If it isn't already obvious, the birth of Sam Freedom's Internet Marketing Controversy Blog was partly inspired by the fact that many bloggers, at least in the SEO and internet marketing realm, seem to lack a spine. And I don't mean that in a bad way; it's just "a fact's a fact, jack." Maybe they DO have spines but it doesn't SEEM like it. It seems more like everyone's afraid of losing their precious PR or 2.8934765% of their readership if they take a stand on important matters when times get tough.
In fact, it only seems like yesterday that I wrote, "Sam Freedom Supports Denmark!" during a time when angry Muslims were burning down a Danish embassy in response to a Danish newspaper's printing of Mohammed in cartoons. Of course there were bloggers, in general, writing about it, but I saw no seo expert or internet marketer types saying a word - even though their very livelihoods were potentially threatened by it.
Well, now it's the backwards Muslims of Sudan with their 7th century mindset who are assaulting freedom, "Crowd Demands Teddy Bear Teacher Be Shot".
"Our Prophet Mohammed tells us to be forgiving," she said. "So she should be released. She didn't mean any of this at all. I know Gillian and she would never have meant it as an insult." (source) [I wish the GOOD Muslims would catch on that they are enslaved by tyrants]
This Guy Knows They've Been Enslaved by Tyrants
So I refer to this poem "'First they came…' attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group."
"Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Kommunist.
Als sie die Sozialdemokraten einsperrten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Sozialdemokrat.
Als sie die Gewerkschafter holten,
habe ich nicht protestiert;
ich war ja kein Gewerkschafter.
Als sie die Juden holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Jude.
Als sie mich holten,
gab es keinen mehr, der protestieren konnte.
Translated:
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
Well, Humanity (and freedom of speech) Is Under Attack Again, Folks.
With the advent of modern technology and our precious "social media", freedom-loving people everywhere are really no longer able to play isolationists any more. What happens in one country is immediately spread throughout the world via all kinds of media channels and enters your awareness and, once it does, you're responsible for your response, or lack thereof.
So I consider this latest round of animosity to be an assault on freedom and MY right to free speech, whether or not anyone else does. And just in case anyone thinks this is another one of those "whacky" isolated events, or that the Sudanese "have the right" to do what they want in their country, tell me if you think it was ok for the Saudis to do THIS.... "because it was in their country."
So I Name This Internet Marketing / Social Media Blog Article "Mohammed"
Out of respect for modern Muslims who respect others freedoms and rights, I will not go on to post any untoward pictures of their beloved prophet. But I won't allow my respect for them to serve as a refuge for their insane, murderous compatriots.
And I won't allow the fact that this is an internet marketing and social-media related blog to serve as one either. Obviously, it would be chaotic to use an internet marketing, social media blog to speak out on every injustice, or to portray the inevitable "both sides" of every story. But, in that light, I have no compunction about writing on such topics I deem highly relevant to our seemingly unrelated niche.
So You're a Jew, You're a Woman, You're a Teacher, You're Black, You're (Fill in the Blank), but Most of All You Love Freedom and Your Right to Speak Freely Without Persecution.... Right?
So why aren't you using your new reach via your highly cherished social media to speak out? Or are you?
If so, link to your post in the DoFollow comment section below.
social media politics sudan teddy bear teacher gillian gibbons islam radical islam internet marketing web 2.0 free speech mohammed
