I blog because I can

A career-limiting move? I'm thrilled I can move

Tech Central Station has an update today on an Egyptian blogger (and former law student) jailed in Alexandria for speaking his mind.

Kareem Amer was remanded to over a month in prison for allegedly "defaming the President of Egypt" and "highlighting inappropriate aspects that harm the reputation of Egypt." Where did Amer commit these supposed felonies? On his weblog. ***

Regimes accustomed to control have struggled to respond. In Tunisia, web publisher Zouhair Yahyaoui was dragged from an Internet café by security forces and tortured into revealing his site's password after he posted a quiz mocking President Zinedine Ben Ali. In Bahrain, the Information Ministry blocked the blog of entrepreneur Mahmoud Al-Yousif for covering a political scandal. In Iran, authorities arrested student Mojtaba Saminejad after he condemned the arrest of several fellow bloggers and "insulted the Supreme Leader."

Some people wonder why I would willingly call myself a geek and publish information about my life, my interests, and maybe even some politically incorrect opinions from time to time. I do it because I know there are too many women in the world just like me who literally can't without risking jail, torture, or even death for themselves or their relatives.

I can be serious, I can be silly, and I can be geeky. I'm sure I've probably missed out on some opportunities because I said something somebody didn't like. In my world, that's a small price to pay for the luxury of being able to speak freely in the first place.

Why do I blog? Because I can.