Today was a key event in the history of
Michael’s Rant where for
the first time I produced a video that was in direct relation to a posting.
Oh… If you are wondering why I am
dressed down for this video versus what I wore in that first video, I felt like
it. Also because it was the first video, I felt it was necessary to class up
the place a bit. You get to see me more in my natural element.
Anyways…
If you are like me and regularly
visit Wikipedia, today you saw the screen shot that the website blacked itself
out for a 24-hour period in protest of the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act
(SOPA) that is in the United States House and the Preventing Real Online
Threats to Economic Creativity Theft of Intellectual Property Act (PROTECT IP
Act) that is in the United States Senate.
Some people I know protested
these proposed bills by writing their Congressional Representatives and going
as far as standing in solidarity with Wikipedia by participating with them in
their own form of an internet blackout.
While it is frustrating that
Wikipedia is not up today, it is understandable why they took the stand against
SOPA and PROTECT IP Act.
The internet must remain a place
of free flowing ideas.
My decision to not to participate
in the protest is because of my belief in the true purpose of the internet.
That purpose is the continuous free
flowing exchange of ideas between people across the world. Nothing is going to
stop me in this exchange. I participate in this process by postings on facebook
and twitter, the YouTube channel
where you can watch my videos, and this
blog that I regularly contribute to as its Founder and Lead Contributor and
any other titles I give myself.
Please note that I am not
condemning Wikipedia or anyone else who stands in solidarity with them. I hold
these people in high regards for taking a stand on an issue. This is my way of
doing my part.
My view of the internet is like a
hammer: it can be used for both good and evil. The good application is to
hammer a nail into a board as part of building a house. The evil application is
to use that same hammer to cause great harm to another person. Hammers have
been used to hurt people, but there are no laws on the books preventing their
use.
It comes down to a benefit
analysis. Most people use hammers for their intended use: as a tool to build
something or remove nails. It is the same idea with the internet. Like most
people, I use it to pay bills, check my bank account, know what the weather is,
and for looking up topics that are interesting to me primarily politics,
sports, history, current events, and quotes from the television show The
Simpsons.
Another person may see a good use
for the internet is to post videos about the Occupy Movement, posting a blog
supporting Republicans in the upcoming election, or looking at pornography all
day.
These proposed bills criminalize
the sharing of ideas through creative means and the monopolization of
information by a single entity.
It attacks people who are acting
within the reasonable accordance of the law and does not solve the problems of the criminal elements that regularly plague the internet community being the rampant acts of fraud,
malicious acts of vandalism through the creation of viruses, hate speech
promoting violence towards minorities, and the sexual exploitation of children.
Instead these bills would give
more control to corporations on the movement of information and ideas. It would
do our nation a great disservice if these policies were enacted.
There are many ideas out there
that I do not subscribe to, and I choose not to incorporate them into my
thought processes. However, to call for their complete censorship, it would
conflict with something I believe in.
I am a Navy Veteran who served
from 2002-08. I defended this Right ranging from its use to protect those who
cannot defend for themselves to even the most unpopular and disgusting ideas by
a reasonable person. This Right has created the continuing conundrum and debate
that started when this country was established. The debate continued after I
arrived on this planet, it is still going on today, and it will continue long
after I depart.
“Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or
the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government
for a redress of grievances.”
The First Amendment to the United
States Constitution
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