in addition to editorial independence for journalists, could we imagine an expression right in medias ? A right where peoples willing to defend a cause could express with a mandate, and have a share of time in large medias. This right could be given to cultural projects, such as atheism, intellectuals, associations and NGOs, and unions. Such a project is willing to be democratic and encourage a relation between the actors ans the voters. I would be interesting in the case of atheism, as a mass movement may exist after abuse of fundamentalists.
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Welcome James!
Which country are we talking here? In the US, media companies are privately owned and thus, control their own content. I do my best to support independent people putting out content. Unfortunately, it seems like most people would just like to sit in the media bubble they are most comfortable in and get spoon fed content they want.
I have quite frankly some difficulties imagining a mass movement promoting non-belief in a god or in gods as the main battle cry. What I can imagine, however, is a mass movement promoting secular values and that stands on the barricades against religious influence in the public sphere.
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I am a dual British-French national, I live In Paris, and I am mostly influenced by french culture. I believe debate democracy is universal and that medias, especially when it is about news and ideas (we could add culture), should respond to a non commercial logic. Freedom of the press shouldn’t be a value, you buy and sell. We have a problem in France with medias with a extreme right editorial line. First and this is included in debate democracy, all journalist must be guarantied editorial independence. Why can certain people express in media, and not others ? Obviously there is a time limit, but who chooses, isn’t it anti democratic that this choice is done by private media ? Doesn’t a NGO like Amnesty International if elected and with a mandate, could express their ideas and react to news ? If we want to put human rights standards high, we need new counter powers. And debate democracy by allowing peoples to access medias, makes a democracy alive and colorful.
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Secular values and fights are important. But a horrible terrorist attack, such as 9/11, could spark out a atheist mass movement if there is institutions to organize it. There was in France after the Charlie Hebdo and hyper cacher terrorist attack, mass demonstrations, the energy is here. I t requires new institutions to have consequences on the long run. Here in in France I can imagine such a thing as a mass atheist movement. Second the threat of an atheist mass movement, could calm down fundamentalists. And it is to notice that the conflict could be done on the long run. That the “rapport de force” (balance of power) could be against fundamentalists and calm then down. The abuse of the religions, could fuel a atheist movement, growing by time and convincing more and more peoples. In debate democracy, an important issue is accessing medias, and a pro LGBT, feminist, anti racist, obviously secular, metal music orientation can be chosen. In debate democracy, atheism is all about argumentation in a humanist background !
So, are you a metalhead?
yes it can be pleasant ! Here in France in Clisson, here are a annual metal festival called Hellfest, looks pleasant !! It is popular among the youngest and it can help structure the movements identity !!
I’ve known about Hellfest for several years and would love to attend, but I live in the PNW in northern Washington state, so getting there is cost prohibitive.
A few of my favorite black metal bands have played there, including INQUISITION, ENTHRONED, HELRUNAR, and BEHEMOTH.
Europe gets all the metal festivals unlike here in the US.
I would like to go there too. I heard plenty of good about it. But it’s rather expensive even for me, and tickets go away quickly !!
I’ll try to organise this next year. It seems too late for June !