Blogging may be Hazardous to your Health

The things that we western bloggers take for granted! Slashdot reports:

“A Singaporean blogger, who pled guilty to sedition charges last month for posting anti-Muslim remarks in his blog, has avoided a custodial sentence, and has been placed on 2 years probation instead. According to the article, the 17 year old student is the third person to be convicted under Singapore’s sedition laws in October. Singapore, which is unconcerned by wide criticism of its record of press freedom, appears to have been stepping up efforts against bloggers in recent months.”

This guy got off lightly compared to most. Often when I read reports like this I can’t help but feel an affinity towards my fellow bloggers.

Indeed, blogging crosses all political, racial and religious boundaries putting us on a level playing field (excepting Pajamas Media elitists and their ilk of course :). That is what makes the blogosphere special. A blogging brother/sisterhood so to speak. The ties that bind and all that.

Perhaps it is also because I lived for a time in Malasia and I am reminded of when I lost a journalism job for merely voicing my opinion about the government. I should count myself lucky. Others have disappeared into the night for less.

I know first-hand the suffering that people in third world countries endure not having the luxury of freedom of speech that the west enjoys. There has been many a time that I wished there was more I could do besides providing lip-service. Then again, with the power of blog technology at least we can broadcast news items like this to the rest of the world, and if there is enough public opinion to bring to bear… who knows.