Blogs actually have become politically important; they helped sway the last election in the US. Think of the most courageous blogger you know. Then think of Mohammed Ali Abtahi, a former Vice President of Iran who worked to topple the Shah, and now blogs to reform the present government.
He figured out how to blog in his native language, and helps other Iranian bloggers. Today there are over 12,000 blogs in Farsi. In a New Scientist interview, he says:
“Reform will happen first in society, then in government. Iran did undergo reform under President Khatami, though the people were dissatisfied with the pace of change. The net is one of the tools society has been using, and developing, to change things. The net is influential and will bring more pressure for change. It belongs to the new generation, and now that young people consider themselves members of a worldwide movement they have higher expectations. Getting through the establishment’s filters is not very hard as computer knowledge is widespread in Iran.”
I love that phrase; “Reform will happen first in society, then in government”. And while it is doubtful I would agree with Abtahi on very many issues, it is tantalizing to think that blogging could actually be a slower, less explosive force for change. All that constant talk, talk, talk may grow tiresome but it beats killing people anyday.