Web 2.0 Helps Spark Moldovan Rebellion

Since launching this blog in November, I’ve posted only six times. That’s horrible. While I do wear a lot of creative hats (full-time journalist by day, staff reviewer at Absolute Punk CTP, and RMP) it’s still inexcusable that I should neglect this site that much.

With that being said, here’s an attempt to get back into it. While checking my Gmail this morning I came across this news story and was completely inspired. Moldova, a tiny country so often ignored and used in various punchlines, has garnered headlines for launching a rebellion. Via the networking sites Facebook and Twitter, the nation has amassed a horde of twenty-somethings and teenagers who have taken to the streets in protest of the nation’s Communist government.

This development is important for two reasons: 1. It sheds light on a nation’s struggle that often skirts the headlines and the major press networks –––I was completely unaware Moldova had a Communist party ––; and 2. It reinforces the power and cache of social networking sites.

People have rallied behind Web 2.0 for a good few years now, but for every supporter there’s a critic just waiting to bash it to bits. The truth of the matter is when social networking sites are used for a common goal, such as this, their power is infinite and those critics have little grounds for an argument. In Charlotte, NC, the family of Kyle Fleischmann, launched a grassroots campaign to get North Carolinians cognizant of his disappearance. It’s a simple strategy that has been used by countless families of missing persons, cancer survivors, and other worthy causes.

While it’s unrealistic to think the Moldovan protesters will succeed in combatting the Communists, there’s certainly no reason to stop hoping. Embrace it or not, Web 2.0 is here to stay, and if the stars align just right, it may even affect the world’s history. Tweet, tweet!