Re: Houston We Have a Problem

Owen,
Setting aside the controversial nature of this statement, I don’t think this sort of U.S.-centric political diatribe has any place in the discussions of an international technical standards organization, not even one engaged in addressing mis- and disinformation.
I welcome your thoughts on how to restore trust to the web, but I cannot countenance pushing a specific political agenda.
-Annette

> On Sep 22, 2021, at 7:47 PM, Owen Ambur <Owen.Ambur@verizon.net> wrote:
> 
> Not that this group needs more evidence of the problem but here's some <https://greenwald.substack.com/p/new-proof-emerges-of-the-biden-family?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjozNzI2NDE5OSwicG9zdF9pZCI6NDE2NTU1MTksIl8iOiJBVVNseCIsImlhdCI6MTYzMjMzMzgzOSwiZXhwIjoxNjMyMzM3NDM5LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMTI4NjYyIiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.VExF-WsNs9bSmeMDqYBsez-WPDOyMHvBuBmwEylHyV4> that is pretty clear.
> 
> From my perspective, it appears those who disbelieve the existence of the Deep State <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_state> are engaging in artificial ignorance <https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/artificial-ignorance-owen-ambur/> in service to The Politics Industry <https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/politics-industry-v-we-people-magic-formula-owen-ambur/>.  There is nothing mysterious or particularly nefarious about it.  People who believe that more, bigger, centralized government is the solution to every problem naturally will strive to create more of it.  If that's what they truly believe, who can blame them?  Certainly not others who share their point of view.
> 
> Given that dynamic, relevant questions include:
> 
> how "deep" the State will become, 
> how much the Fourth Estate <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Estate> may continue to collaborate in further deepening it, 
> whether the Fifth Estate <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Estate> will play a reinforcing or counterbalancing role, 
> at what point the "free world" virtually ceases to exist (and whether, at that point, anyone will care) and 
> what, if anything, this group may care to try to do about revealing the personal values and political motivations that influence not only perceptions of truth but also and particularly what is considered to be worthy of attention.
> With respect to the fourth point, both extremes on the political spectrum seem to fear the other will take us there but it is hard for me to see how that can be the case when one side wants less government.  How does that lead to totalitarianism?  I have yet to see any evidence that recent immigrants from totalitarian countries fear that outcome from the less-government side of the equation.  I've seen multiple reports from those who fear we're heading for what they left.
> 
> See also some of the values espoused by George Orwell <https://stratml.us/carmel/iso/TOFwStyle.xml#values_>.
> 
> A related issue is that the lesson to be taken from Afghanistan, Syria, NoKo, Russia, and China seems to be that brutality wins.  The choice between freedom and life isn't much of a choice for most people and those most likely to impose that choice are those who believe they know what's best for everyone else.  Which side is arguing those who disagree with them have no right to make a living, much less be left in peace to live their lives as they see fit?
> 
> BTW, for those who value stories, here's a short one:
> 
> During a ride on the DC subway in 2016, that National Archives and Records Administration's chief counsel told me that, although he was a strong Democrat, he could not vote for Hillary Clinton because of her E-mail server issue.  Both he and I knew that she had willfully violated the Federal Records Act but the news media helped to obfuscate that fact, in order to minimize an October Surprise <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_surprise#2016:_Clinton_vs._Trump> adversely impacting their anointed candidate.
> 
> In any event, our "democratic" political system had delivered two candidates for which neither one of us could vote.  If anyone believes such a system is the best we can do, that's a pretty sad state of affairs.  
> 
> I believe we can do better ... albeit not if we continue to engage in artificial ignorance.  
> 
> I look forward to learning what this group might be willing and able to do about that.
> 
> Owen
> https://www.linkedin.com/in/owenambur/ <https://www.linkedin.com/in/owenambur/>