Friends, Romans, Netizens: lend me your ears
I sent the following e-mail out today:
Most of you who know me know that I don't usually get political, but this issue has recently been brought to my attention. And to other people's. I'm putting the information out there, since I haven't seen huge media coverage of it, and figured you may not have, either.
There's a telecommunications bill that's been introduced into Congress that is threatening to put government controls, bought by the highest corporate bidders, on the Internet. This will affect your search engines (you will only get search results that they want you to get), and having your browser automatically re-directed to where they want it to go. Needless to say, this will be severely limiting our choice and freedom on the Internet. And once they get their foot in the door, you know they'll eventually try to take over the entire operation, censoring content and effectively crushing our 1st Amendment rights. You can read all about it at Media Alliance's website. You can read the bill itself and see co-sponsors here. Research it. Read about it. Most importantly, make your own informed decision.
We all know that the Internet is not only for entertainment and shopping and light things; it's about information, education, communication. It's about keeping ourselves informed. It's where we can share our opinions and find people who share them all over the Earth. It's free press. We cannot have it taken away from us.
Write your Congressperson. You can find out who your rep is here. Click on your rep. Under the rep's section, click Send Message, and then Compose Your Own Letter to send an e-mail or printed letter. There is also contact information, should you want to snail mail or call either office.
I'm including a sample letter here, in case you want to copy and paste and edit in your own words (I know how busy we all are):
Dear Congressman/woman __________:
I have recently become aware of a bill that is open in the House currently: H.R. 5252 (COPE).
The content of this bill is frightening. The Internet was developed as a free medium, as an arena where information could be freely shared. To have it contaminated by corporate-backed restrictions is a mockery of our First Amendment. Corporations should never be allowed to manipulate the content of the Internet, through buying influence. I adamantly oppose passage of this bill!
As my representative, I urge you to:
1) Please do not support this bill.
2) Stop the AT&T-Bell South merger until anti-trust implications can be adequately reviewed.
3) Thoroughly investigate the NSA and the telephone companies and enact legislation so these abuses can never occur again.
The Internet is a global forum, where information is imparted and received instantaneously. We enjoy greater freedom because of this. To have corporations directing where our browsers go is censorship, and we won’t have it in this country. We need to continue to uphold the standards that the framers of our Constitution fought to establish. You can do this by opposing this bill.
Sincerely,
________________
Thank you all for reading and for considering doing something about this. If not us, then who?
Afterwards, I wrote my Congressman.
This shit has got to stop. Seriously.
Most of you who know me know that I don't usually get political, but this issue has recently been brought to my attention. And to other people's. I'm putting the information out there, since I haven't seen huge media coverage of it, and figured you may not have, either.
There's a telecommunications bill that's been introduced into Congress that is threatening to put government controls, bought by the highest corporate bidders, on the Internet. This will affect your search engines (you will only get search results that they want you to get), and having your browser automatically re-directed to where they want it to go. Needless to say, this will be severely limiting our choice and freedom on the Internet. And once they get their foot in the door, you know they'll eventually try to take over the entire operation, censoring content and effectively crushing our 1st Amendment rights. You can read all about it at Media Alliance's website. You can read the bill itself and see co-sponsors here. Research it. Read about it. Most importantly, make your own informed decision.
We all know that the Internet is not only for entertainment and shopping and light things; it's about information, education, communication. It's about keeping ourselves informed. It's where we can share our opinions and find people who share them all over the Earth. It's free press. We cannot have it taken away from us.
Write your Congressperson. You can find out who your rep is here. Click on your rep. Under the rep's section, click Send Message, and then Compose Your Own Letter to send an e-mail or printed letter. There is also contact information, should you want to snail mail or call either office.
I'm including a sample letter here, in case you want to copy and paste and edit in your own words (I know how busy we all are):
Dear Congressman/woman __________:
I have recently become aware of a bill that is open in the House currently: H.R. 5252 (COPE).
The content of this bill is frightening. The Internet was developed as a free medium, as an arena where information could be freely shared. To have it contaminated by corporate-backed restrictions is a mockery of our First Amendment. Corporations should never be allowed to manipulate the content of the Internet, through buying influence. I adamantly oppose passage of this bill!
As my representative, I urge you to:
1) Please do not support this bill.
2) Stop the AT&T-Bell South merger until anti-trust implications can be adequately reviewed.
3) Thoroughly investigate the NSA and the telephone companies and enact legislation so these abuses can never occur again.
The Internet is a global forum, where information is imparted and received instantaneously. We enjoy greater freedom because of this. To have corporations directing where our browsers go is censorship, and we won’t have it in this country. We need to continue to uphold the standards that the framers of our Constitution fought to establish. You can do this by opposing this bill.
Sincerely,
________________
Thank you all for reading and for considering doing something about this. If not us, then who?
Afterwards, I wrote my Congressman.
This shit has got to stop. Seriously.
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