A Day in a Life of a Syrian Citizen Journalists’ video.

The video shows the new type of Journalistic approach, in this case in Syria. They are journalists that represents Syrian’s point of view about the war, also called “Media man”. By risking their life, they have small media center which they record Syrian Army or FSA does in the area and upload thousands of videos on YouTube. Citizen journalists mobilize during demonstration, funerals or attacks from Syrian government. Their goal is to share all over the world “the Free Syrian Army’s work” as one of the citizen journalist declares. In other word, since the government does not allowed Syrian to talk and express themselves, they uses social network as a tool in order to share it with the world. What is interesting about this reportage is that “citizen journalists” give the point of view as “the insider” which means that nobody can control them or tell them what they should or should not say even if they risk their life everyday day by making those reports. What is amazing today is that by using YouTube, people can makes “video journal “to demonstrate what they want to share with people by sharing any kind of videos which cannot be controlled easily by the government. It is a new way to communicate with the world; no cost and not controlled.
For instance, the Anonymous video titled: Anonymous on Syria, explains how blogger and cartoonist and journalist in Syria get cruelly tortured by Syrian Government. The later actively control the free flow of information, digital surveillance in order to hide the atrocity they do to Syrian citizen. Again, as Neda’s case we notice that the government feels threatened by Internet and social network because they are aware that sharing videos can easily become worldwide news and can destroy the reputation of the country, more specifically, they can ruin the reputation of a regime, and the only thing that can do is denial what they are doing, for instance: Iranian President declares that Neda’s death was not his responsibilities and it seems “suspicious” and El-Assad does not admit neither about what the authorizes does to citizen (murder, violence, rapping), he also denies pretending that the authorities has nothing to do about it. As we see, social network is a big issue for dictator because the only thing that they can do is to deny and persecute the activists.
Anonymous illustrates some pictures of some of those journalists and bloggers that were tortured and persecuted in order to stop exposing and sharing videos about Syrian civil war. What is interesting is to understand is this new type of journalism that is born thanks to internet and social network: uploading and share all around the world as direct news by using mobile devices or cameras. In fact, it is easier and cheaper than the several procedures of broadcasting in news. Furthermore, I believe that the “Media men” or “Citizen’s journalists” gave a more realistic view about the “Truth of the war”.

Neda’s video

It was during the protests against the Islamic Regime in Iran. It was during the election between Ahmadinejad (conservative) and Mossavi (moderate) in June 2009. Iranian’s citizen believed that the vote was manipulated and that Ahmadinejad cheated. Probably one of the main reasons why people started to protest after the result of the vote, it is because people are tired of the Islamic Regime and the tension of the country, and Mossavi was representing “hope” and an improvement of the government. Iran before 1979 was not an Islamic country, and also during the Shah‘s era, we cannot denied that Iran was influenced by the Western society and brutally changed into a strong dictatorship (worse than Shah’s government, for some people that considered him as a dictator).
Neda’s story become immediately worldwide news and become a symbol of rebellion in Iran and an iconic victim for Iranian people. The video was Neda, young Iranian student (26 years old), was shot during the protest by authorities for no reasons, but Iranian’s authorities argues their did not shoot her and it is a fake video, for instance in a CNN interview Ahmadinejad: Neda’s death is ‘suspicious’ (2009, unknown writer) :
“Iran’s ambassador to Mexico — one of few Iranian officials who have spoken to CNN since the disputed June 12 presidential election — suggested that U.S. intelligence services could be responsible for her death. «This death of Neda is very suspicious,” Ambassador Mohammad Hassan Ghadiri said. “My question is, how is it that this Miss Neda is shot from behind, got shot in front of several cameras, and is shot in an area where no significant demonstration was behind held?
Of course, if the Iranian ambassador in Mexico decided to argues that Neda’s death was suspicious is because he is part of the Islamic Regime, and he will repeat everything that Ahmadinejad will say fro two main reasons: first is for avoiding problem with Iranian government when he will come back in Iran and second of all because if he is an ambassador he is an ambassador, he was designed by a Islamist.
Her story becomes popular all over the world thanks to mobile devices and social network as a tool. The video of Neda’s death share awareness all over the world, people could see the power of the Islamic regime and its dictatorship and finally people could feel concerned of Iran’s issue. Neda’s video was the beginning of a hope and change in Iran. After her video, people (most of them young activists) started to use Twitter and Facebook to communicate to each other in order to create other protests, unfortunately it ends up that the government felt threatened by Internet and Social Network and decided to block the access. For instance, in this case study, it is interesting to see how the government can feel threatened by Internet by feeling that they can easily lose control. If in Iran the protests did not worked (unfortunately),the positive side of the story is that all around the world people could understand how young Iranian’s are struggling to fight against this powerful regime, but also it shows a new image of Iran which it is manipulate by the Western society, giving the perception that Iranian are anti- American (which is not the case) even though the government gives this bad perception of Iranian’ people.

North Korea plan to attack US mainland revealed in photogaphs

North Korea plan to attack US mainland revealed in photographs, a Telegraph article by Julian Ryall (29 March 2013), shows frightening picture of Kim Jong‘s plan to attack the United States. What is interesting and striking about this article is the rhetorical pictures of Kim Jong. For instance, we see different picture of him with military leaders such as: “convening urgent operation meeting at an undisclosed place”, the picture shows Kim Jong signing the plan on technical preparation on strategic rockets and he is surrounded by important military leaders, and just behind them we have a clear view of a map that shows where they want to attack: “The images show a chart marked “US mainland strike plan” and missile trajectories that the NK News web site estimates terminate in Hawaii, Washington DC, Los Angeles and what they claim is Austin, Texas.”
This picture illustrates the hostility of the North Korean regime against the United States, but also those images put on this article are made on purpose by the North Korean Regime to “intimidate” American, which are considered to be the world’s most widespread and influential culture today, which it is challenging and surely provocative. However, Julian Ryall claims that experts could demonstrate that those images are just intimidating and rhetorical, but they cannot be considered as a real threat because according to some experts the missile cannot target US due to the far distance:
“Despite the increasingly belligerent rhetoric and new images emerging from the North Korean regime, analysts believe its missiles are not capable of striking targets as far away as the US mainland and are not, as yet, capable of delivering a nuclear payload”.
Which one we should believe: Kim Jong’s threat or the Daily Telegraph (Britain news)? The media has a huge position since both sides says something different and demonstrates opposite things. It is also reminding me “The Duck and Cover” story, people are terrified and do not want to hear the story, so they try to avoid it. Can we say that it is time to recount the story too little kids and adults? Does Kim Jon’s Medias messages are just provocative in order to destabilize The Big Power of the World or should we start to take him seriously? If people portray him as a young and fool “Great Successor”, it is hard to understand if his plan to attack the United States can be truly considered as a threat.

The Unexpected Return of “Duck and Cover”

The Atlantic published an article titled “the unexpected return of ‘Duck and cover’” by Glenn Reynolds. The article focuses on the return of “Duck and cover” questioning if it is truly necessary and helpful. IN 1951, Ray Maurer and Anthony Pizzo produced it which was a federal government’s Civil Defense agency in response to Soviet nuclear tests. The short cartoon explains to children how to protect themselves against the threat of nuclear attack. This story was recognized as an Icon during the Cold War. Reynolds explains the process of atomic explosion: “First is a flood of ‘prompt’ […] Next comes the flash […] Next comes the blast”. In addition to that, he explains some tricks to protect themselves against radiation: “The radiation from fallout is blocked by pretty much anything that has mass.” Furthermore, Obama’s administration wants to encourage citizen to protect themselves instead escaping which it can be more dangerous due to radiation.
However, sixty years ago, the government warns people about how citizen can protect themselves against the atomic bomb. Today all information is on internet, radio and television but nobody tell them in advance which it can be problematic because if there is a nuclear explosion the power will go and nobody can access to the security information. Nevertheless, this attack terrifies people instead relieving citizen.
What is interesting about this article is that it questioned if our new advices such as internet can be helpful during a nuclear attack? As Raynolds says the weapon destroys everything so probably a video or someone who can tell the story of “duck and cover” would be helpful. Even if today people have easy access to information thanks to Internet, we should remember that if there is a nuclear attack, all networks would not work: “But will people follow that advice? To follow it, they’ve first got to hear it, and usual sources of information like radio, TV, and the Internet may not be working. (Not only will power likely go out — because of those downed power lines — but one of the other prompt effects of a nuclear explosion is something called Electro-Magnetic Pulse. A nuclear burst at the edge of the atmosphere could fry electronics over hundreds of miles; a ground-level one does less damage, but makes reliance on electronics near the blast site iffy.). So if you want people to know what to do, you have to tell them in advance.”
I believe if there is any chance of a nuclear attack today, the government should not focus on internet, television or radio. They most encourage schools to explains to children “the duck and cover” methodology. Furthermore, they should aware adult about how to protect themselves and their family. What is interesting about this article is that the author says that people get “terrified” about the Duck and Cover story: “But telling them in advance has its own risks. To some, duck-and-cover may be amusing kitsch, but when I showed the film to my teenage daughter while researching this piece, she found it terrifying.” For instance, people prefer to not think about it (trying to ignore the possibility that it might happened) instead of being aware and prepared? Probably that is the reason why everybody get terrified when they hear “ the Duck and Cover story”.

NEDA

The New york times artciled titled ” Iran Halts production of ‘ Neda’figures by William Yong. This article tells us that after the shot of Neda in teheran during the revolution against the Islamic regime, this 26 year-old woman become a figure and the martyr of Iran. The video of her death was on Youtube and become a worldwide news. Moreover,  in Teheran,a factory where they produced statuettes about victims during the protests ( for the election)  was closing because the governement did not allowed them to do that. In fact, the iranian authority explains that the death of Neda  was a ” Wester plot”  and that the woman killed herself: “In January, Iran’s international English-language news channel, Press TV, carried a report claiming that Ms. Agha-Soltan faked her death with the aid of accomplices who later killed her on her way to the hospital.

Last month, the semiofficial Fars news agency reported that the Intelligence Ministry had produced a new documentary on Ms. Agha-Soltan that would include further evidence that her death was part of a “Western plot.”

During the election between Amahdinedjad (conservative party) and Moussavi( moderate), people especially young Iranian, are looking for a better future of their country. Tired of the oppression, strict laws for women as well as a non democratic country, Iranian wants to put a stop. The protest similar as the Arab Spring starts thanks to  social network, even if on my personal experience, I know that it is really  hard to connect on Internet and its controlled by the governement. Neda shot in the middle of the street in Teheran during the protest was  a big shock for Iranian, they were tired of this dicatorship and oppression.Today Neda still represent a Martyr but unfortunately instead to encourageiranian people to fight against the regime, people get scared. ” Fear” is what the governement use for controlling the country that is  probably the main reason why Iranian do not feel to continue protests. The social network had  a  great impact on share awarness all over the world as well as scheduled the time and date for protests but the government shut down internet and mobile device as well as any type of access on social network. In fact, there is some period  that it is easier toaccess on Internet and some times is just impossible, especially during the ramadam period is just impossible because the authority are aware that it is a period that can be used by the activists to create protests and mobilizations. Neda is one of the martyr of Iran but  they are a lot of young women and men killed or torture by the authority just because they wants the freedom to talk, think, and express opinion all over the world. I really hope that one day, Iran will change into a democratic place were Iranian can walk in the street without fears and feel to be home in their own hometown.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/10/world/middleeast/10neda.html?_r=1