Tuesday, December 21, 2010

From Beta to Delta

Friends,
For too long we have thrashed things unfamiliar, beyond the boundaries laid down by establishment scholarship, that emerges from the use of a limited brain capacity.
But this is the 21st century, folks. We need to kickstart our enormous potentials, lying untapped.The accompanying piece shows the way.

Best regards,
Avinash
http://poshaning.blogspot.com/





----- Forwarded Message ----
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To: asahays@yahoo.com
Sent: Mon, December 20, 2010 5:37:56 PM
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President
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P

Monday, December 20, 2010

Destiny is Happening Every Moment

Friends,
I want to share my thoughts on something very vital for us.For too long we have been stuck with destiny, so as to leave little room for free will and the vitality of our Spirit.
Spirit is ONE and universal.Everything in this cosmos is but the manifestation of the Same Spirit, in infinite ways.We are all proud inheritors of this pulsating Spirit. Unfortunately, our inheritance lies in tatters because of this vicious brainwashing that we are puny creatures at the mercy of stars and galaxies and other forces beyond our control. But once we accept ONENESS, or Advaita, we will surely see that there is only the same energy, the Spirit, that animates everything in the cosmos.So how can anything have a larger power over us.
Yes, the fact remains that this vicious brainwashing has,indeed, reduced us to puny creatures. But we only need to overturn the present dualism,into Oneness,on it's head.Therefore,everytime we judge others harsly we do violence to ourselves, thereby reducing our infinite potentials, waiting to be unleashed.
With a nominal use of just 10% of our brain capacity,we have done well.With a greater use of our brain we can wreak miracles. Let us give to ourselves this magnificent gift. We deserve to reclaim our lost grandeurs.

Best regards,
Avinash
http://poshaning.blogspot.com/





----- Forwarded Message ----
From: sai kumar

Friday, December 17, 2010

Take Care of the Moment,Bounties will Follow

Re: Be happy and alert in the moment;Bounties will follow
From:
Himanshu
View Contact
To: avinash sahay
You have expressed nicely the various factors as we live life.Thanks.I
liked your way.rgs himanshu

On 8/29/10, avinash sahay wrote:
>
> Dear Mimansa,
> As you head to Utrecht,our hearts are with you. I'm
> sure it'll be a great learning experience.Be curious, be open ,learn and
> absorb
> things around you.Life has everything to offer us. Life is
> unlimited,bounteous,abundant. The only limitations are what our preconceived
> notions and logical, thinking mind place upon us. There is nothing like that
> in
> the Infiniteness of Life itself.
>
> So the message is this. Live Life to the fullest in the moment.Do your work
> like mad Give to your work 100%.And have love, sympathy and empathy for
> everyone
> and thing around you.We can only have a great life by acknowledging people
> around us as we acknowledge ourselves.We forgive ourselves so easily. The
> same
> courtesy should be extended to everybody else.
> Lastly love yourself. We don't know how
> grand we really arebecause we have never tried to find out. So spend some
> time
> going inward, and stiling the restless mind with it's constant stream of
> thoughts. It is then that real knowledge comes. And this knowledge sets us
> free.
> And then we live life to the fullest.
> Live life secure in the knowledge that our
> greatest lover inside is with us in every single breath.It never forsakes us
>
> even though we scarcely pay any attention to it,so mesmerized we are with
> only
> things external.
> Mimansa, I really want us to be drunk
> with
> knowledge, power and love so that we can move mountains and be exemplars in
> a
> new world which is slowly taking shape despite our slumber and sleepwalking
> through Life.
> Best regards,
> Avinash
> http://poshaning.blogspot.com/
>
>
>

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

You Are Heaven

Friends,
I hope you'll find this piece useful.Though our thinking mind will be very sceptical and will argue endlessly for it's own limitedness.I know many of you will balk at the suggestion that we are complete,being Creators in our own right, merging seamlessly with Everything That Is.
I am certain that the world will be a much better place to live in when we understand this. The struggles in our life, as in the world, are precisely because we are stuck with limitedness.Life becomes boring, after a while,and we age because of the limited brain use.And this gives rise to our fears, insecurities,and a paranoia for accumulation and more of the same.
That is why the sadhaks and lovers never tire of trying of going beyond all limitations because only then do we find true love which gives to us an all pervading peace.

Best regards,
Avinash
http://poshaning.blogspot.com/








What is our definition of Heaven, the Absolute, or Enlightenment? What does that look like for you? What is it according to the saints of the world who have realized Truth? Everyone assumes that they know the truth ­ that it automatically corresponds to what they believe it to be, as if the fact that they believe it makes it a certainty. Obviously, this has been the cause of religious wars throughout the centuries.



Now, of course, we are in a more enlightened state and we recognize that all of the world religions hold some portion of truth. It would be politically incorrect to suggest that one belief system is truer than any other. And since we are broad minded and open to all of them, certainly we are more fully conversant with the ultimate truth. Now we are enlightened in the great mysteries of spirit. We see that truth is like a great diamond with many facets. We understand and accept that there is one truth with many paths to reach it, and we honor each path and the people who choose to accept it.



But the path is not the goal, and while there are many paths that lead to that enlightened state, what does it look like once you get there? And if we don’t know what it looks like when we get there, how do we even know that the path we are on will ultimately arrive at where we want to go? The difficulty is compounded by the fact that the enlightened state has been characterized as beyond definition, unspeakable, un-nameable, and unknowable and beyond thought, beyond concepts and beyond mind. So any definition or name that we attribute to it is simply that - a name, not "It". This leads the aspirant, almost by necessity, to explore what is not "It" in hopes of finding "It". Since we are, to a great extent, motivated by, influenced by, and limited by our own conceptions of the Absolute, we will study and aspire for those things which match our conception of what "It" is, too often in a vain search, waiting for an experience which will prove to us that we have reached the "unknowable", "indescribable" "It".



The situation is very much like an analogy that was recently shared with me. If you had two doorways, a doorway to heaven and a doorway to a lecture about heaven, you would find the vast majority of people lined up before the doorway to the lecture about heaven. Often we aren’t as interested in experiencing the divine as we are in being able to know about it, talk about it, and impress people with our astounding depth of information about it. And what if you could actually open the doors and look in? In the doorway to the lecture about heaven, you would find a room full of beautiful people, drinking organic tea, talking about Gods & Goddesses, doing energy work, singing songs, meditating together, discussing the pros and cons of various paths and spiritual techniques ­ generally having a great time. On the other hand, when you opened the door to heaven, standing outside and peering in, you would see nothing. It would appear empty, dark, unattractive - because through that door there is nothing for the mind to know, nothing for the body to experience, no concepts or beliefs to grasp and certainly nothing that would "attract" our mind, unless annihilation was attractive. For to enter into the absolute is to be totally beyond the mind and ego.



But the good news is that there is nowhere to go, no doorway to step through, in fact, no pathway to follow. You, who you really are, are already That. You are pure awareness, beingness. You are what precede mind, beliefs, concepts, ideas, hopes, struggles, body and ego. You do not need to find heaven. You are heaven.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Feisty Adversary or a Hanger-on

The public face of the journalist is of a brave, feisty adversary to the rapacious establishment, not the party animal who will wilt before the charms of the corporate lobbyist.

To succeed, a politician has to keep his ear to the ground. Yet success can be cruelly destructive; it is so deceptively flattering that it eventually insulates him from the very thing that has made him a success: public opinion. For the politician, fed on heady tales of his invincibility and listening only to courtiers and attendants, the moment of discovery can be shattering.

The Niira Radia tapes have come as a similar, awakening moment for journalists. At one level, the tapes are about a nation in deep crisis, with a corporate lobbyist shown as being able effortlessly to penetrate and influence decision-making at multiple levels. If this is a mere teaser-trailer, as reports of 5000 more tapes suggest, what more damning, frightening things are we going to learn?

At another level, l`affaire Radia is a stunning indictment of the media, or at least sections of it. Indeed, for journalists caught on the tape, and tried by members of their own tribe for the lapse, the troubling question is about their credibility. Did they go too far in placing themselves at the disposal of Ms Radia knowing she was a lobbyist for two powerful corporate groups, the Tatas and Mukesh Ambani? Forget the people at large, why did their explanations not carry conviction with the rest of the media? And more critically, did stardom and public adulation cause them to lose their way so badly that they could not judge between right and wrong?

That illusions of grandeur and infallibility can affect journalists in exactly the same way they do politicians and film stars has been evident in the discussions held so far. Barkha Dutt chose to face a firing squad of senior media professionals on her role in the Radia tapes and yet missed the opportunity to show remorse and recover the fund of goodwill that had made her an icon. Her point: She would not apologise for a wrong she had not committed and it was entirely valid to talk to a corporate lobbyist and trade information for information. Ms Dutt threw counter questions at her interrogators, suggesting at times that they did not know the first thing about modern-day journalism.

The verdict was that Ms Dutt did herself no favour by acting so self-important. There were the inevitable comparisons between TV journalists and the politicians they attacked; it seemed that both could be brought down by hubris. Also revealed last week was the yawning gap between rank and file journalism and club class journalism, placed on opposite ends during a discussion on media ethics held at the lawns of the Delhi Press Club. Editor-in-Chief of CNN-IBN Rajdeep Sardesai, who was among the panellists, wrongly assumed that he was lecturing to a captive audience. Pitching in strongly for the dramatis personae on the Radia tapes, he argued that sourcing stories from lobbyists, even if not desirable, had become a requirement of fast moving journalism. It was excessive and unacceptable therefore to treat this as a serious misconduct. And then, Mr. Sardesai made a fatal error: He said he detected professional envy in the orchestrated outrage against Ms Dutt.

This was more than what the assembly of journalists could take. They were being portrayed as dull, and plodding in comparison to the savvy new media. The floodgates opened and for the next hour or so, it was the popular TV editor's turn to listen as reporters tore to shreds the thesis that competitive compulsions had allowed for a variety of liberties in reporting, including tapping corporate lobbyists for information, and even allowing opinions to be formed by this information. Incensed mediapersons related their own experience of being able to break stories without compromising on journalistic sources. A senior print journalist with a stupendous track record in political journalism spoke of resisting alluring baits and finding access to important sources solely on the strength of her hard-earned credibility. Another shouted that not all journalists were in the profession for fame. However, unlike Ms Dutt, the amiable Mr. Sardesai quickly conceded the point, accepting that the lines separating journalism, politics and lobbying had indeed blurred to unfortunate portents for the health and future of journalism. The debate wound up with someone good humouredly remarking that the grassroots media had finally taken their revenge.

With the Radia debate into its third week, it has become more than apparent that a new kind of journalism has completely rewritten the rules of engagement in the profession. For those working with television, the glamour and fame can be overpowering, with the high visibility translating into throbbing, pulsating fan clubs, enormous following on social media networks and celebrity status on the party circuit. For the likes of Ms Radia, the “celeb journo” is a sitting duck, a vulnerable target both for passing on and acquiring information. News gathered this way slowly and inevitably acquires a legitimacy that eventually allows all lines to be crossed. From this to concluding that news cannot be got any other way is a small step. The trappings of power work similarly for politicians and journalists. Cut off from the rude realities of the normal world, both begin to live in a bubble of their own making. But whereas the politician, used to voter mood swings, will quickly learn his lesson when the truth hits home, the journalist, not tutored in this art, will react in anger and shock and go into spasms of denial.

Journalists who enjoy the limelight must also be prepared for the backlash when it comes. It can be argued that the journalistic indiscretions revealed by the Radia tapes are small change compared to the scale of adventurism on the part of politicians. Yet journalists alone, among a host of players caught on the tapes, have been at the receiving end of public anger: Rapid-fire tweets, emotional, angry lashing out on facebook accounts, chain text messages, black humour forwards, the responses have fed on each other. Partly lynch-mobbish, the fury is in larger measure because of a feeling of being let down. The public face of the journalist is of a brave, feisty adversary to the rapacious establishment, not the party animal who will wilt before the charms of the corporate lobbyist.

Television has hugely expanded this mandate with journalism turning almost vigilantist in the studio; here the fearless, morally superior and much loved anchor is judge and jury to the condemned political class. What the tapes have done is to expose this virtuoso performance as a sham. The combative anchor who relentlessly interrogates and shames his guests on the 9 pm bulletin morphs into an altogether different character on the tapes, entirely at ease with dubious elements. From the perspective of the trusting outsider, the cosy compact between the interrogator, the interrogated and the go-between must surely seem like a rude joke pulled off at his expense.

It does not help that most of those caught out on the tapes have a wafer-thin defence. The one claim that they have all made is that they strung Ms Radia along — as if the hard-nosed lobbyist can be so easily taken for a ride. The question is: What gave Ms Radia the confidence that journalists can be commandeered to do her bidding? What explains the easy familiarity between the hacks and their corporate contact? How is she able to wake up lofty names from their slumber? If, for all her pain and perseverance, Ms Radia only got the journalistic heave-ho, then it is a serious comment on the wisdom of the corporate groups that employed her.

Nor does the privacy argument work, given journalism's increasingly ferocious appetite for news of any and every kind. Don't TV eager-beavers chase after their targets, ensnaring them in stings and so on, often without a thought to the damage the telecast might cause to personal reputations? Taped conversations between alleged terrorists are the staple of the medium. Two years ago, TV channels feverishly ran a “sex tape” that allegedly featured a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary. The tape turned out to be a fake but the RSS man lost his job. TV channels on a moral trip on privacy have had no qualms about using salacious gossip involving some of the world's biggest names, provided by WikiLeaks.

A case has also been made out against Outlook and Open magazine for not following the due process involved in doing the stories, including checking back with the taped journalists. Due process? If the tapes establish anything, it is the attempted subversion of the due process. As the lobbyist of a telecom group, Ms Radia manoeuvres to place a favoured candidate in the Telecom Ministry. She tries to influence parliamentary debate. She makes veiled suggestions about fixing judgments, and she co-opts willing journalists. In one of the tapes, she skewers the news head of a leading financial daily for daring to miss a story; the quaking, quivering news head in turn apologises to her as if she were his boss. Columnists reproduce her lines verbatim, so much so, when the first of the columns appear, Ms Radia and a senior colleague chuckle at the poor journalist's vulnerability.

Some of the implicated journalists have since been suspended by their organisations. The media must introspect more seriously, following it up with a clear understanding of the red lines, if lobbyists are not to make a habit of bossing us, if people are not to treat every story and every journalist with suspicion.




COMMENTS:
The article has summarized the issues in a manner that a reader can judge the rights and wrongs of sensational journalism. TV anchors have become larger than life and as easily corruptible as politicians. Indian media stars are new at the game, unlike stalwarts in the print media, who have operated with high standards. It is wonderful that the Press Club subjects jounalists to such introspection. The Hindu should continue to uphold its high standards and air views expressed so eloquently by Vidya Subrahmanyam
from: Sidney Sridhar
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 00:24 IST

Publishing the tapes was the RIGHT course of action. I have no doubt that the magazines would have been slapped with some form of legal proceedings (or other forms of pressure?) had they called the 'principals' involved. Further, had they removed portions of the recordings that were 'personal' in nature, they would be accused of manipulating the tapes. That they didn't do that, has not stopped one journalist, Mr. Vir Sanghvi (HT), from claiming in his website that the tapes released are heavily edited. He clearly appears to have gone the Ms. Burkha Dutt (NDTV) route of complete denial and counter attack. The editor of the Buisiness Standard credited them with a 'great track record in journalism' in an early TV interview. In a later encounter on NDTV, he seemed to suggest that all people wanted was a 'sorry, I made an error of judgment' from Ms. Dutt. Of course, not something conceded by the pugnacious Ms. Dutt. Even so, would such an apology really make up for the loss of credibility? * Exactly why I find your article, appropriate in articulating the matter at hand is much more serious than one a mere apology will now remedy.
from: Roy
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 01:31 IST

One cannot help but notice the marked difference in approach by media organizations towards this episode. Firstly, in suddenly discovering the notion of "privacy" - hereto unheard of in our ferocious news cycle. Secondly, in applying less scrutiny towards the conduct of fellow journalists as they would to other individuals. However, I must point out that the signs were evident earlier. Just a few days before the tapes were leaked, in a televised discussion about the CAG report on CNN-IBN, when one member of the discussion panel suggested to the moderator, that Radia has a case to answer- Rajdeep Sardesai's response? - "Ms. Radia is not here to defend herself". How charitable! Right there- with no idea of the tapes existence- I wondered to myself how unusual for a little known PR lady to receive such 'fair' treatment on national television. Needless say, Radia was soon the focus of attention. It was also not surprising to hear Sardesai soon accusing fellow journalists of 'envy' towards Burkha Dutt and Vir Sangvi. Outlook and Open did us a service by bringing the matter into the public domain. Hindu does us a service today by administering the 'disinfecting sunlight' ( to use Mr. Arun Shourie's term'!) that we have come to expect from our free Press.
from: Arti
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 02:01 IST

Frankly, the intercepts have only confirmed a lingering suspicion in the minds of many. When Burkha Dutt was given a Padma award by the President of India, some time back, the only viable explanation doing the rounds was 'she's got to be connected'. Fairly or unfairly, truth or untruth- today some will see this as confirmation of where that clout came from. i.e proximity to senior Congress leaders. For all the other distinguished awardees- what unpleasant company they find themselves in.
from: Aakash
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 02:11 IST

If news reports are to be believed, Ms. Radia told her interrogators she was earning sums to the tune of 30 core per annum from both the Tata Group and Reliance Industries. I would only hazard a guess here folks but a lady landing a paycheck in that ballpark, does not get 'strung along' or 'pumped for information' by 'little leaguers' like Barkha and Vir. There can be no doubt that, at the very least, they are intoxicated by their presence to power. Worst of all, their continued denials will feed into a general cynicism that India hardly needs. Do we really want to become another Middle East, where people often do not believe news stories unless it's served as a conspiracy theory?? e.g Today evening Egypt blamed Isreal for "orchestrating" the multiple shark attacks on international tourists at a Red Sea resort! Dead serious. Now don't laugh, we keep treating the public of India with such contempt and that is the type of nonsense we're heading to.
from: P.B
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 03:22 IST

The journalists claim of stringing along the PR person is nothing but a bad excuse at the least and a blatant lie at the most. Who are they kidding? Both the journalist and the PR are intelligent enough to figure out what's going on. Most of all, viewers and readers are intelligent too. They can discern lies from honest admissions. The former is what we got when the latter was forthcoming. Like me, I'm sure several are disappointed and shocked to know about the involvement of iconic journalists in this murky affair. But some of them continue on brazenly hosting shows that claim to speak for us, the people. Its unbearable to watch. I for one have stopped watching NDTV.
from: Namita Waikar
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 08:00 IST

Good article. I agree that Ms Dutt lost an opportunity to show some remorse. I was totally taken aback by her attitude. She says "not choosing her sources properly was the error of judgement on her part" What an excuse. every mistake, every wrong..every crime..is an error of judgement.Her biggest error of judgement is believing that people of India will buy her story. I believe she has done irreparable damage to her credibility.And the firing squad show on TV did more damage than help her in winning some credit back.
from: prashob
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 08:36 IST

It is all very well to have meetings. Whatever little credibility Barkha Dutt had left, she squandered away by screaming at the panelists on her show. Sonia Singh as the unfortunate moderator in that circus often seemed close to stammering. As for NDTV, the very fact that they chose not to fire Barkha outright, speaks volumes about their priorities and has cost them greatly in terms of their own credibility.
from: AVH
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 09:10 IST

This is the first well written and balanced article on this sensational aftermath of the Radia tapes. The Hindu has always kept itself far from sensationalism and its editors only write what is positive and well researched or proven. The ego-hit Barkha Dutt who always clamours for fame(?) and attention, has at least been exposed but yet refuses to concede that she was wrong and it was not just ' an error of judgment'. I am glad you also mentioned the meeting presided by Rajdeep Sardesai who is equally guilty of carrying out 'sting' operations like he did on the 'Cash for Votes' scam. I have known several instances where his channel has given wrong news but never apologised for doing so. It is true the electronic media being obliged to give news round the clock y try to make news ratherthan give news. I respect the print media and esp a few papers like the HINDU who eschew any sensationalism and give only verified news.
from: S.N.Iyer
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 10:21 IST

A very incisive column. But a couple of points. One, Open magazine cannot be let off so easily. The mgazine nowhere said it had tried to verify the authenticity of the tapes before publishing their content. That isn't journalism either. Lucky for them that the voices were of the persons they said they were. Otherwise, it would have met the same fate similar as the RSS leader's tape. The larger issue is that has been overlooked is the media's passive acceptance of content sourced by knowns. Who recorded the conversations? Who authorised them? Who leaked them to the media? Why? I dont think anyone in the media has botherd to ask these questions, let alone find the answers. This is a very dangerous trend, worse than even being active pals with lobbyists. If the media stops asking questions and takes everything as a given, that is the last day for journalism. What it implies for democracy is another matter. I do not think there is a point in trying to convince Barkha that she is in the wrong. Her journalism, according to me, at least most of it, has been suspicious and questionable, flavoured more for currying emotions and probably make a dumb prime prinister or a president weep enough to part with a Sri. But what she and her ilk are doing is threatening journalism in another manner. She belongs to an elite group, including some senior journalists, current and former bureaucrats and, of course, politicians. Whatever be the issue, it is this same group that eats into news television time on NDTV. And it is the journalists of this group that trot over to Rashtrapati Bhavan regularly to receive the Sris. What such groups create is an aspirational space among the lesser journalists who would willingly throw away their pen and honour to be part of such a group. Of course, there do exist a notable number of journalists -- some of whom are within the elite group as well -- whose self-respect cannot be bought.
from: VVP Sharma
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 13:33 IST

I used to be a fan of Barkha Dutt. However, after the Radii episode I switch channels whenever I see her online. She has let the viewers of NDTV down. N Ram was categorical that Barkha's actions were ethically definitely unacceptable.
from: Narendra
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 14:57 IST

Journalists like Barkha Dutt are an insult to the very ethics of journalism. As predicted Ms.Dutt got swept away by the corrupt power and misused the post. When the veil thinned on Dutt she proved more corrupt than politicians and worse than a mercenary. Shame to see a person in a field of journalism.
from: Syed Kabeer
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 17:30 IST

The denials by 'reputed' journalists make the sense of betrayal only burn deeper. What the extraordinary response to the scandal by the public represents, is not an unfair attack on selected individuals but our strong sense of necessity for a media that gives us impartial information. I don't give a hoot if Burkha/Vir or anyone else is on friendly terms with the Congress Party- I just expect them to do their job when they're on the news or writing columns. If riding the public ire against politicians has made them larger than life, they should have expected to fall with equally fast fall from our graces in the midst of this scandal.
from: Roopa
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 18:14 IST

I happened to view the last portions of the discussion of the Barkha Dutt with the senior journalists. I did not find any remorse or sense of wrong doing in the demeanor of Barkha Dutt. Its definitely that we are supposed to draw a line somewhere in engaging the sources. It again depends on the kind of information that we would get out of the source. If that is something of national importance and for the public good, then, that's fine. But in this case the engagement with Ms. Radia did not result in any kind of warning about the kind of tea the telecom ministry was making. Despite so many stalwarts of the media industry being engaged in the information loop of Ms. Radia, no one reported about the kind of deals done in 2G Spectrum allotment. Even NDTV which conducts discussions on issues of National importance never gave any hint of "King's" overtures. We are definitely against the media becoming a mediator! Hope the light we are all seeing is disinfected!
from: Karteek M
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 21:33 IST

I used to read Vir Sanghvi's columns in the HT and the Mint. However, the recent revelations have brought be great dilemma. The world seems to be quite contradictory to the 'ideal' one the society projects. It might be quite a coincidence that the Wikileaks and the Radia tapes reveal this bitter side of the truth to a broader audience than any body could ever in the history.
from: Aneesh PA
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 22:24 IST

We Indians worship false gods and false heroes. So, it is no surprise that mediocre people such as Barkha Dutt with no special talent are put on pedestal and acquire cult status.
from: Prasad Boddupalli
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 23:31 IST

It was most amusing to find out in a New York Times article, concerning the spectrum saga, that Burkha Dutt from NDTV is considered the Opra Winfrey of India! Our boardroom was awash with laughter. Seriously though, when I witness the strange on screen antics of some TV anchors (judge, jury, executioner- film entertainer, BCCI sidekicks...) I've often considered it the lesser evil to having a Government regulated media. In other words, we give them a long rope in their sometimes tasteless coverage, in exchange for a free and independent voice on our state of affairs. Alas, even that seems too much to ask for.
from: Amit
Posted on: Dec 10, 2010 at 01:24 IST

Discipline speaks well in all spheres of human activity by its players. There is a lakshman rekha for all - the politicians, the journalists, the lobbyists, the students, teachers and even the seers. They should not cross or over step their limit or else they have pay a heavy price for it.
from: N R Ramachandran
Posted on: Dec 10, 2010 at 08:35 IST

I watched the programme of 4 editors talking to Barkha Dutt on NDTV programme. All I could see is that Barkha Dutt being offensive to the Open magazine editor who published the tapes. I can sense a clear wrong on Barkha's part, yet trying to hide them as an 'error of judgement'. All I felt before and vindicated by recent events is that most of the print,electronic media are manipulated and the story that comes out as news is what is a resultant of the strongest forces that are at war. Some parties/personalities really get a very bad deal and make us feel that they are not good however not being such. This is purely due to media manipulation.
from: Aravind
Posted on: Dec 10, 2010 at 09:31 IST

Just a poser to the journalists in question- Radia decided the cabinet ministers, she could change fortunes of the telecom companies , she could influence judgements - and they are telling us that they strung her along for information. She is too sharp and canny and "successful" for us to believe any of this stringing along bull
from: omar farooq
Posted on: Dec 10, 2010 at 10:30 IST

Modern day journalists are willing to sacrifice integrity for access of information. The Indian news channels seem to learning the very worse practices from their US counterparts.
from: Kiran
Posted on: Dec 10, 2010 at 12:14 IST

No doubt, Readers have lost faith in the news that appears in TV/Print since the breaking news concept came in TV channels. We do not know who will become fools at the end...
from: Narrendiran
Posted on: Dec 10, 2010 at 12:15 IST

It might not be inaccurate to say, we're between a hard rock and the deep sea. Push to far down the path of investigating the Media and we risk damaging a much broader principle of freedom of the press....something which our "star" reporters figured out long ago as cover to pursue personal glory. Thus our precious freedom of expression finds itself in the hands of an ugly monster, ironically created by the same public so keen to see someone lash out at the political class. Moral of the story? Believe not false prophets who build their empires over the ashes of others.
from: R.P
Posted on: Dec 10, 2010 at 20:12 IST

NDTV is very shrewd in not firing Barkha and is waiting for time to pass and as usual people will forget everything like various Scams. If NDTV had fired her then Rajdeep would have welcomed her with open arms and red carpet. Only way to punish such people and media is to stop watching them and boycotting the companies that are giving commercials to these rotten media.
from: prasbad
Posted on: Dec 11, 2010 at 01:11 IST

Of Petulant Emperors and Shredded Clothes

Western political elites obfuscate, lie and bluster — and when the veil of secrecy is lifted, they try to kill the messenger.

‘Never waste a good crisis” used to be the catchphrase of the Obama team in the run-up to the presidential election. In that spirit, let us see what we can learn from official reactions to the WikiLeaks revelations.

The most obvious lesson is that it represents the first really sustained confrontation between the established order and the culture of the internet. There have been skirmishes before, but this is the real thing.

And as the backlash unfolds — first with deniable attacks on internet service providers hosting WikiLeaks, later with companies like Amazon and eBay and PayPal suddenly “discovering” that their terms and conditions preclude them from offering services to WikiLeaks, and then with the U.S. government attempting to intimidate Columbia students posting updates about WikiLeaks on Facebook — the intolerance of the old order is emerging from the rosy mist in which it has hitherto been obscured. The response has been vicious, co-ordinated and potentially comprehensive, and it contains hard lessons for everyone who cares about democracy and about the future of the net.

Irony

There is a delicious irony in the fact that it is now the so-called liberal democracies that are clamouring to shut WikiLeaks down.

Consider, for instance, how the views of the U.S. administration have changed in just a year. On January 21, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a landmark speech about internet freedom, in Washington DC, which many people welcomed and most interpreted as a rebuke to China for its alleged cyberattack on Google. “Information has never been so free,” declared Clinton. “Even in authoritarian countries, information networks are helping people discover new facts and making governments more accountable.”

She went on to relate how, during his visit to China in November 2009, Barack Obama had “defended the right of people to freely access information, and said that the more freely information flows the stronger societies become. He spoke about how access to information helps citizens to hold their governments accountable, generates new ideas, and encourages creativity.” Given what we now know, that Clinton speech reads like a satirical masterpiece.

One thing that might explain the official hysteria about the revelations is the way they expose how political elites in western democracies have been deceiving their electorates.

What it makes clear

The leaks make it abundantly clear not just that the U.S.-Anglo-European adventure in Afghanistan is doomed but, more important, that the American, British and other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) governments privately admit that too.

The problem is that they cannot face their electorates — who also happen to be the taxpayers funding this folly — and tell them this. The leaked dispatches from the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan provide vivid confirmation that the Karzai regime is as corrupt and incompetent as the South Vietnamese regime in Saigon was when the U.S. was propping it up in the 1970s. And they also make it clear that the U.S. is as much a captive of that regime as it was in Vietnam.

The WikiLeaks revelations expose the extent to which the U.S. and its allies see no real prospect of turning Afghanistan into a viable state, let alone a functioning democracy. They show that there is no light at the end of this tunnel. But the political establishments in Washington, London and Brussels cannot bring themselves to admit this.

Afghanistan is, in that sense, a quagmire in the same way that Vietnam was. The only differences are that the war is now being fought by non-conscripted troops and we are not carpet-bombing civilians.

The attack of WikiLeaks also ought to be a wake-up call for anyone who has rosy fantasies about whose side cloud computing providers are on. These are firms like Google, Flickr, Facebook, Myspace and Amazon which host your blog or store your data on their servers somewhere on the internet, or which enable you to rent “virtual” computers — again located somewhere on the net. The terms and conditions under which they provide both “free” and paid-for services will always give them grounds for dropping your content if they deem it in their interests to do so. The moral is that you should not put your faith in cloud computing — one day it will rain on your parade.

Look at the case of Amazon, which dropped WikiLeaks from its Elastic Compute Cloud the moment the going got rough. It seems that Joe Lieberman, a U.S. senator who suffers from a terminal case of hubris, harassed the company over the matter. Later Lieberman declared grandly that he would be “asking Amazon about the extent of its relationship with WikiLeaks and what it and other web service providers will do in the future to ensure that their services are not used to distribute stolen, classified information”. This led the New Yorker's Amy Davidson to ask whether “Lieberman feels that he, or any senator, can call in the company running the New Yorker's printing presses when we are preparing a story that includes leaked classified material, and tell it to stop us”.

‘Western system hollowed out'

What WikiLeaks is really exposing is the extent to which the western democratic system has been hollowed out. In the last decade its political elites have been shown to be incompetent (Ireland, the U.S. and U.K. in not regulating banks); corrupt (all governments in relation to the arms trade); or recklessly militaristic (the U.S. and U.K. in Iraq). And yet nowhere have they been called to account in any effective way. Instead they have obfuscated, lied or blustered their way through. And when, finally, the veil of secrecy is lifted, their reflex reaction is to kill the messenger.

As Simon Jenkins put it recently in the Guardian, “Disclosure is messy and tests moral and legal boundaries. It is often irresponsible and usually embarrassing. But it is all that is left when regulation does nothing, politicians are cowed, lawyers fall silent and audit is polluted. Accountability can only default to disclosure.” What we are hearing from the enraged officialdom of our democracies is mostly the petulant screaming of emperors whose clothes have been shredded by the net.

Which brings us back to the larger significance of this controversy. The political elites of western democracies have discovered that the internet can be a thorn not just in the side of authoritarian regimes, but in their sides too. It has been comical watching them and their agencies stomp about the net like maddened, half-blind giants trying to whack a mole. It has been deeply worrying to watch terrified internet companies — with the exception of Twitter, so far — bending to their will.

But politicians now face an agonising dilemma. The old, mole-whacking approach won't work. WikiLeaks does not depend only on web technology. Thousands of copies of those secret cables — and probably of much else besides — are out there, distributed by peer-to-peer technologies like BitTorrent. Our rulers have a choice to make: either they learn to live in a WikiLeakable world, with all that implies in terms of their future behaviour; or they shut down the internet. Over to them.— © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2010

Keywords: WikiLeaks, cablegate, U.S. secret cables, internet, Amazon, ePay, PayPal, social networking sites

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COMMENTS:
I beg to differ! I haven't spent much time on Wikileaks, what the US does, doesn't affect me in a DIRECT way. What surprises me is the way the bloggers and commentators (B&C) have been trashing the US Govt. Do they B&C really think it makes sense to reveal all Government strategies to every taxpayer. They are classified documents for a reason! http://www.potofthots.com/2010/12/i-beg-to-differ.html
from: Joe
Posted on: Dec 8, 2010 at 11:59 IST

They're going to shut down the internet. Already, in the US, the plan is to control content and distribution. The FCC has already declared that it has control over the internet, broadband radio and a host of other services. ICE shut down over 70 sites last week for "illegal" activity. Don't be so cavalier when you say "over to you".
from: RBM
Posted on: Dec 8, 2010 at 18:18 IST

Excellent article! Wikileaks serves as an important eyeopener for everyone, like the boy who asked about the emperor's clothes. Going after Assange is a classic shooting the messenger. America should refer to Voltaire's quote "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend unto death your right to say it". Clearly US is not mature enough to grasp the concept of free speech. If you support free speech when it bashes others, you must be prepared to face the music band when it arrives at your own doorstep.
from: Haritha
Posted on: Dec 8, 2010 at 21:53 IST

'Democracy is direct self-government, over all the people, for all the people, by all the people.' Is there any room for secrecy there? We are not talking about leaking private e mails here!
from: roshi
Posted on: Dec 8, 2010 at 22:07 IST

The tone in which the diplomats talk to their home country and to the host country can be different. But the content should be the same. The question here is of truth. If the diplomats speak different things to different people, they are basically being dishonest. And this is government sponsored dishonesty. This is unacceptable in a civilized society. Every individual, especially the people who rule, is expected to be congruous in knowledge, intention, words and deeds. If this is violated at the higher levels, the society is insecure.
from: Gokulmuthu
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 10:52 IST

Someone said that the latest WikiLeaks revelations are the 9/11 of diplomacy - and indeed they are. 9/11 turned the US into a police state, now the WikiLeaks mess is going to bring the Net under government control, too.
from: Diego Shiavon
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 14:00 IST

More than the practices of the wikileaks freedom about open journalism and publishing anything,I don't think any government can openly publish every information. If the author is criticising US govt about how it is euphemistically it is covering Afghanistan or why it invaded Iraq, I am fine with it. But, just that expecting that there should not be any information that is not classified and to be kept secret with the Govt may not be fair.
from: Bhoga
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 15:20 IST

An interesting 'tweet' for thought: "If Julian Assange was in China doing the same thing, the West would have called him a dissident and given him a Nobel prize." How true!! The most recent Nobel peace prize to a Chinese dissident just goes to proves the double standards of western nations.
from: prodigy
Posted on: Dec 9, 2010 at 23:52 IST

Monday, December 6, 2010

When Truth Becomes Treason

Fw: When Truth becomes Treason
From:
avinash sahay
View Contact
To: IT BHU
Cc: rajib hota ; "rk; vaibhav sharma" ; ravindra singh ; vijoy kumar ; pratyush kanth ; harmeet singh ... more



We must salute this editorial in the Hindu of 6th Dec and the comments from all over the world condemning the attacks on WikiLeaks by the U.S govt.They are scared because their misdeeds stand exposed before the citizens of the world and the high moral ground they take are found to be hollow.The thinking apparently is that they should be allowed full rein to rain devastation on the world ,but in secrecy. But, thanks to the Internet, and WikiLeaks, the citizens of the world now know better,what was always told about the U.S. govt by intellectuals such as Noam Chomsky.
Friends, we should also understand the bigger picture.The super elites of this world have brought untold misery on this Earth in the name of nationalism.They have invented war and,now,Terrorism with a capital T, to force the vast majority into submission.These super elites cut deals with each other with gay abandon,across nationalities, for their super profits.Their militaries are only insruments of their power play and super profits.These have nothing to do with us, the vast majority.
The good thing is that we are now getting to see the games they play. But the real fun will begin when we take back the power we have given them and empower ourselves for the common good of humankind and of our Mother Earth.In the meantime, let us celebrate the smaller battle in the larger war which has yet to be fought and,hopefully, won.




Digital McCarthyism

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It has been one long battle for WikiLeaks merely to exist on the Internet since it started publishing the U.S. diplomatic cables. The cat-and-mouse game that it has had to play to retain an accessible address in cyberspace is the result of a virulent attack launched by right-wing lawmakers in America and their supporters, and commercial entities such as Amazon, which caved in to the pressure. But more fundamentally, the WikiLeaks saga represents the acid test for free speech. With each tranche of documents published online, the world is witnessing the total loss of dominance of secretive governments over information. The backlash has come swiftly, with bellicose American Senators engaging in plain intimidation to get commercial entities to stop offering services to WikiLeaks on the ground that it is distributing material it does not own. Some politicians have made a jingoistic pitch and called for the execution of the source of the leaks. This is nothing but Digital McCarthyism. Were it not for the threat it poses to the free Internet, it would even appear amusing. Earlier this year, President Barack Obama was ‘troubled' by the cyber attacks on Google, which were said to originate in China, and wanted those responsible to face the consequences. The more freely information flows, the stronger society becomes, he had said during an earlier visit to China. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also strongly critical of Internet restrictions in China. Now the boot is on the other foot. Concern for free speech is nowhere in evidence as extra-legal methods are deployed to deny Americans their First Amendment rights.

The campaign against WikiLeaks is a clear move to censor political material on the Internet and, potentially, on other media. The first moves made by lawmakers such as Senator Joe Lieberman, who chairs the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, have no legal foundation and yet have succeeded with Amazon and PayPal. What has followed is shockingly repressive and obscurantist. The Library of Congress blocked access to WikiLeaks across its computer systems, including reading rooms, and Columbia University students aspiring for diplomatic careers have been advised not to comment on, or link to, the whistleblower website's revelations. It is doubly tragic that such concerted attacks are securing support from countries with a progressive legacy such as France. The intolerant response to WikiLeaks is a potential threat to all media and must be fought. Senator Lieberman and other lawmakers have introduced legislation that proposes to make the publication of an intelligence source a federal crime. Already, U.S. law allows the shutting down of some Internet domains managed in that country on grounds of infringement of copyright. The threat to the publication of inconvenient material, even with responsible redactions, is all too real.

Keywords: WikiLeaks, cablegate

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COMMENTS:
Thank you for your editorial. The Hindu is a thinking person's newspaper unlike most in the USA. I personally donated money to Wikileaks and continue to do so to make sure it survives.
from: Kamal
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 00:07 IST
Excellent article.
from: Murray S
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 00:09 IST
What all these countries are doing to Wikileaks is so typical of these bully tactics. They cause the problems with their interference then project their guilt on the ones who expose them. It is only the corrupt evil minded people who have much to hide,that would criticise and condemn the information being leaked. Assange is a hero and all that support him and assist him should be given medals of honour.
from: savita
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 00:19 IST
What can one say? Anyone with any sense already knew that the USA was as far removed from democracy and transparency as you can get. All of its high ideals ie of the founding fathers et al have long since gone. The US itself became the 'evil empire' probably from before MacArthyism and Hoover's FBI.
At least this is making the hypocrisy transparent :)
from: Peter Jones
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 00:29 IST
I support Wikileaks and Mr. Assange. Let us join hands to protect the freedom of expression in all countries. Till date I have been an admirer of the freedom of expression that the American society has, thanks to the spirit of democracy it has. I am really disappointed to see all that is happening and the US citizens not rising in protest. It is the government's job to keep its documents secret. It is the media's job to keep exposing the government as well as its documents. Truth never endangers anyone's life. Lies and trickery endanger millions of lives all around the world. I salute Mr. Assange and I salute Wikileaks.
from: Raju
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 00:31 IST
From the dawn of history, diplomacy (as practiced by ALL nations) involves double-speak, uncharitable jibes at leaders, saying things which one does not mean and meaning things which one does not say.
from: Jay Ravi
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 01:14 IST
In a society where truth becomes treason, we are in big trouble.
from: Indy
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 01:39 IST
Thank you for this article, it places the global phenomenon of WikiLeaks' work in the correct context - the 'acid test for free speech.'As an independent (Australian) journalist with the values of a world citizen, that we are one human family, I am tremendously heartened by WIkiLeaks' trailblazing efforts as a cyber based non-profit media organisation. We are now on the cusp of a new era - one where the power of governments, especially militarily engaged superpowers, to misinform and mislead their constituents, of exactly what is being done in our name and with our tax money to inflict ongoing suffering to our fellow human beings in the name of power and profit and without accountability, has changed forever. WikiLeaks' offerings of truth are therefore a gift to humanity, with the potential to change the wielding of power in our world - for the better. I am especially encouraged that WikiLeaks have taken meticulous steps to ensure their mission to disseminate truth and promote transparency will prevail. Never mind the adversarial government, cyber and financial attacks - the information, with the blessing of the internet, now has a life of its own, a conduit which can never be captured. Behind the public face of founder Julian Assange, WikiLeaks have over 800 people on their team and 100 000 people worldwide with encrypted copies of their leaks. Should WikiLeaks be brought down, by technical or legal means (and both are long shots) the leaks will continue anyway - to humanity's benefit. I applaud the work of WikLeaks - the truth genie is out of the bottle and can never be contained again.
from: Kia MIstilis
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 01:44 IST
Excellent summary. This has to be brought to attention of the
General public.
from: Shaun Quigley
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 01:45 IST
Dear Sir/Madam,

Your editorial is interesting. As a free companies of free country Indian companies should host wikileaks website and provide all possible support to wikileaks organization. It is time to show the world which country is free country without any consideration for results. There are few things in the life one need to follow without any thoughts of consequencies or results. Truth and freedom are of course few of those things. Gandhiji never hide truth or changed it for any purpose, so nation of Gandhi can do it.
Good luck to wikileaks.
from: Raj Patel
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 01:48 IST
This is the best comment I have read concerning WikiLeaks. The first one in Europe, who used a newspaper to citisize the government was Victor Hugo in France. He wrote the famous article : J`accuse. And he was the one who informed the french public about the affair Dreyfuss. Acording to that tradition, WiKi Leaks is working and this is the tradition of a free press function in a democracy. As a citizen from Germany in know, how the oppression of the press is an indicator for the oppression of the people and I´am glad, that we are on a, mor or less, better way!
Thank you for your article
Thomas Häfele
Germany
from: TOM
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:06 IST
Funny how the United States is targeted in your leaks. How about some information on Chavez, Putin or Castro?
from: D Chastain
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:09 IST
Those US politician are too worried about this leak :D let them be worried once in their lives, at last some FREE SPEECH!

Long live Wikileaks!

From Uruguay, Latin America.

Marcos.
from: Marcos . Uruguay.
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:14 IST
Hello sirs ,

Great post.
How is this western reaction ANY different from Iranian reaction over Rushdie????

Shame on all of them!
from: Ronny
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:14 IST
How would India react if such a thing happened with Indian govt. communications? I doubt it would behave any differently.
from: vengu
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:26 IST
The United States is showing itself to be more concerned with its forward power projection than with the principles of freed upon which it was founded. We the people must stand and protect democracy. We the people are the masters of governments. Government must not be allowed by us to be our masters.
Long live Democracy! Long live Freedom!
from: Stephan G. Patterson
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:35 IST
If this is true , we have to start a boycot against AMAZON and Paypal to!!!
from: roberto vargas
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:40 IST
Excellent. You are saying what other journalist in the us wish they could say in the mainstream news. I have not seen any papers here tell it like it is. The compliance with the gov's propaganda is astounding.
from: agirlinnewyork
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:46 IST
Very well written summary of the situation today.
It is very disturbing that US politicians are doing acts they themselves have condemned in other countries (e.g. China).

I live in Sweden, and for the first time in my life have I been searching for alternative mirrors of a website (i.e. Wikileaks) because it was taken down by politicians in my own western sphere of the world. Now I know a little bit how it must feel to surf the web in China or Iran.
from: Henrik
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 03:06 IST
Digital McCarthyism! Brilliant!
from: Frank G
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 03:25 IST
This has been an eye opener how pathetic some American "leaders" are. In fact, the whole nation is now being brain-washed through American media, which is trying to portray Mr Assange as a criminal, when really it is their government that's been commiting crime and braking and exploiting law for decades.
from: Mario
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 03:31 IST
I know what Wiki-Leaks did was illegal - hacking into government computers to access the "secret" info but we have been lied to since FDR and frankly I'm sick of all the secrets. Run Assage Run but run to a neutral country and publish, publish, publish. In the name of FREE SPEECH I applaud you - I almost did not come to this decision but I realize once Hillary Clinton had egg on her face - she was coming after you.

Bonju Patten
NJ - USA
from: Bonju Patten
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 03:45 IST
What a blunt and effective article. Call a spade a spade. I was getting a little concerned about the nature of India's coverage vis a vis Wikileaks as compared with newspapers that were really making an effort to provide exact quotes from cables and link to the originals so that the readers could verify for themselves. This makes me feel much better. As a whole, I have found the Indian stand on this issue to be Pakistan centric (or China) with little significance to the impact on the world and what it means for us as a country desiring to influence the world with growing power. I see it as crucial that India stop the taped assurances and neutrality and speak out over what is happening in the world.
from: Vidyut
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 04:25 IST
A well pointed out statement from the bigger perspective of those recent events and the potential impact Wikileaks may have on all of us.
from: Jens Rogala
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 06:03 IST
Viva Assange!!!
from: Tara Devi
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 07:40 IST
Let the Keystone cops (and their hacker friends)continue to run. It is getting more and more evident that they cannot suppress anything on the internet, and anyone with some gumption and a server seems to be replicating the WikiLeaks data. Being exposed here is the pathetic attempt of the king to pretend that he is indeed wearing clothes. And the tail-between-legs posture of Amazon and Paypal(E-bay)and multiple other entities who used to enjoy some sort of esteem in the minds of the world is the most enjoyable spectacle yet. This is the same world that castigated Google for collaborating with the Chinese regime. This is the same world that crowed that any autocratic regime's attempts to hide information would crumble in the face of the onslaught of modern technology (remember Tiananamen - faxes were the weapons then). This is the same world that celebrated Woodward and Bernstein.
from: Jayadevan
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 07:42 IST
Very timely and bold...hats off HIndu...keep it going!!!
from: James
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 08:04 IST
Forget about Ron Lieberman, It is Ron Paul from GoP who seems to have hit the nail on the head. He says when revealing the truth becomes treason, that might just be the beginning of the end of the much vaunted 'free era'. 'When truth becomes treason', I am afraid it already is. This is one of the very few newspapers where Roy has a got a thumbs up for her political stance. The political right is a despicable breed.
from: Gautam Ganapathy
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 08:07 IST
Thank you for this bold editorial which speaks honestly against the shockingly repressive and obscurantist movement on US government part.
from: Sadiq Alam
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 08:27 IST
Raising the issue of freedom of speech to defend Wikileaks is untenable. What Wikileaks has done is equivalent to publishing someone's personal correspondence after stealing it or getting it from someone who stole it. Equating it to restrictions posed by the Chinese government on its citizens for accessing informatioon from the internet or facilitating the attack on Google is also preposterous. The aggressive aattitude of some of the US rightwingers on Wikileaks is deplorable but one should not condone Wikileaks for what it has done.
from: Pattabhi Raman
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 10:51 IST
Freedom of speech and expression should on no account should be curtailed in any corner of the world so as to keep the masses informed.
from: SRAVANA RAMACHANDRAN
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 12:40 IST
The Wikileaks saga reveals the US to be no better than the Taliban in suppressing the truth and subverting dissent and is an eye opener to the world on the true nature of the US empire. The legislation that the US proposes is no better than the laws that existed in communist USSR and the Nazis of Germany. The 'shining light' of freedom has certainly gone out in what was once a great democracy. Certainly an ominous sign of what may befall us in India.
from: Rajasekar Thunghabadra
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 12:59 IST
The kind of response Wiki leak has generated among the governments of different countries proves to be a vital stat for its authenticity. The attitude of the American government to curtail the websites reach is not acceptable . Shall the public of the America and the world should assume that the revelations by Wiki leaks are genuine and the denial mode of the American Senate on many of the leaks' revelation is just an effort to cover up ? The American Government seems to be forgetting the statements made by its Head of State President Obama regarding the Google episode. The wiki leaks are so real and audacious that it has effected the memory of the senators. Talking of Democracy in Myanmar and missing the main attribute of it " Freedom of Speech" by American Senate is unacceptable.
from: Rohit Nayal
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 13:33 IST

These sensational leaks whether they are true or false, have atleast set all the sleuths in all countries to sit up and take note and see to it such leaks do not take place in their own. To scorch them would amount to truly a Digital Maccarthyism of a different kind.
from: Sambasiva Sivaramakrishnan
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 13:39 IST
One thing i would like to specify here is that we all are getting to know the stuff from wiki-leaks and just being acknowledged every time.But the thing here matters is that a response in right time, at right place. GREAT JOB wiki-leaks
from: pavan kumar
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 13:42 IST
Just because Wikileaks has published dirty secrets in the realm of global politics and diplomacy does not mean confidentiality and discretion are not legitimate requirements in every field of human activity. The freedom of the media is grossly overrated and the media itself is pretty hypocritical when applying this principle. For example does the media not take shelter behind confidentiality while protecting its 'sources' for different stories? Can it be then argued that the 'public' has a right to know media sources as well if the press is to authenticate every story? I completely detest the kind of persecution the US and the world has unleashed on the Wikileaks founder. It just reiterates what we already know that powerful people all over the world will go to any lengths to muffle dissent. This is not unlike what happened after the ‘Tehelka’ episode in India. But the bogey of unrestricted freedom of the media and digital media should not be raised to justify all kinds of irresponsible acts and sensationalism. For example how will the Wikileaks exposes actually benefit mankind? How will knowing the dirty secrets of international diplomacy help public discourse?
from: Salil Desai
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 14:42 IST
All wishful thinking!! The powerful interest in US and elsewhere will anyhow block these type of free information exchange.As you see the people are fooled by the double face and rhetoric of the Uncle Sam. Most dangerous is the unawareness of the general population of USA and other first world countries. They do not know how they are being manipulated with the help of powerful media in their own countries. We in third world countries remain prey to these vultures!!
from: kalpana
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 14:45 IST
Brilliant Article! Can the editor show same enthusiasm to support Liu Xiaobo, 2010 Noble Peace Prize Winner?
from: Ravi K
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 14:57 IST
Thanks for Wikileaks in letting every one know what's U.S foreign policy towards others nations.I am not pleased how American Government is handling this issue,and hard to understand why the surpass "RIGHT TO SPEECH".
from: Satya
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 16:00 IST
Excellent article!
from: Mohammed
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 16:09 IST
America has gained its dominance in the global arena by playing its manipulative politics, use of military power and by wielding swords of financial clout. However this dominance has taken a plunge after its unilateral war against Iraq. It is widely believed that this war was actually waged for taking control of oil power in the guise of security threat to the mankind. To safeguard its egotistical motives, manipulation by America extends to almost all the countries in the world. None of the nations including their friendly ones are sacrosanct. Leaks by Wikileaks now threaten to expose the big daddy’s real face to its friends and foes.
from: Kiran Kumar Das
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 16:14 IST
I remember tehelka.com which brought tehelka into the whole Indian community but later was declared as a foul website with false content by the government. Also, no actions were properly taken against the ministers caught red handed.
from: Rohan Gupta
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 16:41 IST
That was supposed to happen as the truth is always bitter. Good example is when US attacked Iraq on the excuse of chemical weapons, but the truth is they had eye on Oil reserves.
from: puneesh
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 17:02 IST
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Digital McCarthyism

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It has been one long battle for WikiLeaks merely to exist on the Internet since it started publishing the U.S. diplomatic cables. The cat-and-mouse game that it has had to play to retain an accessible address in cyberspace is the result of a virulent attack launched by right-wing lawmakers in America and their supporters, and commercial entities such as Amazon, which caved in to the pressure. But more fundamentally, the WikiLeaks saga represents the acid test for free speech. With each tranche of documents published online, the world is witnessing the total loss of dominance of secretive governments over information. The backlash has come swiftly, with bellicose American Senators engaging in plain intimidation to get commercial entities to stop offering services to WikiLeaks on the ground that it is distributing material it does not own. Some politicians have made a jingoistic pitch and called for the execution of the source of the leaks. This is nothing but Digital McCarthyism. Were it not for the threat it poses to the free Internet, it would even appear amusing. Earlier this year, President Barack Obama was ‘troubled' by the cyber attacks on Google, which were said to originate in China, and wanted those responsible to face the consequences. The more freely information flows, the stronger society becomes, he had said during an earlier visit to China. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also strongly critical of Internet restrictions in China. Now the boot is on the other foot. Concern for free speech is nowhere in evidence as extra-legal methods are deployed to deny Americans their First Amendment rights.

The campaign against WikiLeaks is a clear move to censor political material on the Internet and, potentially, on other media. The first moves made by lawmakers such as Senator Joe Lieberman, who chairs the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, have no legal foundation and yet have succeeded with Amazon and PayPal. What has followed is shockingly repressive and obscurantist. The Library of Congress blocked access to WikiLeaks across its computer systems, including reading rooms, and Columbia University students aspiring for diplomatic careers have been advised not to comment on, or link to, the whistleblower website's revelations. It is doubly tragic that such concerted attacks are securing support from countries with a progressive legacy such as France. The intolerant response to WikiLeaks is a potential threat to all media and must be fought. Senator Lieberman and other lawmakers have introduced legislation that proposes to make the publication of an intelligence source a federal crime. Already, U.S. law allows the shutting down of some Internet domains managed in that country on grounds of infringement of copyright. The threat to the publication of inconvenient material, even with responsible redactions, is all too real.

Keywords: WikiLeaks, cablegate

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TOPICS
WikiLeaks

diplomacy
international relations

internet
world wide web

politics
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COMMENTS:
Thank you for your editorial. The Hindu is a thinking person's newspaper unlike most in the USA. I personally donated money to Wikileaks and continue to do so to make sure it survives.
from: Kamal
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 00:07 IST
Excellent article.
from: Murray S
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 00:09 IST
What all these countries are doing to Wikileaks is so typical of these bully tactics. They cause the problems with their interference then project their guilt on the ones who expose them. It is only the corrupt evil minded people who have much to hide,that would criticise and condemn the information being leaked. Assange is a hero and all that support him and assist him should be given medals of honour.
from: savita
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 00:19 IST
What can one say? Anyone with any sense already knew that the USA was as far removed from democracy and transparency as you can get. All of its high ideals ie of the founding fathers et al have long since gone. The US itself became the 'evil empire' probably from before MacArthyism and Hoover's FBI.
At least this is making the hypocrisy transparent :)
from: Peter Jones
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 00:29 IST
I support Wikileaks and Mr. Assange. Let us join hands to protect the freedom of expression in all countries. Till date I have been an admirer of the freedom of expression that the American society has, thanks to the spirit of democracy it has. I am really disappointed to see all that is happening and the US citizens not rising in protest. It is the government's job to keep its documents secret. It is the media's job to keep exposing the government as well as its documents. Truth never endangers anyone's life. Lies and trickery endanger millions of lives all around the world. I salute Mr. Assange and I salute Wikileaks.
from: Raju
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 00:31 IST
From the dawn of history, diplomacy (as practiced by ALL nations) involves double-speak, uncharitable jibes at leaders, saying things which one does not mean and meaning things which one does not say.
from: Jay Ravi
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 01:14 IST
In a society where truth becomes treason, we are in big trouble.
from: Indy
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 01:39 IST
Thank you for this article, it places the global phenomenon of WikiLeaks' work in the correct context - the 'acid test for free speech.'As an independent (Australian) journalist with the values of a world citizen, that we are one human family, I am tremendously heartened by WIkiLeaks' trailblazing efforts as a cyber based non-profit media organisation. We are now on the cusp of a new era - one where the power of governments, especially militarily engaged superpowers, to misinform and mislead their constituents, of exactly what is being done in our name and with our tax money to inflict ongoing suffering to our fellow human beings in the name of power and profit and without accountability, has changed forever. WikiLeaks' offerings of truth are therefore a gift to humanity, with the potential to change the wielding of power in our world - for the better. I am especially encouraged that WikiLeaks have taken meticulous steps to ensure their mission to disseminate truth and promote transparency will prevail. Never mind the adversarial government, cyber and financial attacks - the information, with the blessing of the internet, now has a life of its own, a conduit which can never be captured. Behind the public face of founder Julian Assange, WikiLeaks have over 800 people on their team and 100 000 people worldwide with encrypted copies of their leaks. Should WikiLeaks be brought down, by technical or legal means (and both are long shots) the leaks will continue anyway - to humanity's benefit. I applaud the work of WikLeaks - the truth genie is out of the bottle and can never be contained again.
from: Kia MIstilis
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 01:44 IST
Excellent summary. This has to be brought to attention of the
General public.
from: Shaun Quigley
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 01:45 IST
Dear Sir/Madam,

Your editorial is interesting. As a free companies of free country Indian companies should host wikileaks website and provide all possible support to wikileaks organization. It is time to show the world which country is free country without any consideration for results. There are few things in the life one need to follow without any thoughts of consequencies or results. Truth and freedom are of course few of those things. Gandhiji never hide truth or changed it for any purpose, so nation of Gandhi can do it.
Good luck to wikileaks.
from: Raj Patel
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 01:48 IST
This is the best comment I have read concerning WikiLeaks. The first one in Europe, who used a newspaper to citisize the government was Victor Hugo in France. He wrote the famous article : J`accuse. And he was the one who informed the french public about the affair Dreyfuss. Acording to that tradition, WiKi Leaks is working and this is the tradition of a free press function in a democracy. As a citizen from Germany in know, how the oppression of the press is an indicator for the oppression of the people and I´am glad, that we are on a, mor or less, better way!
Thank you for your article
Thomas Häfele
Germany
from: TOM
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:06 IST
Funny how the United States is targeted in your leaks. How about some information on Chavez, Putin or Castro?
from: D Chastain
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:09 IST
Those US politician are too worried about this leak :D let them be worried once in their lives, at last some FREE SPEECH!

Long live Wikileaks!

From Uruguay, Latin America.

Marcos.
from: Marcos . Uruguay.
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:14 IST
Hello sirs ,

Great post.
How is this western reaction ANY different from Iranian reaction over Rushdie????

Shame on all of them!
from: Ronny
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:14 IST
How would India react if such a thing happened with Indian govt. communications? I doubt it would behave any differently.
from: vengu
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:26 IST
The United States is showing itself to be more concerned with its forward power projection than with the principles of freed upon which it was founded. We the people must stand and protect democracy. We the people are the masters of governments. Government must not be allowed by us to be our masters.
Long live Democracy! Long live Freedom!
from: Stephan G. Patterson
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:35 IST
If this is true , we have to start a boycot against AMAZON and Paypal to!!!
from: roberto vargas
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:40 IST
Excellent. You are saying what other journalist in the us wish they could say in the mainstream news. I have not seen any papers here tell it like it is. The compliance with the gov's propaganda is astounding.
from: agirlinnewyork
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 02:46 IST
Very well written summary of the situation today.
It is very disturbing that US politicians are doing acts they themselves have condemned in other countries (e.g. China).

I live in Sweden, and for the first time in my life have I been searching for alternative mirrors of a website (i.e. Wikileaks) because it was taken down by politicians in my own western sphere of the world. Now I know a little bit how it must feel to surf the web in China or Iran.
from: Henrik
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 03:06 IST
Digital McCarthyism! Brilliant!
from: Frank G
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 03:25 IST
This has been an eye opener how pathetic some American "leaders" are. In fact, the whole nation is now being brain-washed through American media, which is trying to portray Mr Assange as a criminal, when really it is their government that's been commiting crime and braking and exploiting law for decades.
from: Mario
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 03:31 IST
I know what Wiki-Leaks did was illegal - hacking into government computers to access the "secret" info but we have been lied to since FDR and frankly I'm sick of all the secrets. Run Assage Run but run to a neutral country and publish, publish, publish. In the name of FREE SPEECH I applaud you - I almost did not come to this decision but I realize once Hillary Clinton had egg on her face - she was coming after you.

Bonju Patten
NJ - USA
from: Bonju Patten
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 03:45 IST
What a blunt and effective article. Call a spade a spade. I was getting a little concerned about the nature of India's coverage vis a vis Wikileaks as compared with newspapers that were really making an effort to provide exact quotes from cables and link to the originals so that the readers could verify for themselves. This makes me feel much better. As a whole, I have found the Indian stand on this issue to be Pakistan centric (or China) with little significance to the impact on the world and what it means for us as a country desiring to influence the world with growing power. I see it as crucial that India stop the taped assurances and neutrality and speak out over what is happening in the world.
from: Vidyut
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 04:25 IST
A well pointed out statement from the bigger perspective of those recent events and the potential impact Wikileaks may have on all of us.
from: Jens Rogala
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 06:03 IST
Viva Assange!!!
from: Tara Devi
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 07:40 IST
Let the Keystone cops (and their hacker friends)continue to run. It is getting more and more evident that they cannot suppress anything on the internet, and anyone with some gumption and a server seems to be replicating the WikiLeaks data. Being exposed here is the pathetic attempt of the king to pretend that he is indeed wearing clothes. And the tail-between-legs posture of Amazon and Paypal(E-bay)and multiple other entities who used to enjoy some sort of esteem in the minds of the world is the most enjoyable spectacle yet. This is the same world that castigated Google for collaborating with the Chinese regime. This is the same world that crowed that any autocratic regime's attempts to hide information would crumble in the face of the onslaught of modern technology (remember Tiananamen - faxes were the weapons then). This is the same world that celebrated Woodward and Bernstein.
from: Jayadevan
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 07:42 IST
Very timely and bold...hats off HIndu...keep it going!!!
from: James
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 08:04 IST
Forget about Ron Lieberman, It is Ron Paul from GoP who seems to have hit the nail on the head. He says when revealing the truth becomes treason, that might just be the beginning of the end of the much vaunted 'free era'. 'When truth becomes treason', I am afraid it already is. This is one of the very few newspapers where Roy has a got a thumbs up for her political stance. The political right is a despicable breed.
from: Gautam Ganapathy
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 08:07 IST
Thank you for this bold editorial which speaks honestly against the shockingly repressive and obscurantist movement on US government part.
from: Sadiq Alam
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 08:27 IST
Raising the issue of freedom of speech to defend Wikileaks is untenable. What Wikileaks has done is equivalent to publishing someone's personal correspondence after stealing it or getting it from someone who stole it. Equating it to restrictions posed by the Chinese government on its citizens for accessing informatioon from the internet or facilitating the attack on Google is also preposterous. The aggressive aattitude of some of the US rightwingers on Wikileaks is deplorable but one should not condone Wikileaks for what it has done.
from: Pattabhi Raman
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 10:51 IST
Freedom of speech and expression should on no account should be curtailed in any corner of the world so as to keep the masses informed.
from: SRAVANA RAMACHANDRAN
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 12:40 IST
The Wikileaks saga reveals the US to be no better than the Taliban in suppressing the truth and subverting dissent and is an eye opener to the world on the true nature of the US empire. The legislation that the US proposes is no better than the laws that existed in communist USSR and the Nazis of Germany. The 'shining light' of freedom has certainly gone out in what was once a great democracy. Certainly an ominous sign of what may befall us in India.
from: Rajasekar Thunghabadra
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 12:59 IST
The kind of response Wiki leak has generated among the governments of different countries proves to be a vital stat for its authenticity. The attitude of the American government to curtail the websites reach is not acceptable . Shall the public of the America and the world should assume that the revelations by Wiki leaks are genuine and the denial mode of the American Senate on many of the leaks' revelation is just an effort to cover up ? The American Government seems to be forgetting the statements made by its Head of State President Obama regarding the Google episode. The wiki leaks are so real and audacious that it has effected the memory of the senators. Talking of Democracy in Myanmar and missing the main attribute of it " Freedom of Speech" by American Senate is unacceptable.
from: Rohit Nayal
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 13:33 IST

These sensational leaks whether they are true or false, have atleast set all the sleuths in all countries to sit up and take note and see to it such leaks do not take place in their own. To scorch them would amount to truly a Digital Maccarthyism of a different kind.
from: Sambasiva Sivaramakrishnan
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 13:39 IST
One thing i would like to specify here is that we all are getting to know the stuff from wiki-leaks and just being acknowledged every time.But the thing here matters is that a response in right time, at right place. GREAT JOB wiki-leaks
from: pavan kumar
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 13:42 IST
Just because Wikileaks has published dirty secrets in the realm of global politics and diplomacy does not mean confidentiality and discretion are not legitimate requirements in every field of human activity. The freedom of the media is grossly overrated and the media itself is pretty hypocritical when applying this principle. For example does the media not take shelter behind confidentiality while protecting its 'sources' for different stories? Can it be then argued that the 'public' has a right to know media sources as well if the press is to authenticate every story? I completely detest the kind of persecution the US and the world has unleashed on the Wikileaks founder. It just reiterates what we already know that powerful people all over the world will go to any lengths to muffle dissent. This is not unlike what happened after the ‘Tehelka’ episode in India. But the bogey of unrestricted freedom of the media and digital media should not be raised to justify all kinds of irresponsible acts and sensationalism. For example how will the Wikileaks exposes actually benefit mankind? How will knowing the dirty secrets of international diplomacy help public discourse?
from: Salil Desai
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 14:42 IST
All wishful thinking!! The powerful interest in US and elsewhere will anyhow block these type of free information exchange.As you see the people are fooled by the double face and rhetoric of the Uncle Sam. Most dangerous is the unawareness of the general population of USA and other first world countries. They do not know how they are being manipulated with the help of powerful media in their own countries. We in third world countries remain prey to these vultures!!
from: kalpana
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 14:45 IST
Brilliant Article! Can the editor show same enthusiasm to support Liu Xiaobo, 2010 Noble Peace Prize Winner?
from: Ravi K
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 14:57 IST
Thanks for Wikileaks in letting every one know what's U.S foreign policy towards others nations.I am not pleased how American Government is handling this issue,and hard to understand why the surpass "RIGHT TO SPEECH".
from: Satya
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 16:00 IST
Excellent article!
from: Mohammed
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 16:09 IST
America has gained its dominance in the global arena by playing its manipulative politics, use of military power and by wielding swords of financial clout. However this dominance has taken a plunge after its unilateral war against Iraq. It is widely believed that this war was actually waged for taking control of oil power in the guise of security threat to the mankind. To safeguard its egotistical motives, manipulation by America extends to almost all the countries in the world. None of the nations including their friendly ones are sacrosanct. Leaks by Wikileaks now threaten to expose the big daddy’s real face to its friends and foes.
from: Kiran Kumar Das
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 16:14 IST
I remember tehelka.com which brought tehelka into the whole Indian community but later was declared as a foul website with false content by the government. Also, no actions were properly taken against the ministers caught red handed.
from: Rohan Gupta
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 16:41 IST
That was supposed to happen as the truth is always bitter. Good example is when US attacked Iraq on the excuse of chemical weapons, but the truth is they had eye on Oil reserves.
from: puneesh
Posted on: Dec 6, 2010 at 17:02 IST
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