Democracy Video from Azerbaijan

Don't let corporations become dictators

by Julie Jigsawnovich

The ATTN: Mr. Democrat video by Farbod Khoshtinat states that, "Democracy is not choking the voices so that no harsh word could aggrieve your ears." This video has drawn a worldwide enthusiastic response online. Iranians and non-Iranians alike are leaving glowing comments for it on YouTube. And the analytics map under the video shows world nations growing greener with each ATTN: Mr. Democrat view.

Although the dictatorial regime running the Islamic Republic diligently tries to block Iranians from watching YouTube, the color of Iran on the map proves that many Iranians are finding proxies to access the full internet.

Unfortunately, there's an even bigger threat to internet freedom--not from governments, but from corporations. Corporations could be even more effective than governments at preventing users from choosing what to view.

As Megan Tady wrote in the Huffington Post,"While the Internet allows people to create and share their work with the world without anyone's permission, phone and cable companies like Comcast and AT&T want to control the Internet - deciding which content loads fast, and which doesn't load at all. They could effectively silence artists and media makers everywhere, and you, too."

In addition to the strong grassroots support ATTN: Mr. Democrat received through social networks and private emails--Iranian, Azerbaijanian, French and American writers have embedded the video in their blogs. Plans by Comcast and AT&T to control the internet particularly endanger bloggers and small website owners who support democracy.

As the internet has become a central form of communication, internet freedom/net neutrality is vital to democracy. Don't let corporations become dictators. This issue is urgent, and the impact would be international. Please contact the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and President Obama, strongly urging them to protect free expression on the Internet--so that we can keep using the Internet the way we want to.

People living in the U.S. can

sign this petition to the FCC.

People living outside the U.S. can

contact the FCC through email here.

Everyone can contact President Obama.

Everyone can thank these Senators for their support.

I recommend the following advocacy group for this issue: www.savetheinternet.com


This article was republished at: www.savetheinternet.com/story/30631

Karroubi, regarding political parties in future of Iran

Masih Alinejad interviewed Mehdi Karroubi for Rah-e-Sabz and provided a translation for http://enduringamerica.com Here is an excerpt:

Masih Alinejad: "One of the demands constantly mentioned in these statements is holding free elections. Is there any hope that one day party-based parliamentary or presidential elections will be held? Do you think that the notion of “party” will have a place in the future of Iran? When we speak of political parties do we mean a party with the ability to influence the state based on the votes it receives from the people?

Mehdi Karroubi: "This is what we should be seeking but there are two difficult obstacles ahead. The first one is the regime which does not wish such a thing, and the second is that the political groups are not used to organisational work and I have said many times that these groups are either oppose party-based activity or evade it. Party-based action is quite difficult in Iran and we need time to learn how to approach a party in the country."

http://enduringamerica.com/2010/05/27/iran-document-karroubi-aligning-the-green-movement-inside-and-outside-country/

Votes Turn Map Green

Share this! Each time you vote for ATTN: Mr. Democrat, the country you are in turns slightly greener on the Google analytics map. Here's how to vote:

1.) Sign in to YouTube.

2.) Go to  http://www.youtube.com/democracychallenge

3.) Click on VOTE button.

4.) Search for ATTN: Mr. Democrat and click on it when it comes up.

5.) Enjoy the video and click the green "thumbs up" button.

Vote once a day. Tell your friends! Competition ends June 15th.

Watch the world turn green! ATTN: Mr. Democrat Google analytics map http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI6oOgG-HRg&feature=player_embedded

To help promote the video, LIKE the page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vote-FREDs-video-to-victory/124935710859617?ref=ts , and suggest it to friends.

  

If you have time, also support the video from Azerbaijan, "Democracy is…POSSIBLE"! It's great too, and Azerbaijan is in Europe/Eurasia--not in competition with ATTN: Mr. Democrat, from the Near East.

Top Picks for Democracy Video Challenge

Top pick for each category in the Democracy Video Challenge:
(click through for widescreen)

Near East 

ATTN: Mr. Democrat
Europe Eurasia
Democracy is... POSSIBLE

East Asia Pacific
Democracy is....struggle of freedom desire!

Western Hemisphere
Democracy Is...The Right of Life

South & Central Asia
Democracy is the message by the people

Africa
Democracy Is...

How to vote:
1.) 
Sign in to Youtube.

2.) Go to http://www.youtube.com/democracychallenge
3.) Click on "VOTE" button.

4.) Search for the video you want to vote for, and click on it when it comes up.
5.) 
Enjoy the video and click on the green "thumbs up" button. 
(You will know your vote was counted because you will see the red thumb turn gray.)



Vote once a day until midnight of June 15th, when the final judging round closes. Tell your friends.

ATTN: Mr. Democrat video

I had the honor of editing the English subtitles for Farbod Khoshtinat's video, ATTN: Mr. Democrat, which is short-listed for the final round of the Democracy Video Challenge. This video is competing against Israeli and Algerian videos in the Near East Category. Six winners from world geographic regions will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., New York and Hollywood--with gala screenings of the winning videos, exposure to filmmakers and the U.S. film and television industry, and meetings with democracy advocates from government, media and civil society.

Now that Khoshtinat has released "ATTN: Mr. Democrat," returning to his home country of Iran would surely be dangerous.

How to vote for this video:

1.) Go to http://www.youtube.com/democracychallenge .
2.) Sign in to Youtube. (If you don't have a youtube account yet, it's easy to create one http://www.youtube.com/create_account?next=%2F .)

3.) Click on "VOTE" button.

4.) Search for ATTN: Mr. Democrat, and click on it when it comes up.

5.) Click on the green "thumbs up" button. (You will know your vote was counted because you will see the red thumb turn gray. Everyone can vote once a day until midnight of June 15th, when the final judging round closes.)

Please forward this information to friends and colleagues.

Poll: Majority of Israel's Jews back gag on rights groups

While we are on the topic of freedom of the press, Or Kashti reports in Haaretz.com, that "More than half of Jewish Israelis think human rights organizations that expose immoral behavior by Israel should not be allowed to operate freely, and think there is too much freedom of expression here, a recent survey found.

"The survey, commissioned by the Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research at Tel Aviv University, will be presented Wednesday at a conference on the limits of freedom of expression."

What's the next step? Detaining and imprisoning journalists, as in Iran?

Noruz Greeting from President Obama