Say No to SOPA !!!

[Marty Redman]

Imagine a world without your favorite internet sites where you can express your freedom. like this one.  Just think of all the positive movements in the world for freedom against corrupt regimes that have started because of the internet and the free exchange of information and expression of political thought that the internet has delivered to all.

 

If you haven’t heard about it by now already, SOPA (the “Stop Online Piracy Act”) is a concerted effort by various special interests in Old Media to cope with the rapidly changing world of information and its effects on the distribution and monetization of media, but like many major regulatory reforms pushed by special interest lobbyists, while the key players are fighting over something petty, they are unwittingly working to build the infrastructure for future oppression and tyranny.  SOPA is a 70 page statute establishing a detailed legal process by which the Justice Department can initiate blocking of supposed pirate domains by ISPs and search engines, and by which private parties can seek orders requiring payment processors and ad networks to sever ties.

 

Should you be scared? Yes, SOPA represents an unprecedented intrusion into the largely unregulated world of the Internet. It is the free, unregulated, uncensored flow of information on the Internet that has revolutionized the world we’ve lived in, created an explosion of new wealth, prosperity, and economic opportunities, and given oppressed people throughout the world an outlet to criticize their oppressors and organize their opposition efforts. The very future of our freedom is imperiled by any effort of the government to put its corrupt little hands on the Internet. For the world to remain free and prosperous, the Internet must remain free.  No compromises.

 

I’m not suggesting that members of Congress and a group of wild-eyed global puppet masters are sitting around a table smoking stogies and stroking gray cats while cackling about their plan to take control of the Internet. What I am suggesting is that history shows unequivocally that the centralization of power in the hands of a few is a process that seldom reverses course. Every new precedent, every new power that is exercised by an elite few, is seldom ever given back, and typically forms a foothold for the seizure of more power.

 

Study the history of any federal tax, regulation, war, agency, or program (especially the ones that were supposed to be only “temporary”), and then try to deny the historical veracity of these claims. Furthermore, history teaches that not only is radically centralized power seldom devolved and inclined to grow (along an exponential curve), but that it is abused, mismanaged, misused, and wielded in favor of the elite and powerful few who pull its strings, against the interests of the many weak, small, humble, and powerless. 

 

All you need to see just how powerful the Internet can be for emboldening people against oppressive measures by their governments, all you need to see just how important it is that we make Washington leave the Internet alone, is to observe the courage behind some of the Internet’s most successful and world-changing websites, which are banding together to oppose SOPA by “going on strike” and blacking themselves out this Wednesday, January 18th. The Politico reports:

 

Internet companies and activists are hoping to join the Arab Spring and other online democracy movements by taking an estimated 7,000 websites offline Wednesday to send a message to Washington: Don’t pass a pair of anti-piracy bills.

 

The websites that have announced plans to go dark include Wikipedia, Mozilla, Reddit, and WordPress, but some of the most visited websites are conspicuous in their absence.

 

Do your part to spread awareness on Facebook, which will be sitting out tomorrow’s blackout along with Google, despite both companies’ opposition to SOPA.

 

It’s good to see the spirit of patriotic rebellion spreading from the rest of the world to individuals and companies right here in the United States. It’s time to own our future. It’s time to fight for our freedom. It’s time to take a lesson from those spirited, young souls in Egypt and send a loud and clear message to the government:

 

Do not screw with our Internet.

[XLFD]

Thanks for the heads up, Marty.  I heard a little about this, and to do my own little protest I've put up what could be in the future for controversial sites if this becomes law on the main header. 

Everyone, let your congressmen know that you support free internet.

[Sweater Cows!]

Guess we all(humans) would have to become hackers to see what we wanted.

This is what Occupy Wall Street should be protesting today. This is Big Biz at it's worst. Money is one thing but Censorship is another ball game much more vital.

[Sweater Cows!]

Save this pic(the red & white one above, by right-click- SAve (image) as-)

to your desktop then load it to your FaceBook Profile for TODAY!

[Willy]

The reason for PIPA and SOPA is to provide protection for copyright infringements by foreign internet sites. I can see both sides of this issue but in order to implement this legislation the monitoring [and the blocking the violating sites] of all web traffic would be a necessity and besides any internet site with any brains could easily side step these laws and set up another site within minutes of being blocked. This bill is pitting the tech industry who provide internet access and info. against corporations who are trying to protect their intellectual ideas and products from piracy such as pharmaceutical companies and the film industry.  Here as a link which explains the situation a little more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SOPA_initiative/Learn_more

[Willy]

I was just thinking that the internet techs are wielding their power and control over the us by shutting down or limiting access to information so they can  gain what they feel is their political rights. Both sides would stick it to us if they could. Google has already proved that by monitoring and logging the sites we all use. I don't use Google because of that.

[easymoney]

The very idea that this is needed is ludicris. The things they say they are concerned about, are already covered by copyright laws and patents. It's a ruse to regulate what imformation you get.

 

Hugo would be so proud of our goverment..

[XLFD]

The SOPA and PIPA legislation is losing some of its backing among US Congressmen as reported today here:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/six-us-lawmakers-abandon-ant...

Keep your vigil up if you want to keep the worldwide web free and vibrant-- that's not a bad thing.  Piracy is bad, but the legislation goes beyond that--- protect your freedom to browse.

[Dave]

Surprisingly, not everyone I know is against these bills... over the years I've gotten to know a few musicians and at least one of them has shown at least some support for the bills. Given part of his living is made off of the music he has recorded over the years, music piracy is one of those things that is always of interest to him as far as ways to stop it. I haven't totally read through all his reasoning but his support seems to be mainly for the piracy aspect of the bills.

[Dave]

Another musician made a few comments regarding the bills in a column he does for a Seattle weekly publication:

DUFF McKAGAN (ex-GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER) pens a column for Seattle Weekly, an excerpt from today's entry (January 19th) reads as follows: 

"I, like every other American tuned in to at least one form of media, was inundated with verbiage about anti-piracy legislation known as PIPA and SOPA. 

The legislation's meant to combat theft of creative works like movies and music from overseas web sites. But when I turned to the Twitter and Facebook, I saw an overwhelming dog pile of support against the bills. Excuse me, but where were you all when piracy started to decimate the music industry? Why didn't you take a stand against that? Those free records felt good, huh? 

The fury from the Internet class is that the broad language in the pieces of legislation will be bad for start-ups, might prevent the next YouTube, or give the government the ability to take down a whole site because of one link to copyrighted works. In short, they're opposed to the legislation because they think it will be bad for the Internet business. 

Bad for business. Anti-piracy legislation could be bad for the Internet business. It almost takes my breath away. Internet piracy has claimed half of the recorded music business, and made the prospect of making a living as a musician harder for artists of all rank and file. Why didn't Google, or Facebook, or Wikipedia ever stand in solidarity with musicians, actors, and writers - most of whom have never known fame and fortune - as their works were stolen with no recourse on their sites? 

Where are the 'fans,' the lovers of music? Why have they never stood up and taken a stand for the men and women in front of and behind the microphone? Yes, yes, this is all boring, right? It's typical that the 'rich rock guy' would be spouting from his golden pulpit. But let me tell you something, the working stiffs at recording studios and record stores that have had to close thanks to rampant internet piracy never were rich, but they are out of a job."

I honestly don't know who's right or wrong regarding these bills. I can see both sides of the story and both make legit claims/worries as to what will happen if the bills were passed.

[Willy]

After doing some research I can conclude that Duff is right about the piracy problem but is wrong about the passing of SOPA. From what I have read on both sides of this issue, SOPA over extends Governments power [again] in order to solve a problem. SOPA is a law that has the possibility of being abused and as we have all seen on many occasions that is exactly how Government operates. This is a bad piece of legislation, thought up by a select few people, which is trying to solve an inevitable problem.  SOPA is not the answer to piracy it will only open the door to internet control, censorship, surveillance and abuse by those in power.

[Willy]

Below is a video that gives a good explanation of how SOPA and PIPA will affect the internet.

 

[Sweater Cows!]

Amusing !