New technologies, example of democracy
I just remembered a real life example of how the internet was a tool for democracy. On April, Ecuador's president was overthrown. Not by a military coupe, not by politicians, but by citizens. Ecuadorians were so tired of the anarchy that the former president was using, that they decided to start protesting in the streets against his government.
The first tool that citizens use to call each other attention was the radio. Radio La Luna was the only media that . Was serving as a tool where citizens can call and comment on the president's behavior and attitudes. But the former president wanted to break democracy. So he interrupted several times the radio station and with the army he tried to close it. He was not able to close it, but the signal was interrupted for several hours..
Do you know, what did the radio station did? They created a blog. Citizens could visited radiolaluna.com and you will see chat sessions and comments all over the blog. This was an essential tool for the rallies that citizens organized to protest against the government. For one whole week citizens were in the streets, shouting, singing, walking, and all because they were able to have a tool that was available for them. No government could stop that.....
On April 21 Lucio Gutierrez, former President of Ecuador, took an airplane and headed to Brazil. Citizens pressure Congress and the military to throw him out of power. The media did they work.. But the Internet for the first time in history had its particular and significant participation. The Internet served democracy.
5 Comments:
Wow - that is fascinating. Great post!
1:51 PM
I had no idea that blogs were used as an organizing tool in Latin America. I'm not sure how widespread internet use is there either, but Radio La Luna could probably reach more people, especially in the rural areas.
Although I find myself very ignorant of any politics other than the United States, I hope you got a better President.
8:00 PM
New technology opens many doors. Who would have ever thought that the once elusive gigantic Zack Morris cell phone that I saw growing up on Saved By the Bell would morph into a small devise that nearly everyone carries in their pockets at all times? Not only that, but that such a small little thing could over through a political leader ? It is amazing how far we have come and it brings a smile to my face when I think about how far we can still go. Great post!
1:13 PM
Your story connects to one of the things I think is really important about new communication, the feeling that you are not alone in your work for social change.
Blogs could probably be really powerful in a party taking back certain non-swing states. I heard a man from a Republican state say on NPR that he felt abandoned by the Democratic Party. He knew that there must be others like him in his state, but he didn't know where to find him or what he could do.
5:31 PM
Great story!
4:05 PM
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