I also agree with Marc. I find the U.S. coverage of this case to be woefully simplistic. Describing El Universo as an "independent newspaper" being crushed by a thin-skinned autocrat glosses over a long history of serious conflicts of interest between big banking and the "free" media that they own and control. If publicly-owned media is to some extent beholden to the state, then El Universo, Expreso, Metroquil, etc. (in Guayaquil, at least) very much work in concordance with the municipal government and local moneyed interests. In short, I think we should be careful about labeling this as a black-and-white government censorship issue. And in this effort, Marc's point about social movements is key. However, I would add that of importance are not only movements that seek to hold the state accountable, but also those who organize and speak out against the excesses of power at various levels of government, as well as the private sector.<br>
<br>Sincerely,<br>Lorien Olive<br><br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 6:43 AM, <a href="mailto:timo@lat-0.com">timo@lat-0.com</a> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:timo@lat-0.com">timo@lat-0.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">Yes. Four legs bad, two legs good. <br><br>Sent from myTouch 4G<div><div></div><div class="h5"><br><br>----- Reply message -----<br>
From: "Maria-Auxiliadora Cordero" <<a href="mailto:MCORDERO@pitt.edu" target="_blank">MCORDERO@pitt.edu</a>><br>To: "Marc Becker" <<a href="mailto:marc@yachana.org" target="_blank">marc@yachana.org</a>><br>
Cc: "<a href="mailto:lasa@ecuatorianistas.org" target="_blank">lasa@ecuatorianistas.org</a>" <<a href="mailto:lasa@ecuatorianistas.org" target="_blank">lasa@ecuatorianistas.org</a>><br>Subject: [Lasa] Censorship in Ecuador - Lese-presidente - Rafael Correa seeks to bankrupt his media foes<br>
Date: Fri, Jul 29, 2011 21:49<br><br><br><br>I agree with you Marc.<br><br>Mariuxi Cordero<br><br><br>On Fri, July 29, 2011 11:47 pm, Marc Becker wrote:<br>> I find it highly significant and insightful that in protest El Universo<br>
> printed the words of Ayn Rand on its otherwise blank cover. As<br>> objectionable as some of Rafael Correa's actions might be, we have to be<br>> careful that our positions and actions do not strengthen the oligarchy,<br>
> and that is exactly what the conservative media establishment<br>> represents. Instead, I think, we should ally with social movements in<br>> their struggles to hold the government accountable to a more humane,<br>
> more just system of administration.<br>><br>> marc.<br>><br>> --<br>> Marc Becker<br>> Professor of History<br>> Truman State University<br>> <a href="mailto:marc@yachana.org" target="_blank">marc@yachana.org</a><br>
> <a href="http://www.yachana.org" target="_blank">http://www.yachana.org</a><br>> _______________________________________________<br>> Lasa mailing list<br>> <a href="mailto:Lasa@lists.ecuatorianistas.org" target="_blank">Lasa@lists.ecuatorianistas.org</a><br>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Lorien Olive<br>Ph.D. Candidate<br>Duke University<br>Department of Cultural Anthropology<br>