Extra! Extra! Read All About It! Fire Storm of Freedom Rages On

I loved you, so I drew these tides of men into my hands and wrote my will across the sky in stars to earn you Freedom.
-T.E. Lawrence

Just a reminder, though sometimes it might not seem that way, this blog was originally intended to promote freedom, deny conspiracies their tenuous hold on the truth and, of course, express my opinions on the subject.

I've discovered a number of "must reads" on the freedom and democracy movements across the world. Some of the newest ones bring much needed inside information.

Please be sure to add these blogs to your general list of things to read and keep up on our "fire burning in the minds of men."

The original blog I support on behalf of Spirit of America Friends of Democracy: Iraq which recently sported an article about the hackers using Islam as the "sword" in there terrible ideology and ignoring its call to "reason and dialogue". Of course, commentary on the political scene in Iraq.

Spirit of America: Friends of Democracy - Lebanon Blog has some great pictures and inside information about the continuing freedom movement in Lebanon.

wanted to make sure these guys knew a huge cross-section of the American people support what they are doing.

"It feels kinda weird, man" Hisham said.

"Why?" I said.

"Because we don't know what you want from us. What's in it for you?"

"Look," I said. "We live in a free country."

"Oh yes, I know," Hashim's friend said. "We really envy you for what you have."

"So we want you to be free, too," I said. "Americans hate dictatorship and oppression. No one should have to live like that. You're fighting for what we believe in, so of course we support you."

They seemed slightly wary, like I was blowing smoke.

"Okay," Hashim said. "Who decides what kind of freedom we have in Lebanon?"

"You," I said and pointed at him personally.

"Yes!" he said. "Who decides what kind of freedom people will have in Iraq?"

"Iraqis," I said.

"Yes!" he said. He then took out a card and wrote his name, phone number, and email address on the back of it. He handed it to me, shook my hand, and said "You have a friend in Lebanon now. You will always be welcome here."

Later, inside a different tent, a young woman took me aside. And she said: "I must tell you something. If we didn't think we had American support we would never have done this. They would kill us. We need you. It is just a fact."

Another great blog that is covering ALL of the freedom and democracy movements is Publius Pundit keeping all the news articles and commentary together in one place. It's an interesting read if sometimes over whelming to know that so many things are happening all over the world.

An interesting occurance in our own back yard, Free Muslims Against Terrorism are organizing a march in Washington, D.C. in support of freedom and democracy in the Middle East, May 14th. If you're in the area, go down and check it out. Better yet, take a camera and get some pictures. (Tom? Are you reading this?)

Their main site Free Muslims Against Terrorism states as their mission:

The Free Muslims Against Terrorism is a nonprofit organization made up of American Muslims and American Arabs of all backgrounds who feel that religious violence and terrorism have not been fully rejected by the Muslim community in the post 9-11 era.

Free Muslims was created to eliminate broad base support for Islamic extremism and terrorism and to strengthen secular democratic institutions in the Middle East and the Muslim World by supporting Islamic reformation efforts.

And, right in the middle of their page, they ask other Muslim Americans to step up to the plate:

Report instances of extremism or support for terrorism

I've seen the head of this organization on television many times and read the site when I get a chance. There are some great articles listed on the side bars and several videos of interviews with different news groups. Including an interesting one with Al Jazeera whom the Free Muslim group considers an aider and abetter to terrorists.

On Iran, this news article that isn't getting much attention regarding US spending money to promote "freedom and democracy" in Iran. Openly. I've been wondering what the hold up was.

The U.S. government already spends nearly $15 million a year on radio and TV broadcasts into Iran in the Persian language, Farsi. But the United States has not given money directly to Iranians or U.S. organizations to work in Iran because of long-standing hostility and a U.S. prohibition on spending money there.

Oh, yes, policy. But, there is a little more to it than that:

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammad Javad Zarif, on Sunday called the U.S. plan "a clear violation of the Algiers accords," which freed 52 U.S. Embassy hostages in Iran in 1981. Zarif said Iran "has the option" of complaining to a special court in the Netherlands. Under the Algiers agreement, the United States pledged "not to intervene directly or indirectly, politically or militarily, in Iran's internal affairs."

Did you know that? I think I was too young at the time and I don't recall reading this in any history class regarding the subject. Fortunately, the article responds with my thoughts. From an AP reporter no less:

Since the agreement was signed, Iran has supported groups such as Hezbollah that the United States regards as terrorist, and it has made progress on a nuclear program that could yield the ability to make bombs.

Exactly. Iran doesn't hold up its end of the bargain, all bets are off. Iran wants to blackmail the world with their nuclear program and disregard their obligations under the Non-proliferation Agreement, thumb their nose at the IAEA? I say it's time for a little overt support for the freedom movement and the mullahs should feel lucky it's only that.

Read the rest here

Iranian blogs for freedom include Blog Iran who quotes from Dr. Michael Ledeen:

President Bush and his team of self-declared democratic revolutionaries have done a lot of talking about supporting the Iranian people, but they haven't delivered on their promises. As they talk, the toll mounts, from Americans killed in Iraq and Afghanistan to Canadians brutally murdered in Tehran, to the oppression and exploitation of the Iranian people, above all the women.


Faster, please. It's getting embarrassing, you know.

That was posted on April 4. Bet this blogger had a surprise yesterday morning when he read the previously mentioned article.

Or, blogging for Regime Change in Iran. Great links to other Iranian freedom blogs.

And, one of my favorite commenters at Iraqi blogs, Stefania, expat Iranian, blogging from Italy and translating many interesting articles at Free Thoughts.

From my post Freedom: A Fire In The Minds of Men January 21, 2005.

I'm gonna take it to the enemies of freedom even if it's only one word, one post, one man, one yard of land, one country at a time.

"By our efforts, we have lit a fire as well - a fire in the minds of men." -Pres Bush

Let's make it the "untamed fire of freedom" that "will reach the darkest corners of our world."

Support freedom and democracy. Give the freedom bloggers a little encouragement and take it to the enemies of freedom one word, one comment at a time at a time.

The fire in the minds of men has become a conflageration, burning away the shadows in the darkest corners, lighting the way to freedom.


Liberty Enlightening the World 

Liberty Cam

"Our defense is in the spirit which prized liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands everywhere. Destroy this spirit and you have planted the seeds of despotism at your own doors."
- Abraham Lincoln

"I would rather belong to a poor nation that was free than to a rich nation that had ceased to be in love with liberty."
- Woodrow Wilson

I Heard A Distant Bell
K. Henry

I heard a distant bell
It rang a joyous sound
The call of liberty
Its song it could be heard
Echoing ‘round the world
Across every shining sea

Telling all the people
Throw off your heavy shackles
End your slavery
Stand up my brothers
Stand proud my sisters
Today you will be free

It’s ringing ever clearer
For some a dreadful sound
The toll that ends their tyranny
Can you hear the distant bell
It rings a joyous sound
The call to liberty

(liberty enlightening the world adapted from sold out poster from Sandra Baker)