We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Sunday, December 5, 2010

We have a right to know

from Green Left. 
...Wikileaks is doing precisely what investigative journalists are supposed to do, but generally don’t. It has exposed abuses of power that hide behind the veil of government secrecy.
If the so-called "democratic" governments ruled with the informed consent of citizens as they pretend to do, they might have some claim to legitimacy, otherwise not. The fact is, they are ruled by small minorities who command all important institutions within their respective societies, and rule with impunity, often engaging in unlawful acts and crimes against humanity. It is their secrecy about such acts and crimes that they must at all costs protect. However, we, the ruled, must always attempt to expose their lies. Whether WikiLeaks exposes any really significant lies still remains to be seen; and if they do, will the lies be reported unreconstructed in mainstream media? It appears that various authorities are making it difficult to access, and even closing down direct access to the WikiLeaks website.

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