The Currency of Democracy.

"Information is the currency of democracy," according to Thomas Jefferson, one of the masterminds behind the American political tradition, honored by both ends of the political spectrum. His message is as relevant today as it has ever been.

We live in a time of unprecedented access to information. The Internet is perhaps the greatest thing to have happened to democratic government since its inception, giving even keyboards-wielding monkeys like myself the ability of contributing to debate, while more reputable online news organizations provide a strong counter-balance to the corporate domination and bias of television media. This state of info-immersion serves the dual functions of creating a knowledgeable populace capable of independent decision making and of adding another check to the powers of the state. The second is where organizations like WikiLeaks come in.

Creating quite the stir, as all of you surely know, WikiLeaks is responsible for publishing sensitive cables belonging to some of the largest world powers. Broadcasted information includes everything from foreign relations to domestic affairs, many casting a rather negative light on their respective governments. As expected, the governments in question respond to these leaks by accusing them of undermining their ability to function and the safety of their citizenry. The most troublesome reactions go to MasterCard, PayPal, and Visa for banning donations to the site, overstepping their bounds by cutting off funding for a completely legitimate non-profit. The Internet's counterstrike, "Operation Payback," in which massive distributed denial-service (DDoS) attacks were launched against the guilty corporations, proved the support of a large portion of the public. Still, there are many who are distrustful of WikiLeaks for its seemingly anarchic nature and the supposed threat it poses to the well-being of the state.

Essentially, this controversy boils down to the age-old liberty vs. security debate. It is our duty as citizens to demand our explicit and implicit rights, knowledge among them. With proper knowledge of the actions of our government, we as a populace are better suited to ensuring that the state acts within our interests and respond accordingly at the ballot. WikiLeaks is not a detriment to our nation; it is, in fact one of its greatest assets. We must not forget that the United States was established by the people, for the people. The exposition of crucial information strengthens the most important component of our democracy- we, the people.

Born Again.

Greetings!

This is the latest incarnation of my blog- a new year, a new contribution to the vast sea of irrelevance that we fondly call the Internet. To any disappointed fans (all three of you) who noticed that my previous blog never actually delivered content, I assure you that this endeavor will not suffer the same fate. Here you will be able to find commentary on world events, politics, and anything else that I deem noteworthy.

To get things started, I thought it would be of benefit to share what makes up the core of my political philosophy. Speaking in general terms, my opinions generally fall into the vague category of left-libertarianism. I have been heavily influenced by many prominent writers, with Tolstoy, Thoreau, Noam Chomsky, and Howard Zinn being foremost of them. My Christian faith has also been key in the development of many positions that I take, especially in the causes of peace and social justice. Though I prefer to stay independent of any political party, the Green Party most closely resembles me in terms of thinking, with their emphasis on grassroots democracy and liberty.

Expect more updates to follow in the near future.