Why this gag-social-network madness?

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Why this Gag-Social-Network madness?

“Media is a mistress to politicians and businessmen!!”

From NDAA to SOPA, and very recently Twitter agreeing to selectively sensor tweets for selected regions, I’ve been carefully monitoring the current socio-politico-online scene. For a man with a radically different approach to what he perceives around self, no wonder I am not surprised as I can clearly see a method behind all this madness, a method so sinister that it should send a chill down every ordinary person’s spine.

Coming out of a recession, while the whole world grapples with the economy, I have been the lonely man waging a losing battle to save ordinary people’s interests. This write-up is another such act although honestly this world has done nothing for me to deserve such largesse from me. But I can’t run away from my responsibility.

Before I explain my statement in italics, before I touch the topic of “Occupy Movements” and how they are linked to the current scenario, it is very important to touch on the “War on terror” as that war is one of the reasons behind this current scenario, in a way you can’t even imagine. Besides, I want justice for those who died in 911 as their real killers are still at large, hale and hearty and living lavishly in “USA”. Just wait for a couple of days and I am going to make a youtube video and explain very clearly in it, how a handful of dirty rotten Politicians and businessmen knowingly enacted a tragedy that brutally murdered innocent Americans.

With 1 million Iraqis and over tens thousands of Afghanis dead, if the Americans still not open their eyes to the truth and how it is shouting hoarse at the top of its’ voice, calling for justice, if Americans still won’t get justice for their own who were killed, it will be the saddest day in human history. A crime committed so openly, so shamelessly, will become “The perfect crime of modern era”.

Those innocents were brutally murdered so the Politicians and their businessmen pals get a legitimate reason to use “Tax-payers” money to wage a war, a war whose sole intention was to protect oil interests of a few businessmen. Ask President Obama to tell the Americans how much money was being spent on the war in Iraq and Afghanistan everyday at its’ peak and how much money was being put in for development. Ask President Obama how much money has actually been spent on the war so far and what percentage of national debt does it make.

Now ask yourself, “If I was in America, how easy would it be for the same bunch of Politicians and businessmen to shut me up using NDAA?”

Yep! You got my point. NDAA and acts like failed SOPA (as explained below) are meant to curb the voices calling for justice, voices that call for change, to save the interests of the same very rotten politicians and businessmen.

Now if you have read all my write-ups, you will know how I have been trying to explain to the whole world how blind Capitalism is ruining it for the ordinary people who are becoming more of slaves than free citizens. What happened to the American dream? How many Americans can start an own small business today and hope to succeed?

All the manufacturing jobs that President Obama is trying to bring back to America is a good step in the right direction, but a lot more needs to be done. What needs to be done is to level the playing field in small business where big corporate chains are fast taking over everything (I’ve explained this in detail elsewhere).

But that said and done, the whole world knows Americans lost a huge chunk of employment opportunities due to out-sourcing, now ask yourselves, “Now that we know it ruined ordinary American families, how many American businessmen have actually brought those jobs back?”

Now let me take up the issue of “Occupy movement” too as it is equally important in this discussion.

With all due respect to those who put in a valiant effort, time and energy in various “Occupy Movements”, what are the results to show today? Do you think “Occupy Movements” were really meant to bring out any results? Ask those who participated in the movements, “What was the aim of the movement and what were the short term and long term objectives?”

The way I look at “Occupy Movement” is, after all the hoopla and shenanigans, the Americans still don’t have even one man to show as a true leader capable of being their President and working for them and in their best interests. All I see is Americans still stuck to either voting for the current incumbent President Mr Barack Obama or one of his Republican counterparts. What the heck was the point of wasting so much time and energy in a fruitless exercise?

Scratching your head looking for answers? Don’t worry! I am here to settle your curiosity. The so called movements for 99% were actually and clandestinely sponsored by the 1% for three objectives:

1. Post recession, how much disenchantment is there in the hearts of American people?

2. Provide the disgruntled public a platform to vent out all their frustration so that they can go back to their daily lives and take care of their families once again, thus securing the future of that 1%.

3. To check whether an “Arab Spring” was possible in America using social networking. Guess what they found. And now imagine all that SOPA could do and what the current statement by twitter means (I’ll explain this bit below).

And just to clarify all the misunderstandings those 99% had, “Mate you are not 99% but just 60%”. There are 30% who have better jobs and really good lives. They don’t feel the need to leave their comfort zones and go for a change. They don’t need change! And the remaining 10% are either ruling the rest of 90% or are friends, promoters, well wishers or partners of those who are ruling.

Even among the 60% of you, half are so poor, they can barely think about anything else but making sure they have a meal to feed their family at the end of the day. They don’t have time for a change. Tell them whom to vote and they will vote. But the question as I asked is, “Have you got even one man you can project as your candidate?”

Now having explained all this let me come to the crux of the matter.

NDAA was passed by the Republican regime under the pretext of protecting American interests, but was that the real intention? Even if there was one honest man who could bring about a change in America, this act gives the ruling politicians vast powers to shut him up even before anyone listens to what that person is saying. However let me mention here, any part of this or any other act passed by the US parliament, which is in contravention to “Bill of Rights” or any other provision of the US constitution, that act or its’ part in error is invalid and illegal. However, the intentions of those proposing such legislation, leave alone making it a law, are evidently clear.

Same is the case with SOPA. It creates an opportunity to run down any semblance of public action even before it is envisaged.

I made a very telling statement about media at the top of the page not without a reason. Media does not work for ordinary people anymore. Take the example of the media Mogul Rupert Murdoch and his media empire. Do you still believe media works for ordinary people? Media is only used to guide public opinion in a direction desirable to the ruling regime. Post 911 media was used to support war on terror by indirectly promoting news items that promoted hatred. In case of India and Pakistan, every time the political leadership of the two countries wants to start a dialogue the media is suddenly flush with positive news from across the border. And then when the politicians decide they want to promote intolerance towards the neighbor, the media is flush with news items detailing acts of hatred. Media no longer works for public good.

The only hope ordinary people have in such a scenario is social networking sites. Politicians can control the media but can they control public outcry? Movements like “Arab Spring”, “Occupy Movement” and “Anna Hazare’s campaign” (which I’ve explained elsewhere, doesn’t impress me), these were possible because people were able to express themselves openly amongst each other, share their beliefs and could co-ordinate action. Imagine what would happen if the social networking sites are gagged as well. They are the only hope ordinary people have today. They are all that’s left.

And considering all that I have written so far, not surprising it was a Republican who introduced SOPA and those who supported SOPA were organizations benefiting only a certain section which generally has close connections with politicians.

Now coming to the latest act in which Twitter has accepted that it can selectively sensor tweets according to region, this takes the game to a whole new level. Now even social networking sites will become untrustworthy as they will actively promote content that promotes the interest of the politicians and businessmen, while the content which acts against it will be actively snubbed and pushed away and out of public view. Now to think of it, it is the ordinary people who made these social networking sites what they are today, and their owners, all multi-millionaires. This is how they repay us!

By the way, as far as twitter is concerned, personally I never trusted that website anyway. I just use it because you keep your enemies closer. I personally even believe that site is either CIA or FBI operated or under direct Government supervision. If they say today that they can selectively ban tweets in different regions, I highly suspect their role in “Arab Spring”. It means they can actively promote tweets that influence public opinion in a particular direction and can hide from public view what their fathers don’t want people to know. This raises a serious concern about such a site. In fact, who knows the Government is just using twitter to break a deadlock with other networking sites by saying, “Look, even this site is agreeing to our demands, why aren’t you?”

I agree there are instances when people abuse such networking sites and post material that offends a particular section of the society, thus causing unrest. But the solution is not what Twitter is proposing, which is nothing but a sinister way of sabotaging the public welfare for political ends. The right solution will be as follows:

1. At first step all major networking sites like facebook (which already does it in a way by asking for phone number), youtube, twitter, orkut, myspace should make it mandatory for their users to provide proof of their identity and address before they are allowed to create accounts. This will help in the identification and locating of offenders who misuse the web.

2. At second step, if a user has expressed an opinion or posted material which is objectionable, the proper and legal way would be to give that user an opportunity to explain and/or remove the content, and offer unconditional apology or face trial.

3. For simple websites like mine, the owner can be simply made aware of any objectionable content and asked to either remove it or defend it in court.

The basic concept behind “Democracy” is, if you are not happy with the government or governance, you are free to discuss it, share your ideas and if the need be, launch agitations. That is how democracy is supposed to work. Any action or act which curtails such freedom is illegal and cannot be tolerated.

The only reason I see behind the political regimes pushing for acts like NDAA, SOPA or curbing social networking sites is to hinder free speech and democracy. It only means the political regimes or political parties who are supporting such actions don’t have the best interests of the public at heart. Such regimes should not be supported. We elect these regimes, and if they are going to bite our backs, repay us like this, it’s time to change them. But then, who will you change them with?

Fatal Urge Carefree Kiss,

Amanpreet Singh Rai

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