t forget about you and stop giving you those sweet, sweet links. On occasion, like the current chaos in Iran, Twitter can be a great resource for on the scene information (and often disinformation) for people looking into those events. But frankly, that’s about it.
“Microbloggers” are rightfully pointing out that those godless commies at CNN have basically not only dropped the ball on coverage of the Iranian elections, they then kicked it into another kid’s yard. They are in turn providing better coverage than CNN which is laudable and a good example of how irrelevant the MSM is going to be soon.You can find a constant stream of Tweets, re-Tweets and links at #iranelections. You’ll also find a similar amount of information on CNN’s failure at #CNNFail. At both you’ll also find people who truly believe that sitting in front of a keyboard Tweeting these events will change the situation on the ground for the better.
This is complete nonsense.
There is only one way to help the Iranians, and “microblogging” the massacre of protesters isn’t it. A heavily armed theocratic regime will not be toppled by people with silly nicknames like “Imabuggin32” Tweeting their support for the protests. Those people in Iran will either overthrow the government or, more likely, will be mowed down in the streets while the arrogant keyboard cowboys of the web type out their cyber finger wagging.
There was a time when Americans went to other countries and fought for the freedom of people. The Spanish Civil War, Japan’s invasion of China, the list goes on and on of conflicts where Americans who were against a regime picked up arms and fought for their convictions. Now they Tweet each other, and will pretend to be shocked when the blood of freedom fighters runs in Iran’s streets and this rebellion CNN isn’t covering does nothing.
Let’s not pretend we’re morally better than the people who stick their heads in the sand and ignore the story, when all we’re doing is talking about it.
Great, insightful post. I’ve been following Twitter and find that, other than tweets from Iranians, there is a blanket of arrogance and ignorance in the Tweetverse. A lot of chickenhawk posturing by non-Iranians far, far away from danger. CNN exists in a visual medium, and the visuals are not forthcoming, other than blocky youtube and cellphone vids.
Chickenhawk is an asinine term only the the most vile use. It minimizes the original meaning of the word, which was older people preying on younger vulnerable people for sex.
I’m not sure we really have the same conclusion here.I support the anti-Mullahs, Pro-Shah and anti-Theocratic forces against Iran, but I dislike the posture that my support is meaningful to an armed regime who are even now gunning down dissidents.
You’re a left-wing hack who has just recently smeared people like me in a post linking us to James Von Brunn, even though he’s an avowed Socialist who worked for the publishers of Noam Chomsky’s The Fateful Triangle.
I might just be cranky but I really don’t need your insincere praise. Isn’t there some antisemitic, oops I mean anti-Zionist, propaganda you need to spread?
Rob, I looked up your claim that this ‘Von Brunn’ shitehawk worked for the ‘publishers of Noam Chomsky’s The Fateful Triangle’. While Von Brunn may well have worked for the far-right Noontide Press, I can see no evidence that that firm was the publisher of Chomsky’s work. All the stuff I seen following a swift google says that that book was published by South End Press in the United States, and Pluto Press in the UK.
You can’t make up stuff, you know, and expect to either get away with it or have people take you seriously afterwards.
D.J.P. O’Kane:
The Fateful Triangle published by Noontide Press:
http://www.amazon.com/Fateful-Triangle-Noam-Chomsky/dp/0317530240
You can’t completely fail at Googling, you know, and expect to have people take you seriously afterward.
“Far-right Noontide Press” Are you serious? Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Here’s a selection of “far-right” Noontide Press titles:
Guilt by Association – Jeff Gates revisionist 9/11 history wherein the “Jewish lobby” instigate the Iraq war and were ultimately morally responsible for 9/11 itself.
Burden of Empire – Garet Garrett’s isolationist anti-war opus.
State Socialism and Anarchism– Benjamin Tucker’s anarchist classic.
I could go on but you get the idea, the books Noontide put out are influential on the left. Like Saul Alinsky who would approve of you going from place to place falsely accusing people of lying.
Jenn –
Thank you for bringing to my attention the fact that it is possible for ordinary users of Amazon to edit the product information on the site.
Wow. D. J. P. O’Kane just keeps on bringing the false information.
You know perfectly well that “ordinary users of Amazon” can’t edit product information. There is a link that allows users to submit recommended edits, but all of those are carefully reviewed by Amazon staffers to ensure the integrity of the database.
Amazon trutherism. Never thought I’d see the day.
When caught in one lie double down on another. Funny that Noontide books other lefties titles were ignored by him.
How much is the DNC/Media Matters/Soros paying you to humiliate yourself like this?