Reporter Detained In Ukraine Crisis Tells His Story

When should free speech be censored to ensure stability in government?

Shouldn’t a people fighting for their own rights be free from the opinions of others?

For one to answer yes to this last question would mean that they are against freedom of speech. This is what a self-proclaimed mayor in Pro-Russia Ukraine did. He saw how much Vice News reporter Simon Ostrovsky showed the ugliness of the Pro-Russian takeover of Ukrainian government buildings.

Vice News is an excellent agency that gets to the forefront of the action where reporters risk their lives and obviously risk the chance of being captured and beaten.

It appears to be a pattern that when a reporter delves deeper into the Ukraine Crisis and reveals how involved the Russians are or they show Pro-Russian troops using force, the Pro-Russians respond by silencing that person.

This only happens when a government or ruling body cannot provide justification for what they do. They know that their taking of land by force is illegitimate and they have no excuse for what they are doing. All they can do is put a bag on the head of the public and hope that no one sees what is behind the scene.

This is as a regression of modern day life. We live in a world where communication is paramount. People don’t want to loose their reputation because the social media will be sure to know. People must take full responsibility for their actions. Pro-Russian forces have done just that, well as long as those actions show them “improving” their town.

It is not the path of liberty to prevent free speech, and the path of liberty is the path of the future. The Arab spring, Syrian Civil War, and Ukraine Revolution is all about fighting for liberty. It is sad to see this liberty being squashed by Pro-Russian fighters that are being guided by a country that uses force rather than international negotiations.

Do you ever think that free speech can be more harmful than helpful? Comment below!

The Forgotten Revolution: Bahrain Uprising

The Bahrain Uprising began in 2011 with the rest of the Arab world taking part in the Arab Spring. Bahrain citizens have organized about every month to claim rights for Shia Muslim citizens.

In Bahrain, Islam is the religion of nearly every citizen. The ruling government is Sunni while the population is mostly Shia. The Shia majority was not allowed high positions in government and related high-level job positions. The protests began to allow Shia citizens to have more job mobility.

Peaceful and Violent

The protests in Bahrain started peacefully. I was on one of Bahrain’s main highway as I accidentally emerged on a street parallel with thousands of protesting Bahrainis. The men were all in the front with their young kids on their shoulders while all the women were in the rear of the parade of people. They appeared to be going to a giant family picnic rather than wave their red and white flags in protest.

These protests occurred nearly every month in the first year. They remained peaceful for a short time, but then anger had its way bringing violence to the protests. Some protestors set tires ablaze and threatened the safety of everyone by putting these in the road. Gunshots could occasionally be heard and explosives were used. Shia and Sunni citizens no longer felt as safe in Bahrain.

External Intervention

Because Bahrain has such a large majority of Shia Muslims, they hired foreign policemen who would not have emotional ties with the “assailants.” The uprising led to such a level that the surrounding nations sent forces to deal with the violent protestors.

 

The Arab Peninsula has a defense force composed of most of the nations of the peninsula. The Peninsula Shield Force sent forces into Bahrain to handle protestors.

I remember seeing caravans of black and blue armored cars driving across the highways into Bahrain. These vehicles came equipped with tear gas launchers and many policemen armed with shotguns.

The Pearl Roundabout

The main gathering point for all of the protestors was the Pearl Roundabout. I say was because it is no longer around. The Shield Force thought the best way to stop a protest would be to plow down a national monument that was erected in celebration of unity among the Arab states for the Gulf Cooperation Council. The roundabout was destroyed by the very nations the Pearl Roundabout was built for.

The King’s Response

What did the king of Bahrain do when the protests began? Well, he changed the picture of himself that you can see when you enter Bahrain from him simply smiling in front of a Bahrain flag to him waving a Bahrain flag in front of the thousands of protestors. He appears as the leader of the whole protest, but whom were they all protesting against? The king himself! So does this mean that he supports his people even when they protest against him?

Should Bahrain continue protesting? When should a revolution just end? Post your thoughts below in the comments.

The American Civil War And The Ukraine Crisis

“While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came” –Abraham Lincoln

Tension, when is it strong enough to break a bond apart? New conflicts between pro-Russian Ukrainians and the Ukrainian government have arisen in Ukraine. We can look closer into this ongoing conflict in Ukraine by also looking into the past at the American Civil War in the 1860’s.

A Turn After The Revolution

America’s revolution was a fight for freedom from tyranny and for the rights offered in a democracy. Ukraine’s revolution also fought the oppression of a dictator and sought to establish democratic rights.

In America, the rights were solidified in the U.S. Constitution while Ukraine is still in the process of constructing the rights that the Ukrainian people have protested for.

America’s civil war came 85 years after the revolution was won while Ukraine only had its revolution nearly five months ago. Ukraine hasn’t been able to focus on instituting firm and clear democratic rights in the nation because it has been faced with constant tension. In order for it to be the Ukraine that its people protested for, it must achieve peace and order in the nation.

To Save The Union

President Abraham Lincoln when giving his second inaugural address said, “Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish.” His word’s still ring true to this day. Ukraine and Russia both declared that they wished to evade war. They did, and now Crimea is in the hands of Putin.

The acting president of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov, has begun military operations against the armed pro-Russia gunmen who have take over government buildings in eastern Ukraine. Like Lincoln, Turchynov is attempting to save the union of Ukraine instead of letting parts of Ukraine leave the nation and fall into Russia’s control.

Foreign Intervention

The American Civil War was seen as a fight against slavery. This deterred foreign involvement in America because European powers did not want to appear to be pro-slavery.

Ukraine does not have this humanitarian call to battle that the U.S. did. Ukraine’s battle is largely not against itself, but against its neighbor. Russian intervention will not allow Ukraine to settle its own interior conflict and be a stable nation once again. Russia’s interference will only weaken the nation of Ukraine without strengthening the pro-West side or the pro-Russia side.

Ukraine Must Be United

Abraham Lincoln wanted peace. He cared for the South and sympathized with the Southern people. They offered to secede the union peacefully, but Lincoln did not see it in the power or right of the president to allow the union to be divided and the nation split.

The government of Ukraine cannot continue to let Eastern regions of Ukraine secede. Although much of the population of Eastern Ukraine may desire secession, it is not in the power of the Ukrainian president to allow the nation to peacefully dissolve.

Do you think Lincoln was right in his argument against peaceful secession? Is peace more important than unity? Look comments below to express your opinion.

Catching Up With Time, Western History Repeating Itself In The East

As the economy becomes globalized and the East has increased strength in world trade and production, modern ways are flooding Eastern customs.

As the East evolves, historical events from the West are repeating themselves in the Middle East.

Muslims vs Muslims

Just as Catholics and Protestants were waging wars in Europe, Islam has its two sects divided. Though most Muslims frown upon violence, some do believe that fighting is a righteous plan. The two sects are the Sunni and Shia.

Continue Reading Here…

Modernization vs Tradition

As modernization comes in, the doors of tradition begin to close. The countries most affected currently are in the Middle East. The wealth of oil has catalyzed growth in these countries bringing them not only cars, but also has allowed for some countries have gone above and beyond to flaunt their modern ways by doing things like constructing the world’s tallest tower, The Burj Khalifah. Tradition is attempting to hold on while Western ways continue to take hold over region.

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Religion vs Agnosticism/Atheism

Islam is a religion that has grasped nearly all of the Middle East. Now, this strongly held religion is being tested. Agnosticism has not pursued the pious older generations of the Middle East as much as it has affected the most vulnerable demographic, the youth of the Middle East.

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The changing Middle East presents itself as an excellent environment for a new generation with a vision for the future. However, modernization is threatening the one thing that gives a country identity, its culture.

Countries around the Middle East have been left unchanged for centuries until the mid-19^th century, and now the very thing leading it to a prosperous future threatens this land of romance and mystery.

How do you see countries like those in the Middle East change? Do you believe that modernization is more or less beneficial to a culture rich country? Leave your comments below!

Muslims vs Muslims

Just as Catholics and Protestants were waging wars in Europe, Islam has its two sects divided. Though most Muslims frown upon violence, some do believe that fighting is a righteous plan. The two sects are the Sunni and Shia.

Each Middle Eastern country has a majority of either Sunni or Shia. The minority is sometimes oppressed and there are numerous reports of violence between the two Muslim sects. Some Middle Eastern countries base their foreign policy in their majority sect and ally themselves with other countries that have the same majority.

One country that has a majority of one sect has a royal family who is made of the minority. Bahrain is mostly Shia, but the ruling family is Sunni. The revolution in Bahrain has mostly been forgotten now, but protests have been occurring for a few years.

The protests in Bahrain began because the majority of the population couldn’t reach high-level job positions because the majority is Shia. Protests arose and security was heightened. Along the road, pictures of the King were replaced with a mass of protestors with the king photoshopped into the picture holding a Bahrain flag while appearing to lead the protestors, who (in reality) are actually protesting against the king himself.

The government hired foreign policemen in order to not use the many Shia policemen. This would keep the police from being emotionally connected to protestors.

The protests have been unsuccessful in gaining ground in Bahrain so far, but it proves how much tension exists within some Islamic nations.

Do you believe that such religious tension is inevitable in every religion or is it unique only to a few religions? Comment below!

Modernization vs Tradition

 

As modernization comes in, the doors of tradition begin to close. The countries most affected currently are in the Middle East. The wealth of oil has catalyzed growth in these countries bringing them not only cars, but also has allowed for some countries have gone above and beyond to flaunt their modern ways by doing things like constructing the world’s tallest tower, The Burj Khalifah. Tradition is attempting to hold on while Western ways continue to take hold over region.

The Middle East is full of countries where people wear traditional clothing. The traditional dress is usually some type of robe. Younger generations are now choosing to wear Western clothes. A few countries in the Middle East still require their women to wear full robes and for their men to wear pants along with a short-sleeved shirt. But now the unthinkable has happened! Some men are wearing shorts, scandalous!

Unique customs such as eating with the hand are slowing fading away. Complete ways of life are hanging due to the new found wealth oil has given the Middle East.

Do you believe that a country should forgo its customs and traditional way of life in favor of modernization? Comment below!

Religion vs Agnosticism/Atheism

Islam is a religion that has grasped nearly all of the Middle East. Now, this strongly held religion is being tested. Agnosticism has not pursued the pious older generations of the Middle East as much as it has affected the most vulnerable demographic, the youth of the Middle East.

As the youth becomes more engaged with other cultures, their perception of religion is tested. Of course, whose belief in a God wouldn’t be tested upon hearing the voice of Justin Bieber. 

Many Middle Eastern students come to the U.S. and Canada to attend a university. The very fact that their new community isn’t completely Muslim makes them analyze their faith. Many beliefs and religions that they have been kept from are then shown to them.

This does not mean that most give up their faith, but it has been a rare occurrence for a Muslim to give up his faith. Now, these college students are questioning themselves more than ever before.

College tests the faith of anyone from any religious background. Although we know that many college students lose their faith, we have yet to see the effect these students will have on their home countries when they return.

This is a pivotal time for the future of the Middle East.

Do you believe that the evolution of religion is inevitable in a time like this? Comment below!

Voices From The Inside

As we watch current events around the world, Ukraine has been in the breaking news for nearly four months now. As Americans, we have access to Western news agencies and we can even look at Russia Today, but it is hard to find news directly from Ukraine. Of course, all news agencies have a bias and we must not doubt that Ukraine’s bias against Russia is heavy at this time. So take each fact with a grain of salt.

Here are some facts that the Ukrainian news has been telling its citizens:

·      Approximately 38% of Crimea voted in the referendum

This number sharply contrasts Putin’s estimate of approximately 87% voting participation. Of the votes that were cast, around 90-97% of them were in favor of joining Russia. If Putin is correct, it is easy to see that the majority wants to join Russia. However, most of the people who were opposed to Russian assimilation chose not to vote. If 62% of the population didn’t vote, Crimea should be free from Russia’s grip.

·      Russian spies have been sabotaging Ukraine’s military

News agencies like the BBC have composed lists comparing Ukraine’s military to Russia’s. Russia’s military is superior to Ukraine’s, but Ukraine does have a sizable amount of tanks and infantry if needed. Ukrainian news sources claim that Russian spies have long been sabotaging Ukraine’s military by disabling vehicles. Ukraine’s previous leader of intelligence was from Russia. Even Ukraine’s previous Prime Minister had difficulty speaking in Ukrainian. Ukraine left itself completely vulnerable to Russia and now it may not have the choice to fight back even if desired.

·      There are few Russian citizens in Crimea

Many sources have claimed that numerous amounts of Russian citizens crossed over into Crimea near the time of the Russian invasion. The many protests held were held by Russian citizens who weren’t residents of Crimea.

·       Russian special forces have advanced beyond the Crimean border

There have been a few reports of Russian Special Forces being deployed by helicopter in Ukraine’s Kherson province, which is just North-West of Crimea. These forces have been said to have captured unprotected energy facilities and are preparing the way for other Russian troops to soon follow.

·      Crimea’s newly elected leader was a crime boss

Crimea’s recently elected leader is known to have been a major crime boss. His nickname is “The Goblin” and his tactics were brutal. News sources have said that Ukraine’s ruling government was held at gunpoint by Russian troops when they voted him in as their leader. Sources claim that he is being paid by Russia, and so far, is willing to sell his country for that money.

Not all of these claims may be completely accurate, but it is useful to see all perspectives when examining an issue. Be sure to see each side's perspective before deciding on who to agree with.

A Look Into The Ukrainian Crisis

Obama and Putin

While rumors spread about a new Cold War, two of the most powerful world leaders are taking on different strategies to secure national interests. While cooperation is being sought (at least partially) by both sides, the major flaws that both leaders have pose serious problems in upholding world order.

Should Obama Be More Forceful?

Obama is portrayed as a stressed politician who would rather give Putin Crimea than argue with him. Obama has been seen as a leader who lacks action on the Ukrainian crisis. The news agencies have shown his lack of strong leadership again and again in the news with headlines like, "Obama calls Putin and makes no progress."

Obama has imposed the strictest sanction on Russia since the Cold War. Like any Western leader, he is trying hard to avoid direct conflict with the powerful nation of Russia. Those who believe Obama to be a leader whose authority lacks action should look to the events of the past few years. The U.S. military have been involved in Libya and even somewhat in Syria. Obama has approved of these operations, but these nations pose themselves as minimal dangers when compared to a war with Russia.

Obama may be seen as the leader who politely asks for Putin to leave Crimea, but he does have the wisdom to see how devastating a war with a nuclear nation would be. He has proved that he will send forces when needed, but the question still stands, “When should we help a nation like Ukraine?”

Putin The Strategist

Putin is shown as a dictator who looks like a war hardened leader who simply wants to conquer. His lack of perfect English makes us see him as less intelligent and one who would rush into battle yelling “Freedom” (or maybe in the case of Crimea), “Freedom will be crushed!”

Putin is not the kind of man to just drink Vodka when he is stressed. When things are tough, he wrestles a bear and then drinks vodka while he rides it. However, he would probably win every game of Risk he plays. From his perfect timing when invading Crimea to perfectly placing his allies in power in Ukraine, he has proven his cunning and daring strategy. He knows his moves so well and it appears that he can predict what the West will do. His daring leadership threatens the rest of Ukraine and the rest of Europe.

The final question is, “Can Obama cautiously deal with a man who conquers land with the mind of a strategist and who has a courage that scares the West?” Do you think Obama is capable of doing this? Comment below!

5 Ways That News Agencies Inaccurately Portray Protests:

1. The news always focuses on the smallest hint of violence.

"If it bleeds, it leads" is still an accurate depiction of what drives news corporations today. When the people of Ukraine started protesting, international news agencies weren't very involved. The protests were purely peaceful and appeared to be more of a concert at times than a protest. The country's pop stars were performing for protestors while EU flags fluttered in the air. It wasn't until the police started using clubs on the demonstrators that major news agencies got involved in Ukraine. 

2. The news doesn't usually show how daily life is affected.

During every protest, but daily life must carry on. During the Arab Spring in Bahrain, some protestors would go shopping at the mall right before heading over to the Pearl Roundabout. Restaurants stay open and sometimes businesses actually profit more from the demonstrations. When the Ukrainian people showed their desire for EU membership, many small shops were selling EU flags and clothing. On rare occasions, daily life is halted altogether. When Ukrainians started protesting against Yanukovych, many people from all over the country went to Kiev and started living in tents. People stopped working at their job for weeks and depended on soup tents for nutrients. 

3. In a large event, sometimes protests are not even heard of. 

The Arab Spring was one of the largest movements in the past decade. With so many protests in numerous countries, the news couldn't always keep up with all of the protests. In Bahrain, there was a mass gathering of several thousand people. It wasn't shown in international news because they were focused on Libya at the time. Of course, Bahrain was later shown in international news once violence began. In other Middle Eastern countries, there were protests that major news agencies didn't even mention and perhaps didn't even know about. 

4. Sometimes the amount of protesting is exaggerated.

When we see a protest happening in one place, remember to think about what's happening in the rest of the country. In Ukraine, the majority of protesting was hosted at the city center of Kiev, Maidan. For many weeks, Ukraine only had demonstrations in a few cities while the rest of the country was quiet. This doesn't mean that the rest of the country didn't care. On the contrary, tens of thousands of people drove to Kiev to join the protesting. Perhaps the entire country cares, but rarely is the entire country awake all night to protest.

5. News agencies ALWAYS have a bias.

This is best seen in RT news. RT is funded by the Russian government so its bias is often easily seen. Several years ago, they reported the the U.S. was on the brink of revolution. The news reporter was in New York City interviewing people who told how the U.S. was about to crumble. The people they interviewed were few and they didn't appear to be the most credible. RT focused on these individuals only because they provided a story that RT was looking for. In regards to Ukraine, RT is one of the few news agencies that supports the actions of Russian aggression. Two of the employees of RT America actually spoke out against RT's stance on Ukraine. All news agencies have a country they call home, and the bias of that nation flows into the news whether for good or bad. 

Use this info to understand how to view the news from the agencies, which have faults. Do you see some of these faults occurring more than others? Comment below!