My major point here is in defense of YouTube. You may have the time to spend on it, or you may not. You may hate it, love it, or neutrally disregard it. However, all I'm saying is that it should be judged fairly.
You may not like YouTube or you may think it is stupid. However, please don't write it off without digging a bit deeper. Is YouTube really all garbage, or does it have some value to others? Is YouTube a complete mistake, useless to everyone in the world, and a thoroughly horrible thing that shouldn't even exist? Or, is there any possiblility that YouTube may have value as a forum for public opinion? We enjoy, and often take for granted, the many freedoms that our country's constitution provides and protects. We each, as citizens, have the freedom to express our personal opinions to a reasonable degree. I'm not saying that I don't agree that some of what people post on YouTube is not valuable to me. I will also note that some of the material can be downright crude or senseless. However, why condemn a FREE- and I repeat, no cost involved to participate- forum for the public to air their opinions? I shudder at the thought of a possible time in our country when we, as citizens, are denied our right to express our opinions, whether or not they may seem invalid or totally useless to others.
In further defense to the validity and benefits of YouTube, I present this example.
Right on the first page, the top of the Featured Videos list, I found a video about the One Voice Movement. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43jqkI2KWxE) This took me mere seconds of skimming the page after typing http://www.youtube.com into the address bar and the page loading. I watched the short video, 1 minute and 1 second long, and then clicked the link to go to the organization's website. I read through the website for 3 minutes and found out about the One Million Voices Movement. After no more than about 4 minutes, I was updated about this global issue that directly affects me as an American. This very issue is the reason why Condoleezza Rice traveled abroad this week on a diplomatic trip to two very important countries. This very issue has been described by Bush as "a top priority of his time in office." Rice also said that "she would devote her 'last ounce of energy' to the issue."
As American citizens, it is important that we stay up to date on what our government leaders consider important (and also sometimes, the things they don't think are important). Democracy itself depends on educated masses. A free republic cannot thrive if its citizens do not inform themselves of events that affect their decisions and policy-making. In addition, our society is becoming increasingly globalized. No longer are we isolated from the issues that affect other countries. I won't explain everything I learned about this pressing issue to you here. If you are interested in it, and see the value in spending 4 minutes on educating yourself about what our country's top leaders are placing great importance on, check it out for yourself.
After all, I found it on YouTube.
What am I willing to do to end the conflict?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43jqkI2KWxE
Further Information
http://onemillionvoices.org/campaign/campaign_2007-2008.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7044914.stm
http://www.onemillionvoices.org
http://www.onevoicemovement.org
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