#nottwominutes: The Problem with Words

I always feel sorry for words- we make them cheap, expensive, world-changing, out of context, perfect, offensive, loving, critical… words must have a huge identity crisis with all the ways they are used. Poor words…

Words can get you in trouble- for instance for writing lyrics that oppose an oppressive regime, or saying something that scares those in positions of power. They can get you beaten up and thrown in prison. And then, most of the time, all other people have left are words of protest.

Galal El-Behairy wrote lyrics for the song "Balaha" (The date) by Rami Essam and was beaten, tortured and imprisoned for those words. They are critical and somewhat insulting, but throwing someone in jail for their words is to criminalise self-expression.

A government has more than words at their disposal to silence dissent. Making use of those powers in such a fashion goes against so many articles of the human rights convention that it is linked for you to make your mind up about which ones this kind of action breaks.

This is not an individual case- Human Rights Watch details numerous cases of abuse, imprisonment and infringement of basic rights that should be self-evident. I've grown weary, trying to count all the names.

If you feel there is something you can do about this, do. If not, there is at least one petition to sign. I'm not a fan, but sometimes, voicing protest is all you can do.

Failing that, more words.

Comments

COG I: Good Game, Long Thought (3)

Caram on Games (COG) is an occasional ramble in which I discuss computer gaming, gaming culture and how I perceive them, in an attempt to talk about a medium that I've always been passionate about, or at least enjoyed. Every part is an exploration of thoughts, meaning that it comes together as it is written- so while they may meander for a while, a point will eventually be reached. Maybe. After a lot of words, and sometimes numbers. You have been warned. Let's start with the basics: 0. What makes a good game? This question has as many answers as there are ways to make a game, and most of them are subjective, dependent on how the individual gamer experiences their play, how deeply they are willing to delve into the details surrounding a game and how much time this will take, expectations towards gameplay and stortytelling, the studio and publisher, familiarity with methods of non-linear stories… This answer becomes more complicated from a publication and developmen...

Spring Lessons: Musiksehen Black and White

Note: this post was begun on 03.July 2013, just before Morsi was ousted from power. A long while after the last post, and a second Egyptian uprising against the rule of Mohammad Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood happening as I write, a seemingly unrelated post on a Spring Lessons event that will be taking place tomorrow: Musiksehen Schwarzweiss, or Black & White. The idea was born at the exhibition "Right to Left" curated by EP51 and Uqbar. The exhibition was titled "Arabic and Iranian Visual cultures" and collected works of graphic design by artists from the aforementioned backgrounds. Included, by chance or design, in the exhibition, was a book by Iranian graphic designer Peyman Pourhosein of Studio Khargah . This book revealed to me a visual history of Iranian film in form of posters, vinyl covers, and film stills. Knowing that many films produced before 1979 are banned from screening in the country and connecting the narrative of the Iranian revol...

¡Carambolage Rocks! (Apparently)

Gather the barber shop quartet! Roll the Drums! Fire the Works! Open the ball! Vote Hillary! Raise the topmast! Scour the Plank! Split the Atom! Shiver me timbers! That brought on quite a bit of nonsensical jubilation, finding that iCeah of Wow Legs has nominated Carambolage as a Kick-Ass Blog. In fact I jubilated all through yesterday, pausing only to reflect on Microsofts new Ad, Shelves I'd like to have, Fembots and Virgin advertising. I jubilated through work and through a small spot of partying.I am still jubilant as I write this! And now, my speech: "We've come a long way, yahdiyahdiyah, achievement, blahblah, the people who made this possible, yakyakyak, our sponsors, moohdemoohdemooh, honoured to accept, beehdibeehdibeeh, Mom, God and the stinky state of Berlin. Thangyouthangyouverymuch." So thank you for the Award, iCeah, if you didn't have one already, I'd nominate you right back, Meanwhile, my link-list needs some updating. Also meanwhile, here...

Caramblogage

Search This Blog