Yesterday, the Central Intelligence Agency released previously secret information about its illegal activities during the middle of the 20th century. This collection of secrets was known as the “Family Jewels”.
Thousands of bloggers have posted articles about the Family Jewels. However, it seems that very few bloggers have actually taken a look at the Family Jewels themselves, even though they are easily available to the public. Most of the blog articles written about the Family Jewels don’t talk much about the details of the documents. Instead, they refer to what major news organizations have written about the documents, or worse, copy and paste what other bloggers have written about what major news organizations have written about the documents.
As of this evening, more than 24 hours after the release of the Family Jewels documents by the CIA, the Technorati blog search engine has recorded only 24 articles written by bloggers that even mention the name Yuri Ivanovich Nosenko, a Soviet defector who was illegally held in a secret detention camp. One of those 24 articles was written by Irregular Times contributor Truman, who notes the striking parallel between the detention of Nosenko and the illegal imprisonment going on at Guantanamo Bay in this century. Truman also observes that the location of the Nosenko prison is still kept secret by the United States government, implying that it may well still be in use, holding prisoners outside of the law.
Why aren’t more bloggers writing about this story, or the other good stories that are to be found in the Family Jewels documents? The sad answer seems to be that many bloggers are reluctant to write about a particular story unless they’ve seen somebody else write about it first. Too many bloggers have gotten into the habit of merely repeating the news that others have already told. Often, repetition, with analysis, is called for. However, a blogger who doesn’t look for information from original sources isn’t adding anything but a touch of reverb to the Internet.
Bloggers, there is a wealth of material out there to write about that few others have even bothered to touch. If you want something easy and interesting, start with the Family Jewels. They’re at the CIA’s own Freedom of Information Act web site, which also reveals many other previously classified documents.
Looking for more original material? Check out the Library of Congress and search for current legislation and other government documents. Go to Statescape and register for free to search through state legislation on provocative subject matters. Go to candidates’ web sites, and see for yourself what they’re saying about the issues that matter to you.
The people who have developed the Internet have provided us with an unprecidented ability to develop a grassroots press that provides information, insight, and opinion on a number of matters that never would have reached the public through a newspaper. Merely repeat what other people have written, and that gift is squandered.
I don’t think it’s that, Peregrin. I think it’s the format they’re in. Seven hundred some pages and you can’t just download them, you have to select each image and call it up separately. No scrolling though it while skimming.
No wonder spooks are so spooky.