Stories about Digital Activism from May, 2008
Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Caribbean Nostalgia
Haitian blogger kiskeácity links to an interview with Nicholas Laughlin, who is at the Calabash International Literary Festival in Jamaica talking about “Caribbean literature, imaginary roads, creoleness…”it all makes you a bit nostalgic…
Bahamas: Heterogeneous World
Bahamian Nicolette Bethel says: “Bahamians appear to imagine that the world is monocultural. More specifically, we tend to associate specific nations with specific ‘races’. But the world is a multicultural world, and, colonial mythology aside, it is not divided into clumps of people who fit specific moulds.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Got Mail?
KnowProSE.com reports that the mail strike in Trinidad and Tobago is still on.
Trinidad & Tobago: Ah Have ah Tabanca
“You know if this was a relationship with a man, you wouldn’t still be here. You would never stick around and take this abuse. Stay for what? Because this is where you were born? This is what you know? This is the only place that understands you?”: Trinidad and Tobago...
Cuba: Incipient Crackdown?
Both Uncommon Sense and Ninety miles away…in another country blog about an incident in which “police and thugs from a ‘rapid response brigade’ swarmed about two dozen people as they marched toward a local cemetery to present a floral wreath honoring the memory of the iconic political prisoner Pedro Luis...
Barbados, U.S.A.: Taking It Back
On the heels of Hillary Clinton's comment about Bobby Kennedy, Barbadian blogger Jdid comments: “You're just playing the spoiler now. It almost looks like you are trying to muddy the waters for your fellow democrat. All I can say is both you and Bill showed a wicked and dirty side...
Jamaica: Gays and Golding
Kadene Porter at Jamaica's Abeng News Magazine analyzes the Prime Minister's controversial BBC interview in which he said that there would be no gays in his Cabinet: “It is rather strange that this single issue has come to define the morals of a people, considering the heinous nature of crimes...
China: Relief tents embezzled, while stoppers got arrested
Diaster-relief tents were found in up-scale community and college campus in Chengdu city rather than any refugee site where they should be. Activists took action to check out the fact, while at the night of 21st, a conflict strangely burst out between police and embezzlement stoppers.
Philippines: Human rights blog
A group blog, Slaughter of Innocents, was launched to document extrajudicial killings in the Philippines
Ukraine: Pre-Election Kyiv
Five installments of pre-election Kyiv photos, video and commentary – at Ukrainiana: here, here, here, here, and here.
Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica: Chanderpaul's Heroics
West Indies Cricket Blog quotes cricket commentator Tony Cozier on Shivnarine Chanderpaul's “heroics” vs. Australia, adding: “The energy from Sabina Park was unbelievable. Really bummed I wasn’t there.”
Cayman Islands: Not Here?
Cayblogger responds to a mainstream media editorial by examining the Cayman Islands’ attitude towards homosexuality and crime: “There have been, what… five murders in Cayman this year to only one ‘gay kiss?’ Which means that we, as a society, are less tolerant of a gay kiss than of a murder.”
Dominica: Banana Spat
Steve's Dominica reports on “the ongoing spat between various banana organisations.”
Bermuda: Debate Shut-Down
As the Bermudian Premier shuts down a Parliamentary debate because of accusations of dishonesty by the Opposition, Vexed Bermoothes says: “By shouting down every question or request for accountability as an accusation of racism or unfairness, the PLP is proving just how immature Bermuda’s democracy is.”
Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Calypso Music
Jamaica's Abeng News Magazine gives a lesson in the roots of calypso music.
Jamaica: Literary Feud
Blogging from Jamaica's Calabash Literary Festival, Annie Paul talks about Derek Walcott's poem The Mongoose, “written specifically with V.S. Naipaul in mind”: “Down here at Treasure Beach we give thanks for sunny skies and prickly poets. Willing conscripts in the enactment of a first-class literary feud we await the unfolding...
China: Three Minutes Silence Reflected in Search Stats
Jacky Peng blogs the search traffic stats of Google China on May 19 which showed the three minutes silence (mourning for earthquake victims) effect.
Iran: Persian Gulf,Protest and Repression
Jamshidi writes [Fa]that several hundreds Iranians on Friday gathered in front of the United Arab Emirates embassy in Tehran again and protested against renaming of the Persain Gulf by several Arab states. The blogger has published several photos of this demonstration and got surprised when security forces repressed a peaceful...
South Africa: Mapping xenophobia
United for Africa maps xenophobia incidents in South Africa: “The Ushahidi engine is being used to map xenophobic attacks in South Africa at the “United For Africa” website.”
Hong Kong: Floating Voices
An independent video maker Law Man Lok has produced a video, called floating voices (with English subtitles), on inmediahk.net, a citizen journalist site in Hong Kong. (via inmediahk.net)
Japan: Experiences at IDAHO
On the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), Japanese LGBT communities organized several events and street activities in several cities across the country. With a slogan of “Yes to sexual diversity” (多様な性にYES!), various groups broadcast messages promoting a society where differences and diversity are accepted and respected.
