Opening up the computer some days is a downer.  On facebook this morning one of my favorite local newspaper photogs posted his blog for the week about how the staff of a local Congressman attempted to stifle freedom of speech by telling the audience there would be no videotaping of the public meeting (in a public place) because some people didn’t want to appear on camera and because there was no way to control how any video shot would be used.  🙁

So I moved on through facebook and hopped on over to my email where JEA (Journalism Educators Assn) has started up a new website – panicbutton – for high school media advisors and journalism students who need help navigating their way through attempts to suppress or control their high school journalism programs/newspapers/etc.  🙂

I feel secure for the future of journalism and am impressed with the depth of the panicbutton website and the support it offers – and hope sincerely that the Congressman and his staff rethink their handling of that meeting.

Final note about KONY 2012.  Sometimes things that appear to be right are not.  This movement to arrest an alleged monster in Africa for crimes against children is chilling on oh so many levels.  Granted – he does exist and it would seem the charges are valid.  However I am having trouble separating what appears to be a situation that is ongoing and has been going on for decades from what appears to be a filmmaker’s attempt to promote a film.  Does the film come first or the outrage or did the outrage fuel the film.  Plus from other comments, Kony is only part of the story – his opposition is just as brutal and should Kony be dethroned, hundreds or thousands of HIS supporters will likely die in a bloodbath once he is gone.  As one commentator noted, you can’t really take sides or attempt grandiose changes without being fully aware of the issues and knowing all of the players and consequences.  What is especially troubling about this is the speed with which is is spreading across facebook and other social media with few checking out for the facts.  Young people in this country and others appear to be galvanized for demonstrations in mid-April for a cause they support with all of their hearts (bring the criminal to justice) without researching enough to get the facts that might give them pause.  So for caring and for not having due diligence.