What happened to the American dream?

According to CBC news, U.S. authorities now have the power to seize and detain travellers’ electronic devices, including laptops and cellphones, and make copies of their contents at an off-site location, under newly disclosed customs policies.

The policy gives border agents at any point of entry into the United States the authority to also take documents, books, pamphlets and hard drives. The items can be seized from anyone crossing the border and may then be copied and shared with other government agencies, according to Department of Homeland Security documents dated July 16.

For a country many of us hold up as the paragon of freedom and respect, this is alarming.  Is this what fear and paranoia does to a nation?  What happened to the American dream?  Has it become the American nightmare?

 Click here for the full story

Posted by jonhargreaves Posted in: comment Comments Off August 2008

Using media to win hearts and minds

You’ve got to hand it to the Taliban, they certainly know how to work the media to further their heinous objectives. A report from the International Crisis group tells how the organisation is using a full range of media, from web-sites to mobile ‘phones, to tap into strains of Afghan nationalism and exploit policy failures by the Kabul government and its international backers. Using a website in the name of the former regime – the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan – they dispense leadership statements and inflated tales of battlefield exploits.

But for the largely rural and illiterate population, great efforts are being put into preaching and giving battle reports via DVDs, audio cassettes, shabnamah (night letters – pamphlets or leaflets usually containing threats) and traditional nationalist songs and poems. The Taliban also increasingly uses mobile phones to spread its message. And their strategy seems to be working. Even though few actively support the Taliban, the result is weakening public support for nation-building.

Little wonder one of the key recommendations is DON’T block the flow of information, but rather disclose more, in an open and timely manner, and in that way build morale. I sure hope they catch on, there’s a lot at stake.

Click here to read the full PDF report.

Posted by jonhargreaves Posted in: comment Comments Off July 2008