Posted by DipNote Bloggers on May 23, 2008 - 11:51 AM
![Secretary Rice at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California May 22, 2008. [AP photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/UNGA/field/2008_0523_rice_bh_m.jpg)
Secretary Rice and British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband visited Google's Mountain View, CA, headquarters this week for a conversation with Google Senior VP David Drummond. The result is an in-depth foreign policy conversation that the editors at DipNote think you will enjoy this Memorial Day weekend. The topics discussed are wide ranging, and the format is one we feel confident our DipNote readers will be absorbed by. This event took place on May 22, 2008, as part of the @Google series.
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Eric in New Mexico writes:
@ Lewis in Japan -- Lewis,
I'd take Madam Rice's thoughts to a slightly different perspective. One could say that the car you drive is a tool you use to get from point a to point b. But for at least one old Cuban fellow who has for decades kept old classic US made automobiles on the road in his country by the power of one's mind to invent the tools, and even adaptations needed to keep them running, in his words,
"To drive,.. IS freedom."
So I tend to look at the internet as the streets one drives upon to get there from here, wherever one's imagination determines the destination.
Now I don't know if you're a parent Louis, but being one I can tell you that it's pretty hard to supress curiosity, though one does sometimes for safety's sake. But try to tell your kids to be quiet when they are in a silly mood and they'll just laugh and carry on. You tell them "No laughing!" and they'll laugh even harder.
Human nature. I found this to be an excellent tecnique when ever they ever had argument with each other, to end the fight in fits of laughter.
My point being that Madam Rice bases her thoughts on a firm and correct notion regarding human nature. And that tyrany, as defined by the supression of expression of the people's will, also is subject to human nature.
Which for context's sake may be summed up as the following "givens" as opperative parameters.
Change is inevitable, peaceful change is desirable, and "Democracy R us." sayeth the people.
You might have heard folks say that the war on terror cannot be won by military means alone, and so it is conversly that no hearts were won by those with no empathy, and no minds can sucessfully ruled by tyrants.
And that too is human nature.
Posted on Wed May 28, 2008
@ Lewis in Japan -- Lewis,
I'd take Madam Rice's thoughts to a slightly different perspective. One could say that the car you drive is a tool you use to get from point a to point b. But for at least one old Cuban fellow who has for decades kept old classic US made automobiles on the road in his country by the power of one's mind to invent the tools, and even adaptations needed to keep them running, in his words,
"To drive,.. IS freedom."
So I tend to look at the internet as the streets one drives upon to get there from here, wherever one's imagination determines the destination.
Now I don't know if you're a parent Louis, but being one I can tell you that it's pretty hard to supress curiosity, though one does sometimes for safety's sake. But try to tell your kids to be quiet when they are in a silly mood and they'll just laugh and carry on. You tell them "No laughing!" and they'll laugh even harder.
Human nature. I found this to be an excellent tecnique when ever they ever had argument with each other, to end the fight in fits of laughter.
My point being that Madam Rice bases her thoughts on a firm and correct notion regarding human nature. And that tyrany, as defined by the supression of expression of the people's will, also is subject to human nature.
Which for context's sake may be summed up as the following "givens" as opperative parameters.
Change is inevitable, peaceful change is desirable, and "Democracy R us." sayeth the people.
You might have heard folks say that the war on terror cannot be won by military means alone, and so it is conversly that no hearts were won by those with no empathy, and no minds can sucessfully ruled by tyrants.
And that too is human nature.
Posted on Wed May 28, 2008
DipNote Blogger Luke Forgerson writes:
@ Lewis in Japan -- You can read more about the Global Internet Freedom Task Force at the Global Internet Freedom Task Force website.
Posted on Wed May 28, 2008
@ Lewis in Japan -- You can read more about the Global Internet Freedom Task Force at the Global Internet Freedom Task Force website.
Posted on Wed May 28, 2008
Lewis in Japan writes:
I always enjoy the @google videos- this one was certainly worth watching, although my personal favorite is Barack Obama's (who has earned his place as 'nerd favorite' with good cause).
I cannot suppress my grudging admiration for Ms. Rice; She is obviously an immensely intelligent and admirable leader and that was conveyed well in this video. I was particularly interested by the following:
"I formed a task force on internet freedom, because I believe very strongly that the internet is possibly one of the greatest tools for democratization and individual freedom that we've ever seen. And I know that there are a lot of governments across the world that are trying to block it, trying to regulate it, trying to make sure that people can't really use it to its full advantage. And they may have some minimal success, but they really won't be able to undermine its power. And so, I'm a major proponent of internet freedom."
Internet freedom/censorship is a strong issue for me and Ms. Rice's response was thus an enormously pleasant surprise. Does anybody have any information on this 'Internet Freedom Task Force' and what it has currently accomplished in countering Internet censorship?
Posted on Wed May 28, 2008
I always enjoy the @google videos- this one was certainly worth watching, although my personal favorite is Barack Obama's (who has earned his place as 'nerd favorite' with good cause).
I cannot suppress my grudging admiration for Ms. Rice; She is obviously an immensely intelligent and admirable leader and that was conveyed well in this video. I was particularly interested by the following:
"I formed a task force on internet freedom, because I believe very strongly that the internet is possibly one of the greatest tools for democratization and individual freedom that we've ever seen. And I know that there are a lot of governments across the world that are trying to block it, trying to regulate it, trying to make sure that people can't really use it to its full advantage. And they may have some minimal success, but they really won't be able to undermine its power. And so, I'm a major proponent of internet freedom."
Internet freedom/censorship is a strong issue for me and Ms. Rice's response was thus an enormously pleasant surprise. Does anybody have any information on this 'Internet Freedom Task Force' and what it has currently accomplished in countering Internet censorship?
Posted on Wed May 28, 2008
Eric in New Mexico writes:
Hi Wang,
Here's the latest.
Secretary's Remarks: Interview With Steve Hayes of the Weekly Standard
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2008/05/105203.htm
As a private U.S. citizen, I wish to express my condolences to your fellow citizens in China dealing with your national tragedy and the aftershocks. I believe the way both the people and its government have shone grace and spirit in addressing this monumental crisis sets a new bar as standard for humanitarian crisis resolution in general.
Posted on Tue May 27, 2008
Hi Wang,
Here's the latest.
Secretary's Remarks: Interview With Steve Hayes of the Weekly Standard
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2008/05/105203.htm
As a private U.S. citizen, I wish to express my condolences to your fellow citizens in China dealing with your national tragedy and the aftershocks. I believe the way both the people and its government have shone grace and spirit in addressing this monumental crisis sets a new bar as standard for humanitarian crisis resolution in general.
Posted on Tue May 27, 2008
Wang in China writes:
I just want to know the text.
DipNote Bloggers write:
Wang, the text transcript can be found at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2008/05/105182.htm.
Posted on Mon May 26, 2008
I just want to know the text.
DipNote Bloggers write:
Wang, the text transcript can be found at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2008/05/105182.htm.
Posted on Mon May 26, 2008
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