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Internet as empowerment tool

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Contributed by: Ardashes Kassakhian on 7/27/2006

President Harry Truman once wrote that "You can never get all the facts from just one newspaper, and unless you have all the facts, you cannot make proper judgments about what is going on."

Newspapers have changed quite a bit since the days when President Truman was gathering all of the facts but his advice still holds true. Each day brings on new ideas and new ways of informing the public about the facts.

The most significant tool in advancing this process has been the Internet. The Internet has revolutionized how we get our news and more importantly, has empowered everyday citizens to become a part of this process.

Everyday-people can now report on what is taking place in their own communities through personal websites and "blogs" and do so at lightning speed.

This won't replace reporters or their role in society, but it brings back an interesting dynamic to our communities which was lost after news found a home on the television set. During the early days of the founding of this nation, throngs of people gathered in common areas or town squares to discuss and debate the issues affecting their lives.

The town square provided a forum for the free flow and exchange of ideas. The Internet has inherited this tradition and it's up to us to use it to its full potential. We should use this opportunity to gather facts, post our own, exchange ideas and broaden our horizons.

By doing so, you'll better understand our neighbors, our city and ourselves.

Ardashes Kassakhian is the Glendale City Clerk. You can reach him by emailing him at AKassakhian@ci.glendale.ca.us

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Showing 1-2 of 2 comments

Submitted By: Marion Green

posted on 8/26/2006 @ 2:18:48 AM

Rated Story

I agree that this forum gives our valley citizens a wonderful opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas. Marion, Sunland

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Submitted By: Tom Miller

posted on 8/23/2006 @ 12:44:42 PM

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I first met Ardy in a Saturday morning leadership class at Glendale Community College about two years ago. Although he appeared young, his wisdom and thoughtfulness proved that he had a very good head on his shoulders. And then he won the City Clerk election. I'm just pleased to count Ardy as an acquaintance of mine and hope to one day be able to call him a friend. He seems to be a great addition to City Hall and this article is just one example of this. Tom Miller Glendale Community Foundation

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Jason Kandel

Glendale , CA

Jason Kandel has posted 5 stories and 0 comments since joining on 7/20/2006. Jason Kandel 's average story rating is 4.83.

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