Archives for March, 2003
The Second Superpower
via Dave Winer
There is an emerging second superpower, but it is not a nation. Instead, it is a new form of international player, constituted by the �will of the people� in a global social movement. The beautiful but deeply agitated face of this second superpower is the worldwide peace campaign, but the body of the movement is made up of millions of people concerned with a broad agenda that includes social development, environmentalism, health, and human rights. This movement has a surprisingly agile and muscular body of citizen activists who identify their interests with world society as a whole�and who recognize that at a fundamental level we are all one. These are people who are attempting to take into account the needs and dreams of all 6.3 billion people in the world�and not just the members of one or another nation. Consider the members of Amnesty International who write letters on behalf of prisoners of conscience, and the millions of Americans who are participating in email actions against the war in Iraq. Or the physicians who contribute their time to Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres.
While some of the leaders have become highly visible, what is perhaps most interesting about this global movement is that it is not really directed by visible leaders, but, as we will see, by the collective, emergent action of its millions of participants. Surveys suggest that at least 30 million people in the United States identify themselves this way�approximately 10% of the US population. The percentage in Europe is undoubtedly higher. The global membership in Asia, South America, Africa and India, while much lower in percentage of the total population, is growing quickly with the spread of the Internet. What makes these numbers important is the new cyberspace-enabled interconnection among the members. This body has a beautiful mind. Web connections enable a kind of near-instantaneous, mass improvisation of activist initiatives. For example, the political activist group Moveon.org, which specializes in rapid response campaigns, has an email list of more than two million members. During the 2002 elections, Moveon.org raised more than $700,000 in a few days for a candidate�s campaign for the US senate. It has raised thousands of dollars for media ads for peace�and it is now amassing a worldwide network of media activists dedicated to keeping the mass media honest by identifying bias and confronting local broadcasters.
Interesting emergence type article. It is worth reading completely. Jim Moore is saying the same kind of things that Naomi Klein is getting at in Canada and Steven Johnson talked about in Emergence. There is such of thing as bottom up, self-organizing movements. We are seeing them more and more right now and will see them even more in the future.
More pro-war mail
I have been going through my daily pro-war/anti-Saddam/anti-Jordon e-mail today and something clicked, none of the people that are writing me have blogs. It makes sense, if you have your own outlet for personal opinion, you don’t have to attack someone elses. A small suggestion for those hoping for a regime change at this blog. Head over to Blogspot.com and get your own. There are a plethora of warblogs out there and conservative Christian point of view is well represented. You may even find it enjoyable. I am not a conservative evangelical pastor. I don’t fit those labels and haven’t for a while. If you are looking for that stuff here, you probably won’t find it.
Another observation is how often my own faith gets attacked. Many have doubted that I can be Christian and post the kind of things I have. I don’t understand how taking a stance against war is non-Christian. I have been re-reading some of Henri Nouwen’s and Thomas Merton’s writings and thoughts on war and they were attacked in the same way. Merton made so many that when he died, there were rumors that it was murder. Are we seriously going to question the faith of Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen because they opposed killing others. I am always amazed how the church turns so vicious over issues of politics and policy yet turns a blind eye to AIDS, the poor, and those things that we are commanded to be worried about in the Scriptures.
The dog and the wife are conspiring against me
Both Wendy and the dog have minor spring colds right now. Either that or allergies. Whatever the problem, they are snoring enough to wake the dead. I can leave Wendy behind and sleep on the sofa but often the dog follows me downstairs. Am seriously thinking of ear plugs.
A Prayer for the War
Alan Creech pointed me to this. I thought it was moving.
CNN embeded reporter
I was flipping through CNN and saw an embedded reporter. He was talking about life on the road and living in a Hummer. He gave the impression that it was a CNN Hummer (bought from the military?). Is that right or did I misunderstand?
Whatever the case, the living conditions are horrible. I thought they had it softer than they do but I was wrong.
Media Map of Iraq
For your interest…
War and Peace and more War
I was watching some news today and was suprised at some comments by some anti-war protesters that link a war gone bad in Iraq is good for getting rid of George W. Bush. Let’s leave ones feeling for W. at the door and think about the statement. A war bogged down generally involves a lot of deaths, both civiliian and military. At one time the peace movement is saying don’t go to war for oil (their words, not mine) but on the other hand you would like the war to go badly so Bush’s popularity will go down. This isn’t a chess match but a war with Iraqui and American lives at stake. I would think you would want it to go quickly. While I am don’t believe in the war, the last thing I want it to do is drag out for political reasons.
On a different topic with the war. People are blaming the Americans for underestimating the power of the secret police in Iraq. If I was an Iraqi citizen, I wouldn’t be dancing in the streets either. Not because I was anti Brit or American, because who wants to be killed by some pro-Saddam martyrs. Even the Saudi papers are saying people are saying different things on and off camera. On camera they are “anti-American”, off camera, they are “anti-Saddam”. Historically I think of the denazification of Germany and it took years to root out. I have to think that the de-baathification of Iraq would also take years to identify and neutralize (I don’t mean kill, I mean not let them kill or intimidate others) the secret police. At the same time, I wonder if the Arab world would allow the kind of time and methods that would be needed to eliminate the radical parts left over. I have this fear of a Northern Ireland type of aftermath, no matter who is running the place and I have to think that is the worst case scenerio.
Wrestlemania XIX
Watched Wrestlemania last night with John. Disappointing matches with a few exceptions (the Hogan v. McMahon one was really good. It is funny what 60 year old millionaires will do for a cheering crowd. Just glad no one died) but if one wants to know where American youth culture is, compare the entertainment at Wrestlemania (amazing and memorable) with the Super Bowl (boring and for my parents generation) with most “contemporary” churches (boring and for my parents generation)
Most interesting was how they used video. Here you have a fake event with scripted results (and yes, there is no Santa Claus) yet the video did an incredible job of creating emotional connection and a sense of history, despite the fact that for all intents and purposes it is a fake event. I doubt even Barna has ever looked at this but I have a feeling that churches reach almost no WWE viewers. Just my opinion.
Net acting funny this morning
More sites seem to be down than up. Maybe it is just Shaw.
Congratulations on Your Liberation
heh
War coverage
Okay, I hate the CBC coverage of the war and the smiley CNN anchors I find just as bad. When I want to know what is happening, I turn to BBC. I prefer the BBC reporters and the anchors. I am watching it now and they have some shots of Brit humanitarian ships coming into a port. The Canadian government hasn’t wanted to get involved but as I saw humanitarian ships roll into port I realized that we had a chance to make a contribution and not be combatants. As kids sit in the streets begging troops for water, I have to think we should be there, if only bringing relief in a place that needs it.
Thomas Merton
Am reading some Thomas Merton this weekend. A biography today by Jennifer Fisher Bryant. I have read his autobiography but it doesn’t cover his entire life. It is a good and worthwhile book. Interesting to get the perspective of his friends and those who knew him best.
Wendy is being unreasonable again
She won’t let me turn our backyard into a batting cage. I’ll never get a free-agent tryout contract now. Can you tell I am looking forward to opening day.
Matching Grants
Steven Johnson has a new idea for future “humanitarian wars” - matching grants.
Here’s an idea, borrowed from the world of non-profits and venture capital, for the eventual reconstruction of Iraq, and for all future conflicts built on the same model: matching grants. What if we decided that anytime someone decides to embark on one of these “humanitarian” pre-emptive attacks — allegedly done in the interest of the people being invaded — the invading country has to provide matching grants for the recovery of the country. Basically whatever they spend tearing it down, they need to spend building it back up again. So if they spend $80 billion on swords, they have to cough up $80 billion on ploughshares at the other end. War is already filled with dozens of generally agreed-upon conventions: don’t interrogate POWs on TV, don’t pretend to surrender and then shoot when you get close. How about we add a new one for countries that decide to bomb for peace?
“People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election.”
Otto von Bismarck
Our Cabin Weblog- Recently listened to music
- David Gray – Be Mine October 19, 2008
- David Gray – December October 19, 2008
- David Gray – Knowhere October 19, 2008
- David Gray – Real Love October 19, 2008
- David Gray – Last Boat To America October 19, 2008
- Recently additions to my library
- Messy Faith: Daring to Live by Grace by A. J. Gregory October 28, 2008
- Rediscovering Church: The Story and Vision of Willow Creek Community Church by Lynne Hybels October 26, 2008
- The Teeth of the Tiger, A Novel by Tom Clancy October 26, 2008
- The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You by John C. Maxwell October 26, 2008
- The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy October 26, 2008
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