Who really has something to say? Everyone has opinions. Of course. Only a lobotomized individual is totally bereft of any ideas, and there is evidence that they still have thought. But the part of the brain that makes anything of these ideas is now gone, along with each and every part of their personality. Maybe they could make for the best thinkers because their individualistic thought processes do not affect them. They would be much like the pre-cogs in Philip K. Dick’s short story “The Minority Report”. These individuals only gave the information that came to them. It was totally unaltered by their personal preferences. But is this best? It worked well for them because they were provided all that they needed while some one of their caliper would usually have been left to die because they could not care for themselves, and those that used their information were considered heroes in their community. But in our world those that are usually listened to are those that are highly educated and have taken the time to try to bestow information on those around them along with the world that they live in.
Opinions are everywhere. Just pickup a news paper and you will find a whole section of opinion and advice. Blogs have become a popular way of expression. One does not need any form of education. One simply needs access to a computer and the internet. I once read of an individual believing that blogs were the gradual destruction of the Rome that is professional journalism. Each informed and articulate blogger is much like the terroristic faction who eventually caused the demise of that great city. They do not need to have spent the time and money on a journalism degree or strive hard for a job, but they are also rarely paid for their insight unlike the professional journalist. They are really only doing it to vent. So does that make it a waste of time?
Maybe it is. These people devote hours out of their lives just to put into a public forum how and what they feel. So many opinions and dissenters are like looking into a world of “Special Olympic Athletes”. There are not always nearly as informed as one should be if they are going to allow the public to be let into their thoughts. They may have not learned the ethics that go into telling certain details of certain stories; but that could be argued away vey easily by pointing out news shows such as “Inside Edition” that is known for going out of its way to dig up the worst of the worst of the world’s best know people. Maybe the days of keeping certain topics out of the view of the public are gone. Even Voltaire spoke of not defaming some one’s name until they have been proven guilty. The days of “innocent until the proof of guilt” seem to be totally gone because of news media like these. But the ability to blog opens up the voice of those who are accused. They are able to put their thoughts into print, and those close to them can speak of how they feel. Just because one is charged with doing something does not mean that they did it. Charges are only there so that there is potential of prosecution. We can only hope that if they are innocent they will be found to be so. Blogging allows this innocent voice to come out, or at least the voice of the side fighting to keep their non-defamed name. With the old news media the public only hears the voice of the legal system. How often have you watched the news and only heard of charges and arrests without even hearing what the arrested individual had to say? Usually if we see a news story like that we automatically see them as guilty even if they may not be.
This can have huge psychological damage. I am sure we all read about the group of black college students that were arrested on charges of group rape. The ‘victim’ seemed to felt dirty for what she did or later regretted it for whatever other reason and then went to the police. These men were arrested and held for a lengthy time. Interviewed after they got out, one said that he knew he was innocent but being held in jail and constantly being told he was guilty started to wear on him and he even stated to believe that he may have been guilty of his charges.
It was not until a detective told the ‘victim’ that there might be a video tape of the incident did she recant. This is a perfect case of the real victim being those in the correctional system unjustly. When this story broke many were up in arms and a veritable lynch mob was unleashed mostly because the woman was white and the ‘rapists’ were black. Pictures came out in the papers and these men where guilty just because of racist views and the ideal that” No woman would lie about being raped”; and “No woman would ever wish to go through that kind of ridicule.” If only this were true.
Many women have come to learn that they become "heroic survivors" when theycome forward about this crime and restitution is now paid to rape victims. These women also know that the one who raped them will forever suffer with a grave stigma and a heinous record that not only the legal system looks down upon strongly, but so does the populace once they may get to be released. (Lest we forget that they will be sex offenders and will have to tell everyone in their neighborhoods what they were found guilty of.) Blogs are what allowed the true victims of this horrible crime to have a voice. So maybe blogs are good. We need to be able to let all of our voices be heard even if we do not have a large amount of education and get paid to put out voices on the internet. Maybe those elements really have become secondary when it comes to the real search for truth.
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