The Price Of Blogging
May 27, 2007 at 8:28 am
Washington Post ombudsman Deborah Howell says “I’ll think about it” when challenged to start a blog.
That lack of certainty over a blog’s value is something only she can tackle.
But in today’s same Outlook section, we find more resolve — and tragic results — from Egyptian freedom blogger Wael Abbas:
I am an Egyptian blogger. And the Mubarak regime is out to get me and others like me.
It is engaged in an all-out campaign against those of us who use the Internet to report the truth about what is happening in Egypt. It is spreading rumors about us and targeting us for character assassination. Judges allied with the government have filed lawsuits against more than 50 bloggers, accusing them of blackmail and of defaming Egypt and demanding that their blogs be shut down. Meanwhile, security officials appear on television to claim that the bloggers are violating media and communications laws.
Is this the kind of regime you want your tax money to support?
That tale should influence Howell’s decision. At least if she starts a blog, she won’t be thrown in jail.
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