North Carolina has 102 NAACP-related blogs ready to go, even if almost no one seems to be posting to them yet. No surprise. This statewide project by affiliates of the leading civil rights group seems to be just starting. It could well be a model for chapters in other states, a way for blogging to reach farther beyond techies and the well-off. Even homeless people have done blogs, but the Carolina initiative shows that the technology is now entering the mainstream despite attacks in the news media.
I hope to catch up with Jerry L. McClough at some point for more information. Way to go, Jerry. Congratulations also to your statewide president, Melvin “Skip” Alston, shown above. Just what can people outside Carolina do to help? In this era of Skype and Packet8, all kinds of things are possible even if you can’t round up enough assistance locally. Maybe your blogging network can even organize in time against Hollywood-bought copyright laws as poverty-promoters, a pesky topic neglected by the mass media. Just one of many issues to cover, but an important one, as the Eyes on the Prize mess shows. The more money paid to studios and rich heirs, the less for the poverty fights of schools and libraries. Too bad the media and even “populist” Democrats like John Edwards are essentially tolerant of Washington’s multibillion-dollar copyright giveaways such as the Sonny Copyright Term Extension Act.
Blogs as info sources for journalists and researchers
From what I hear, incidentally, through an MP3 from audioactivism.org, Afro-Americans are not entirely happy with something else in the media realm–the Greensboro paper’s coverage of their communities. Maybe John Edwards’ much-ballyhooed poverty center can help correct this–by arranging for blog training in local communities. Newspapers can assist, too. In fact, that excellent suggestion was already made at a Greensboro blogging conference by, I think, Dave Winer himself if I heard correctly. Good idea. It’s far better than the Alpha Blogger’s notion of a blog-based economy for an area hit by massive layoffs in the textile industry.
Blogging is a potential enabler for activism, education and businesses–not a source of mass employment, especially for the poor of all races–and the NAACP’s activities could be a great example.
The NAACP and the Chapel Hill conference crowd
In fact, what if the NAACP effort were to be a theme of the next Chapel Hill blogging conference? Talk about blogging as a way to help give a voice to the voiceless–including maybe even a voice in the literal sense! TeleRead already has a lively audio blog from David Fauxcheux, a blind librarian, to whom AudioBlogger currently links based on the quality of his commentaries and book reviews.
For journalists and policymakers alike, grassroots bloggers undoubtedly will have plenty to say in all media. Let’s just hope that the Edwards wonks will read, listen and watch via the Net–and also invite community-level activists to Chapel Hill and keep in touch with them in other ways.
OK–so I’m venturing somewhat into the territory I planned to cover via a Net-related to-do list for the Edwards center. So be it.
