As America only focuses on the passing of Michael Jackson, earlier reports had indicated that internet protocols typically used for online gaming appeared to be open in Iran. In a country where there has been a severe crack down in free speech and allegations of human rights abuses; the last vestige of hope were the gamers. Protesters where using every means possible to communicate with the outside world. The great firewall was raised and the ever innovative distressed public used social networking site, Twitter as a means of getting the word out. It became so critical to the intelligence feed the US State Dept asked Twitter to hold off scheduled maintenance as to not disrupt Iranian voices.

State run television networks call the protestors “terrorists”, the revolutionary guard steam rolls activists under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s orders; and yet the internet had a hiccup. Buckling under the mass of requests for more information regarding the heart attack of beloved pop icon MJ, data traffic across the world was greatly reduced. I get it, it’s important. When I got a text TMZ broke the news MJ was dead, I was shocked. However, what soon followed was contempt. The meaningless droll of news agencies displaying montages of all his works took me back to when Princess Diana had her fatal car crash. I’d like to think this is not the only thing America cares about.

Those who know me closely, understand my working life and geopolitics directly intersect. When I learned gamers were continuing the struggle, using Xbox Live to organize and send messages to loved ones it helped me realize there are ways in which we are all connected. The media black out still continues and the great firewall has already been refortified; I wonder what the next news cycle will bring.

If you haven’t seen it already, I really recommend watching a few minutes of Daily Show correspondent Jason Jones and his travels in Iran. It provides a much needed perspective of the Iranian people.

-Sound off-