The Case for Bloggers

Recently, Amnesty International reported that a Qatari blogger had been detained since March 2nd and risks being tortured. For the full article, click here.

The story reminded me of an essay I wrote for a scholarship a few months ago, in which I made the case for the release of detained Bloggers in the Middle East. With some editing here and there, this is what I wrote.  I should caution that copying this (or really any material on this blog) without giving due credit is unethical and considered plagiarism (watch out college students!). With that said, here it is:

Campaign for Freedom: Powered by Compassion

                Ruth Benedict once said in Patterns of Culture “Morality differs in every society, and is a convenient term for socially approved habits” (Benedict). Mr. Benedict’s statement represents the central theme behind the moral arguments for Cultural Relativism. The central tenet of this belief system is that, different cultures have different customs and all must be respected; any foreign involvement dissolves the respect and autonomy of those cultures. As noble has this respect is, it is deeply flawed. 

                In trying to aid a jailed Middle Eastern blogger, one can easily recognize the benefits of such a campaign and the weaknesses in argument against it. Time and time again I’ve heard the resonating argument against such international campaigns, by friends who argue that Americans should not “impose their values” on foreign cultures; its echo hinges on the tongues of all passionate Middle Easterners. However the statement is greatly flawed: “their values” implies that the values of the United States are different than those any other country on Earth; to this I strongly believe the opposite. There exists in the world a universal moral standard and this standard subsists because all humans have the same goals, needs, and fears. These necessities exist in every society on Earth from the United States to Iraq, Malaysia to Oman, and anywhere humans reside. There are very basic moral standards that everyone should be held to, regardless of the culture or society because without those standards society in the Middle East, or in the world, can never exist. 

                One of those most fundamental values is freedom of expression. This value is found in every society on earth. It has even slipped through the cracks of the toughest oppressive regimes where their tyrannical leaders freely express their opinions; the only difference is the distribution of that freedom. Can cultural relativists argue that restricted freedoms are a cultural value for any society? Of course not. In the case of our young Middle Eastern blogger, voicing one’s opinion is a fundamental and universal right that can never be denied; without it society could never function. By disallowing freedom of expression to this young blogger, the government is taking steps toward crippling its own population and this forces us to take action. By silencing a blogger, the government has effectively let out the greatest call to action. The question remains if you (my friends) and I will listen to the call, or go on with our lives ignoring it. 

                As Dr. Karen Armstrong argues, nearly every religion on Earth has a basic teaching and it is a lesson of compassion. In Islam Allah is described as “The Most Compassionate,” Rabbi Hillel has said that the Golden Rule (compassion) was the essence of the Torah: everything else was “only commentary,” St. Paul said “You can have faith that moves mountains, but it is worthless without charity” and the Dalai Lama once said “My religion is kindness” (Armstrong). Even the nonreligious, agnostic, and atheistic understand that without compassion the world would be a far darker place. If humanity did not feel compassion how would progress ever be made? My friends must search inside themselves and decide if they will heed the call of compassion to promote basic universal freedoms for all or if they will ignore it and live in a world unchanged by their hand. 

                As Dr. Martin Luther King wrote in his Letter from Birmingham Jail on April 16, 1963 “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and sitting aside does not absolve one of liability, rather, doing so legitimizes the actions of all oppressors. This movement is not a choice; it is an obligation to all who have freedoms. If one is free enough to speak his mind, it should be outspoken for the freedom of others. This young blogger wasn’t free enough to speak his mind, but did it anyway. Here, in the United States, we have that right without fear of persecution, yet we will shy away? Not in fear, but in lack of interest? In lack of compassion? Surely this is no reason to avoid such a movement. 

                With all the world’s religions (and even non-religious ideologies) by our side, all that remains is the pragmatic application of our Campaign for Freedom: Powered by Compassion. The campaign would center on the idea of compassion as a major tenet of all religions and ideologies. The campaign would have activists find and cite Quranic, Biblical, Hebrew, Buddhist, Hindu, Daoist texts and stories that support the freedoms of all man. There is no force on this or any planet that inspires billions across the globe to act in a certain way the same way religion does; we can use it for our cause. We would also include quotes from inspirational leaders like Gandhi, Bhutto, Dr. King, Nelson Mandela and more. These quotes and texts would be written on fliers that had “Free (Name of the young Middle Eastern blogger)” in the center, with the quotes floating around it. Using websites like Crowdrise, online fund raising for events, campaigns and plans, the campaign can work to collect funds to get more supplies and spread the word. Using social networking tools like Facebook, Twitter, the blogosphere, Youtube, and email chains we can spread the word of our campaign as more and more people share it with their family and friends. In addition, the campaign can work with Amnesty International and other organizations to compile an online signature list aiming for tens of thousands of signatures. These can all be presented to the specific Middle Eastern government, as well as the United Nations and major powers and neighbors like the United States and more to put pressure on the oppressive government to end the bloggers captivity. 

                With a call to action, inspired faith, fueled by nothing less than the essence of all humanity- compassion- and a practical plan to send a message to the Middle Eastern government as well as our own for international pressure, a movement like this, is bound for success. Cultural relativism will not stand the test of time in a globalized world.  As international relations strengthen from diplomacy and trade, cultures are bound to seem to clash and we must recognize that, regardless of your society, we all share very basic needs, and therefore, very basic values. I, for one, won’t ignore the call to compassion, will you?

Works Cited

• ·    Benedict, Ruth. Patterns of Culture. 2005. New York: First Mariner Books, 1934. Print. 
• ·    Armstrong, Karen. "Help Bring Compassion back to Religion." TED Prize. TED. Monterey California. February 2008. Address.

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