There is the past and its continuing horrors: violence, war, prejudices against those who are different, outrageous monopolization of the good earth's wealth by a few, political power in the hands of liars and murderers, the building of prisons instead of schools, the poisoning of the press and the entire culture by money. It is easy to become discouraged observing this, especially since this is what the press and television insist that we look at, and nothing more.
But there is also the bubbling of change under the surface of obedience: the growing revulsion against endless wars, the insistence of women all over the world that they will no longer tolerate abuse and subordination... There is civil disobedience against the military machine, protest against police brutality directed especially at people of color.
Howard Zinn, A People's History of the United States
Fear or hope. Or the Geopolitics of Emotion.
An essay and review of Dominique Moisi's "The Geopolitics of Emotion" which argues that the geopolitical national landscape is governed by emotions relating to confidence; the "Asian" world is currently governed by 'hope', the "Muslim" world by 'humiliation' and the "West" by 'fear'. This is the first social theory book review on the Isocracy Network; more coming!
Read more at: http://isocracy.org/node/31
Afghanistan Military Commitments
After $1 trillion in costs and the with majority of Americans opposing escalation, President Obama is supporting an escalation of military involvement in that country with 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan. As numerous commentators have pointed out the foreign military intervention is now acting as a destabilising force, affecting even nuclear-armed neighbours. The Karzai regime is highly corrupt, propped up by American intervention. The cost of escalation is estimated to be another $100 Billion USD.
Veterans know that no good can come of an escalation. They have come together to make their voices heard in this new Brave New Films video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnbhMlGnB9I
War particularly erodes the rights of women. Whilst the Taliban assault on women’s rights is used as a justification for continued military action, war itself is the main obstacle to the improvement of women's lives in Afghanistan.
http://gobnf.org/i/ra/factsheet_women.pdf
U.S.Troop Levels in Afghanistan Have Increased Every Year Since 2002. Compare the U.S. troop level in Afghanistan against civilian casualties.
http://gobnf.org/i/ra/factsheet_troops.pdf
A campaign is being run by both MoveOn.org and Democrats.com to convince President Obama not to escalate the military commitment to Afghanistan:
http://www.democrats.com/afghan-exit
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/?rc=homepage
Secret Copyright Treaty and User Disconnection
Cory Doctrow and Michael Geist report that the Internet chapter of the U.S.'s proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement has some major issues including (a) the requirement that ISPs police user-contributed material for copyright violations, (b) that ISPs have to cut off accused copyright violators or face liability, (c) the rest of the world must adopt US 'notice and takedown' rules, and (d) mandatory prohibitions on breaking DRM, even for lawful purposes.
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/03/secret-copyright-tre.html
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/04/more-on-secret-copyr.html
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/4510/125/
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has started a petition to Congress to open the legislation
https://secure.eff.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=420
Also keeping an eye on this and similar issues is the Open Rights group in the UK, where similar plans have been introduced in the Digital Economy bill.
http://www.openrightsgroup.org/campaigns/disconnection
Isocracy on Social Networking Sites
The Isocracy Network has just been established on Friendster, Dreadmwith and Bebo
http://www.friendster.com/group/tabmain.php?gid=3198009
http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=10178498767
http://isocracy.dreamwidth.org/
... Along with existing Livejournal and Orkut
http://isocracy.livejournal.com
http://www.orkut.com/Main#Community?rl=cpn&cmm=96199997
Not exactly huge membership on any of those groups, but we have to start from one!
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