Justice for the 96

The city of Liverpool, and the greater footballing family, recently came together to remember the disaster at Hillborough 20 years ago when 96 fans lost their lives.

It was a moving and emotional ceremony, and a fantastic way to rememeber those poor souls who lives were lost so sadly.

The distaste that lingers in all our hearts however is the fact that no-one has been bought to justice over the affair.

So when sport secretary Andy Burnham made a speech at the memorial and touched on that issue, he was sounded out by choruses of ‘justice for the 96′.

It would appear the governent are at least trying to be percieved to be making an effort to delve further into the events of that day, but have yet to clarify their stance.

96 died, yet no-one has been held to account, the Taylor report pointed fingers, but until someone is identified to have been slack or unprepared in their efforts to maintain the safety of supporters, then there wil always be a sour taste in the mouth on Merseyside.

The past must be settled for the future to flourish

News from America this week that images showing the torturing of Iraqi prisoners some five years ago are set to be released into the public domain.

BBC News, along with several other major news networks, are saying that the Obama goverment are releasing the pictures – much to the relief of the ACLU – who have been campaigning for these documents to be put in the public eye for many years.

Lets hope, that by revealing the true shocking nature of the torture, the world can at least move on from this dark period of brutality. America, like other leading nations, have a duty to protect the people of troubled areas and to seek there safety and comfort, this betrayal of them drew scorn from middle-eastern countries.

It would seem that a good way to begin to re-build those bridges that were so destroyed by these events would be to bring to trial those politicans and soldiers who were complicit in the acts in Abu-Ghraib.

We have a worrying story here eminating from an Amercian University about the school restricting and attempting to modify the content of the student’s newspaper.

The Badger Herald is reporting that Ohio’s Cedarville University is expressing concerns about liberal comment in the student’s independent publications.

The views expressed in the journal are fair and important to developing understanding about the issues and should not be suppresed, particually in a independent publication.

Such backwood thinking should bring critism to the university, they are not only wrong in attempting to stifle the views of their students, but are also showing their true colours when it comes to diversity and equality issues.

Waking up to the Twittersphere

The development of online social networking has been rapid and nothing short of spectacular. Unthinkable a decade ago, people now feel perfectly comfortable putting their life story, past and very present, in the public demain – often to people that they dont know.

Multi-national companies are notoriously slow in picking up on such trends, and, as this article in the LA Times shows, their incompetence can damage them big time. Some large corporations like CNN and Coca-Cola seemed to have a grasp of the market, or at least the foresight to use someone who does know, whereas others, in this case Dominoes Pizza and Amazon, are walking into the online social scene with thier eyes wide shut.

Thankfully we live in a digital age where ‘average Joe’s’ can have their say about the rights and wrongs of big companies in an sphere that is easily accessible.

Before, big industry leaders could bully dissenters out of the way, such tactics are not suitable for such instances as Twittering, becuause people talk, and give them somewhere to do that, and they will, and if you try and stop it, or pretend it didn’t happen, then expect more stick.

In this case Dominoes Pizza need to ‘balls-up’ and come out and make some serious statements and apolgies, it is no longer good enough to hide away and pretend it didn’t happen. The internet doesn’t let you get away with anything, and it will always hold you to account.

Market leader in online controversy

The successful online book retailer Amazon has garnered attention for its stance over the selling of adult-themed publications. As reported by many news sources, but picked up by us from the Denver Examiner, the famous online seller has strarted to decide what books it allows customers to see and what it hides from listings on their website.

Perhaps this would be more acceptable it they had a filter system or an age-requirement option, however, it would appear that a large number, if not all, of the books that are censorsed are publications of a gay/lesbian persuasion, and not mainsteam erotica.

Who are they trying to protect?

Surely such an established and succesful brand would not be so unwise as to promote an anti-gay stance? Lets hope that they can iron out htese flaws in their system, by showing adults the respect they deserve, by letting them purchase anything they like, whether Amazon themselves agree with the material or not.

Less freedom of speech, more freedom to opress

IPS News is reporting that a Thai webmaster has been arrested for apparently refusing to delete anti-monarchy statements that apparently tarnish the nation’s image.

“I was shocked when I learnt about the arrest warrant. I didn’t expect this,’’ revealed the editor of the website that was launched in 2004 to provide news and commentary that the mainstream print and broadcast media avoid.

This is yet another sign of the decline of Thailand into a censorised state, and the figures and revelations about firewalls blocking certain sites is very concerning.

People should have the right to discuss and debate such matters as the monarchy without fear of prosecution.

“Free speech is no longer a given”

Dutchman Geert Wilders is certainly a very controversial man.

As reported by the Washington Times , the banning of the arrival of the far-right anti-Islamic Dutch politican.

On his banning from the country Home Secretary Jacqui Smith wrote Mr. Wilders: “Your statements about Muslims and their beliefs … would threaten community harmony and therefore public security in the UK.”

This of course will provoke vastly different feelings across the religious spectrum. For my money, if this country finds in acceptable to allow holocaust denier David Irving to host talks then it is downright hypocracy to ban Wilders from the country.

Perhaps it is our bend-over-backwards attitude to accomodate new faiths that makes us so defensive when someone attacks them, funily enough he had no problem gaining a visa to America…

Step in the right direction?

Macau Daily Times’s report into the censoring of a controversial book at Dubai’s first ever book festival certainly got the brain ticking.

The Arab world, and Asian culture at large, has been notoriously slow to adopt a freedom of speech mentality, but in the case it would appear to be moving in the right direction.

Despite the book about ‘gay sheik’s’ being rejected by organisers author Rajaa-al Sane said the book “was a huge step that led other authors in Saudi Arabia to further freedom of speech”. Also adding that 60 other novels tackling thorny issues have been published in Saudi Arabia since then.

It is a long process but hopefully freedom of speech can begin to spread across middle and south asia.

Not quite Turkish delight

The stand made by the daily Turkish newspaper Hürriyet recently in support of free press in Turkey was no doubt contreversial but a good sign of a unified media.

As reported on Hürriyetdailynews.com, the decision to openly insinuate that Hitler’s 1933 aquistion of some newspapers and subsequent use of them as proganda tools, was being re-done in modern day Turkey was brave, but neccessary.

We all know that in a democratic society, freedom of the press is essential – and particually so in Turkey – as their chances of entering the EU would surely be hampered by such state control.

Non-censorship day

Rights groups have called on Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft on Friday not to censor their Web search engines one day next week to help protest cyber censorship according AFP

“World Day Against Cyber Censorship is a day to advance and celebrate a free Internet as an open window to the world and denounce the attacks made on the free flow of information online,” is what groups Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International have requested.

Whether or not they are succesful – it would appear unlikely – it is still hopefully an opportunity to publise the lack of web freedom to the Chinese public who are banned from searching certain ‘controversial’ sites, notably ones about Tibet or human rights.

While it is not unreasonable for certain dangerous or widely innaproapriate material to be at the very least warned about online, it is outrageous that any state can deny its citizens to access the whole of the web.