I was checking out other Lebanese blogs when i fell on an article claiming how powerful are the Arab bloggers. In fact, let me rephrase that and quote Nia Soul from BeirutBeauty blog:
“No longer can the governments ignore us, which makes us the most powerful people in the Middle East. “
Her argument is that governments in the Middle East are cracking down on blogging lately and have arrested and imprisoned many bloggers. Added to that, “Bloggers threaten the powers that be and authoritative regimes picked up on this long ago. They would like it every much if we didn’t think, feel or know. They want us to stay a “bewildered herd†as Noam Chomsky put it.”
I am all for rebellious and enthusiastic youth who want to make changes and let their voices heard, but to claim that bloggers have any effect on political regimes in the Middle East is one big joke. In fact, it is the biggest joke ever.
I suggest that you calm down ya Nia before you get two slaps from some local intelligence agency, not because they are afraid of you, but because they don’t give a damn about you or other bloggers and are so much in control that they can put you in jail, harass you, close down your blog, drag you from your home and the best thing you can get out of this incident is that you will be mentioned in other blog posts.
You can’t even walk in the streets without being harassed by Arabs as per your video and you think your blog can make a difference?
A small piece of advice, you can make a change by stating your opinion calmly and reasonably and have the right people read you and we’ve had a lot of feedbacks on many critics we did on the blog here, even if it was for a restaurant or a pub or some company, but it’s the right way to start, that’s for sure.
i like her blog, its really humorous, i usually hate reading any posts about politics but her use of slang and sarcasm really makes it interesting.
I added her to my google reader, that is nice and opinion is an opinion and I like fiery opinions…the power of blogging reside in its ability to cross borders check the angry arab blog and that see as much as u or i might disagree with his politics he is official banned in many arab countries yet extremely successful by any standards!
Everybody can express their opinion,isn’t that what you are doing in your blog?And ma droure ta3mela with her identity known to the public,we can slam anyone without being exposed
Annie,
I never said she should not express her opinion, but let us not fool ourselves and think we are that powerful to scare the local regimes in the Arab nations. Let us be realistic here.
Regardless if ur identity is shown or not, they can track you down in few hours and arrest you if they want to.
Devin,
AngryArab is successfull how? No one listens to him except his fans and no authority cares about his opinions.
I honestly believe he could have made a bigger impact if he had been a bit more rational and objective cause all he do is insult everyone.
angryarab alexa ranking does a lot better than a lot of lebanese news websites (not the major ones, but the lesser knows as the addyiar and iloubnan) but he is a one man show! and he does have scoops, and he does praise people supporting communist. since i am capitalist i would never agree with him but you have to be realistic about the facts he presents… I think Arab authorities do care as his blog is banned in several Arab countries as per his accounts.
As for blogging anonymously, you can definitely do it and with extreme confidence I can blog without being discovered. Go to small local computer store, buy a computer in cash and use that computer to blog over free wifi networks in beirut. Never use the computer for personal emails or enter any personal data. never use the computer in a place they can track it back to you and here you go!
You can blog from anywhere ,no need to track down ,just like Devin said
I don’t agree with you, some bloggers made a big difference in everything politic,sport ,fashion and lifestyle, but other bloggers are here just to have everyday a post whatever this post just to have traffic, those blogs will never change anything.
Devin,
So the solution to blog anonymously is to buy a laptop just for the blog, and pick up free wifi to post from??
Walaw …
Alma D,
Name me one blog that made a difference in an Arab country in a major issue. Plus i never claimed blogs cant make a difference in non-political issues, i was specifically pointing out at political issues.
Hi! I know this is an old post but I didn’t notice it until a twitter follower brought it to my attention. In his tweet, he included a 2009 wikileak that specifically says how bloggers in Egypt are “MOVING FROM ACTIVISM TO BROADENING DISCOURSE AND SELF-EXPRESSION”. Who’s to say these bloggers (160,000 of them to be exact) didn’t influence what’s happening in Egypt now?
Also, I am SO surprised that you don’t think blogs can make a difference. If that’s true, then why do you do it? Isn’t it because you are frustrated with the current status quo and feel that you have a lot of insight to share? Don’t you think BlogBaladi is an alternative source of information that’s not completely propagandized by Lebanese political groups?
Also, not a single Lebanese blogger has been arrested here. Yes two guys who cursed at the president on Facebook were jailed but they were being rude and nonconstructive while I always try to make my point by providing solutions and sourced information.
No one is gonna arrest me God damn it! (right?)