Global Voices Online is an "international community of bloggers who report on blogs and citizen media from around the world."
I enjoy visiting this site on occasion because it provides a perspective on what is happening in obscure places around the world, far from the media spotlight. These are vital voices who struggle to have a say in a mass media world dominated with select perspectives.
For example, there are two Palestinian young women who are attending university and who express their frustrations about their ancestors who have yet to achieve a homeland of their own. Needless to say, the convoluted global politics of the middle eastern morass enters into their struggle.
It was about a year ago, back in February 2010. Remi Kanazi, the Palestinian-American poet, came to Ramallah to give the first part of a spoken word poetry workshop for the Palestine Writing Workshop.
"He articulated so many fundamental points of Palestinian identity, the Israeli occupation, and imperialism so eloquently and angrily that there was no question of not being inspired, particularly since it echoed our very own sentiments and frustrations, inadequately expressed. We decided that we had to have a commodious outlet, or Freudian theory would have dictated that our frustrations would then be channeled in dangerous ways such as participating in normalizing dialogue with our Jewish Israeli cousins or becoming suicide bombers. A blog was decided."
Many of my readers know about how the blogging format can inspire the expression of vital perspectives. These two young ladies are trying to create a constructive, peaceful dialogue about finding a homeland for their Palestinian community.
