"The "... western..." media do not function in the manner of the propaganda system of a totalitarian state. Rather they permit - indeeed, encourage - spirited debate, criticism, and dissent, as long as these remain faithfully within the system of presuppositions and principles that constitute an elite consensus, a system so powerful as to be internalised largely without awareness." - Edward S Herman And Noam Chomsky
BNet-Govinfo shows these elements of the media, as well as information regarding the illicit behaviour of our governments. The fundamental truth is that though we are brought up to believe so, our governments (in the West) do not necessarily stand for us, nor do they operate necessarily for us through 'democracy' as we understand the definition. Once we are aware of this - that the government is not working for our best interests but for those of the elite classes, the truth is much easier to discern when we read our papers.
The primary function of this site is to inform, in the same way a plethora of blogs across the web are currently doing. The more of us who choose to speak - about issues relating to the world, and to our own communities - the more difficult it will become for our councils and governments to ignore us.
But we can do more; we can write letters to the various media organisations, their editors, their readers, their reporters, when we see a fact being manipulated for the cause of the government and against basic civil liberties and human rights.
We can take part in community activities, to show a friendly face to newcomers, and stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.
We can protest, and challenge our politicians when they threaten our liberties or someone else's, and, most importantly for a lot of us, we can establish a link between ourselves and others who wish to change things for the better, because acknowledging unity can often be the impetus for further efforts, and because too often we are isolated from the rest of the world (and our communities) by the notion that we are the only ones who think this way.
And finally, we can argue; to reach the truth where the lines are blurred by too much spin.