Shirweynihii 1aad ee SOL

[Alpha Blondy]

marwooyin iyo mudanayaal, mudane guddoomiye ADMIN and MODs, friends and delegates of SOL,

 

thank you for that kind introduction and the opportunity to be here with you this evening.

 

let me take this opportunity to formally open a week long discussions dedicated to the various issues pertaining to the affairs of SOL, these days. as i'm sure you'd all appreciate, SOL is an invaluable source of information, an ideas hubs and a space, if you will, which is still of useful relevance, and even more particularly in this global age of the internet. SOL has done an excellent job over the last decade in maintaining a quality website dedicated to providing a space for discussions, not least in being a site, that is often referenced as a source of information, but also perhaps more importantly, as a place that continually strives to be, a hub for information sharing, interesting views and diverse opinions, which has being informed by the regular SOLers, whose dedication and passion for presenting their views has been crucial in informing the debate.

 

the internet has no doubt enhanced free speech by dramatically improving the speed and efficiency with which we can exchange ideas and make our voices heard. the Internet has transformed the delivery of speech in a manner as revolutionary as the printing press. a free and open Internet enables ideas and expression to move seamlessly throughout the world without governments prioritising some views over others. furthermore, it enables a dynamic debate of issues and perspectives that not only empowers the forumer, but benefits our society, so that we can weigh competing viewpoints. this allows the most persuasive arguments and ideas to win on their merits.

 

SOL has been a beacon for information and our site is rightly held up as a model for other Somali sites. we have long recognised however, that merely posting on this site is the absolute least that any individual SOLer can do. not fully utilising our knowledge, whether online or in the physical world, is a great missed opportunity and a great disincentive to our collective will. today, there are too many Somali sites, that still fall below the standards expected of 2013 and SOL is not alone in still restricting free speech on the Internet. in SOL, we must be free to express ourselves on the Internet, so as to ensure that SOLers, have the access in expressing alternative views and perspectives, however crude and that the browsing public has the opportunity to make informed decisions based on the ideas being deliberated.

 

Shirweynihii 1aad ee SOL is an important opportunity for us all to remember that we must remain vigilant against efforts to curb free speech and to restrict the SOLers in their ability to express their views. today, Somali internet users are a valuable source of knowledge and information that can be harnessed for the betterment of our people. i'm sure, you'll agree, when Alpha say that SOLers have a crucial role to play in the efforts to restore hope and some semblance of normality for our long suffering people. Alpha, too, has taken important steps to spread his reach to many SOLers in recent years. and indeed he now counts many SOLers, not only as friends but potential colleagues, with which to work with for the betterment of the general welfare of Somalis. to some, he represents the last vanguard against online tyranny but to most he's just a ''troll terrorist'', whose trolling has be recognised for its opportunistic nature. be that as it may, Alpha's chequered history on SOL, having being banned several times for breaching the crucial and forever shifting Golden Rules is indeed testament to his efforts to safeguard the sacred values of free speech. Alpha firmly believes more could be done to protect the rights of users on SOL in expressing themselves, but with the caveat that there should always be more freedoms available for all to consider and consume.

 

TBC. - the other key issues, particularly on the long terms sustainability of SOL will be discussed tomorrow. thanks.

 

Al.

[Jacpher]

Summarize it in one or two sentences please.

[Alpha Blondy]

^ that was just my opening speech. its a week long shirweyne and i'll add to these comments over the coming week. the theme of the shirweynaha is: SOL: The Way Forward and Protecting Freedom of Speech

[Showqi]

Alpha Blondy;917615 wrote:

^ that was just my opening speech. its a week long shirweyne and i'll add to these comments over the coming week. the theme of the shirweynaha is:

SOL: The Way Forward and Protecting Freedom of Speech

 

Freedom of Speech ku lahaa! ma waxaad dooneysaa in aad dadka ku durduriso? waar yaan meesha lagaa eryin:D

[N.O.R.F]

^

[Juxa]

If AB uu isku soo sharaxo jago anigu waan dooran, at least the man can write a bloody opening speech all on his own, you listen/read and yet you are non the wiser, now that is making of great statesman.

 

ps: shirkan yaa lagu casumay? who will represent what gobol? i refuse to sit same table with ngonge, reason is waa carab

[wyre]

Apophis;917617 wrote:

You're confusing "shirweyne" with MPD or Multiple Personality Disorder. You're "shirweyning" with yourself.

Lol @ you are shirweyning your self

[Tallaabo]

Apophis;917617 wrote:

You're confusing "shirweyne" with MPD or Multiple Personality Disorder. You're "shirweyning" with yourself.

Hilarious:D

[Haatu]

Apophis;917827 wrote:

What happened to the shirweyne? I was very much looking forward to it; even bought a new blue tie, signifying my conservative stance. I hope it wasn't cancelled because of me. Lawd!

I brought out my black, red and green one. Someone's got to represent Harambee

[Alpha Blondy]

Apophis;917827 wrote:

What happened to the shirweyne? I was very much looking forward to it; even bought a new blue tie, signifying my conservative stance. I hope it wasn't cancelled because of me. Lawd!

,

 

how you'd love to think that was true. i've been researching and sending PMs to key delegates.

[Gheelle.T]

lol@Shirweyning with your self..Good one!

[Waranle_Warrior]

It is my hope that all the attendees of this SOL Shirweyne will take the seats and attend the Shir as themselves and not representing anyone else but the big BUT, we have had enough of fake traditional elders, politicians and other mercenaries claiming to represent people in Somali shirar when the truth is otherwise.

 

WW

 

Spokesperson of SOL's voiceless community and silent majority.

[Alpha Blondy]

......Alpha frustrated by the constant bickering, indifference and specific interest based hiil qabil of the SOL delegates. raises voices several times but no avail..........'':D

 

 

Waranle_Warrior;917844 wrote:

It is my hope that all the attendees of this SOL Shirweyne will take the seats and attend the Shir as themselves and not representing anyone else but the big BUT, we have had enough of fake traditional elders, politicians and other mercenaries claiming to represent people in Somali shirar when the truth is otherwise.

 

WW

 

Spokesperson of SOL's voiceless community and silent majority.

thank you WW for your prompt intervention. thank you. i would like to conclude my speech in this second day of the conference. in this speech i would like to concentrate on the future of SOL.

 

as Somalis, we often dismiss an idea without considering its merits. ideas are a unique thing. ideas can completely change previously held perceptions, misconceptions borne out of ignorance and indeed provide solutions to everyday situations. now, i'm not entirely sure, if dismissing ideas is an innate trait exclusive to Somalis or just Apo's cynical brutality

 

SOL is teething to the hilt with excellent bright people who've been starved of ideas because of the constant flooding of SOL with yet another useless thread. Wyre, whose knack of posting yet another new thread with a simply youtube clip and absolutely no comment, often exceeds the bearability of Alpha's patience and quality assurance thresholds. it boggles the mind how he's still able to get responds the way he does. Wyre, is not alone in being part of the high number of SOLers who've made a reputation for such posts. yet, far worse than Wyre et al's occasional criminal abuse of the potential offered by SOL, are those who constantly post silly one-line posts of no consequence. these usually consists of a simple....''LOL'' . now, i'm not saying these individuals should be punished for their irrelevance but they ought to present themselves in a more orderly fashion. that is not to say they should be gagged for expressing their views but that. they should make an attempt, in contributing some usefulness to the site. as someone whose currently a member of various forums, Alpha has been able to demonstrate a cross-pollination effect, across the board, by adapting to the type of clientele prevalent in these forums. also as someone whose a graduate and alumus of the somalinet.com troller school of thought, i'm able to understand my former colleagues, better than most. how else would Alpha be able to get Oba to post a thread dedication to Alpha. that place is legendary but may be a sign of things to come here, if we're NOT able to contain the immense destructive potential of those who aim to replicate similar dynamics here, and there are many here. who hold such views...

 

on the other side of the spectrum, are those whose perceived sense of untouchability, earned by the length of years present on these boards....... makes Alpha question how the ADMIN and his crony MOD thugs, are able to tolerate their blatantly abuse of the GOLDEN Rules. and yet due to this inconsistencies, new SOLers are banished with a swift ban, without a fair hearing, due process and discretion. this blatantly nepotism is further evidenced by the behind closed doors PMs exchanged between an oldie and the establishment...in this particular case, we shall forever mourn our friend and excellent SOLer Somalina. as more of these oldies are confronted by the harsh realities of life, there appears to be a discrepancy, in that, their indeterminable hiatus is NEVER replenished with new recruits that would otherwise provide an equilibrium of sorts, in maintaining SOL's long term sustainability.

 

as the communications landscape gets denser, more complex, and more participatory, the networked population is gaining greater access to information, more opportunities to engage in public speech, and an enhanced ability to undertake collective action. as the political arena rapidly changes for Somalis, these increased freedoms can influence public interest decisions. this begs the obvious question for Somalis of: how does the ubiquity of social media including SOL affect Somali interests, and how should somali policy makers respond to the thousand of online enthusiast with an opinion? what makes SOL an idea place to post is, that, it requires no infrastructure investment and since most Somalis, these days, have access to laptops, computers and other mediums, they are constantly in need of the tools that respond to their demands. furthermore, real-time communication has enabled SOL to disseminate vital information to thousands and more importantly beyond its membership base. but the buck doesn't have to stop there. information is power and this power can harnessed, so effectively, for the betterment of our people. in this shirweyne, the first of kind, i hope we're able to reach out to each other with the establishment of an advisory body of SOLers, many of whom, are no doubt, key influential people, community leaders, academics, activists and key decisions makers in different fields across the board. Alpha has been able to meet such wonderful SOLers in the last 3 years and one thing that's echoed through and through our meetings was how passionate, dedicated and so alike him they were. Alpha has indicated several times, that he was, very impressed in meeting JB, IBZ, AT,NG, NORF, Carafat, Abu_S and many others but he has NOT reveled the numbers of those who know him.....but confesses to NOT knowing . charity starts from home and in using SOL, Alpha believes that it provides an effective method in building value through its social relations. indeed, Alpha's a firm believer in forging new connections that he could potentially collaborate with in creating ideas, developing their processes, delivering their execution and all via PMs....

 

Alpha has been merely a signal, in his interaction for further collaboration, with these SOLers and not exactly the noise he remits on SOL. the self-promoting, self-aggrandising and self-important SOL enthusiast usually goes out of the window and in place come an individual, who has been able to capitalise on the profound influence of such SOLers, to his benefit. Alpha further consolidated his meaningful, valuable and beneficial time with such individuals in setting the ground for further productive collaboration, community based activism and communication, albeit in, seeing these ideas come to fruition. this kind of direct connection and openness between such like-minded individuals, is what has been lacking for so long in our history. just as SOL was built on the underlying principles of openness, accessibility, connecting and sharing information, these same principles explain why such programmes like QUEST-MIDA and other organically Somali collaborative projects failed. these same principles are pivotal in overcoming the challenges that blight our collective wills. in using SOL, we've been able to overcome having to rely on the advise of so-called experts and specialists.

 

in concluding, Alpha would like to remind you to be purposeful in whatever you do, to think about the why of every action you take, of every information you share, of every interaction or relationship you forge on this excellent site. we rarely think about the “why” of something, only the “what” and the “how.” we're all generally more fulfilled when we live purposeful lives, of working together and achieving results that benefit our people. so stop and think about this, and you will become immediately more interesting to others and stand out as someone who matters. if you want to stand out, you have to also be curious about other people as Alpha has been with many SOLers irrespective of their difficult tribes, politics, backgrounds and leanings.

 

 

Thank you, Thank you very much.

 

 

 

Alpha Blondy,

 

SOL Delegate and Founder and Chairman of the SOL Advisory Body

[nuune]

Whatever happened to your promise that you will write in Af Soomaali, ha noqon traitor, sxb

[Alpha Blondy]

Apophis;917916 wrote:

Gah! That was hard to read. Praise yourself much?

NO. i've made an example of myself in the hope that others may follow suit.