A little over a week ago, I got wind of a problem that is seriously going to do some damage to this country - and our freedoms - if it passes. Congress is currently attempting to put two bills through called SOPA - Stop Online Piracy Act - and PIPA - Protect IP Act - which, on the surface, seems benign. This is, as usual, not true. This bill does not stop piracy. It allows the United States Corporate (it's no longer Federal) Government to censor whatever it wants, going in and out of the US (using OUR tax dollars!). In case any of you are daft, let me spell it out for you...
This bill will violate our First Amendment. (Wikipedia) Our First Amendment: "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."
Woo! Oh man, where to start... Considering how constantly Congress has been trying to violate just that Amendment lately, I could give so very many examples. But, let us stick to the subject matter at hand.
Censor: "an official who examines books, plays, news reports, motion pictures, radio and television programs, letters, cablegrams, etc., for the purpose of suppressing parts deemed objectionable on moral, political, military, or other grounds."
Censorship: "the act or practice of censoring."
Notice anything about what I said earlier - about SOPA being a censorship act? Having read those definitions, I'm pretty sure it's quite clear exactly how all this fits together... Censorship violates our freedom of speech. (And from that alone, violates each of those other freedoms.) This act will allow the corporate government the ability to pull anything it finds as "piracy", even if it's just a bare technicality.
Imagine the damage this could do! Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, eBay, and many others could all be shut down just because they come CLOSE to having piracy attached to them. Anything with user posted content would be subject to closure. Hell, if the act went into effect today, I would be fucked. Look at the number of times I've slammed our Corporate Overlords lately! I'd disappear before anybody knew what happened... I'm sure they could find something to stick me with.
My girlfriend and I watched V For Vendetta last night (again). After having seen it a couple weeks ago, it sent eerie chills down my spine multiple times, especially when V was talking about the "Ministry of Objectionable Materials". I could see one of those coming up so fast it'd give us all whiplash. That movie is a little different from what's going on now, because it wasn't the corporates that took over the government, it was just a regular federal government... But we're going on the same basic path right here in the good ole (yes, ole, not old - because you know, we're a bunch of backwater hillbillies) United States of America. Joy!
Watching the bullshit unfold the other day on Facebook, somebody had the absolute gall to blame this shit on Obama. Me, being who I am, immediately stepped up and took a mighty swing. Called their bullshit so fast it wasn't even funny. It's not Obama who's supporting this - in fact, seeing who was sponsoring it, it almost made me laugh, as there were more Republicans than Democrats there. Sadly, I'm not surprised. I wish I hadn't seen something like this coming.
Dammit, we're not China, people! We don't need a great firewall! And I can guarantee that if this act does pass, there will be riots in the streets that will make the Occupy Wall Street movement look like a couple people loitering around. Forget peaceable assembly.
For centuries, people of the world over have used what is referred to as "Right of Revolution" to change their political structure and make things better. This, of course, is not in our Constitution or its' Amendments, even though it is getting to the point where it is needed. It is listed in the Constitutions of several states, even in Kentucky's. (Wikipedia) "All power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority and instituted for their peace, safety, happiness and the protection of property. For the advancement of these ends, they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may deem proper." I don't know about you, but that tells me what I need to know. This government is not doing its' job.
If the current political situation doesn't tell you that we need reform, I don't know what will.
One other item to tackle.
(Wikipedia) Second Amendment: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
We've been lucky so far - to this point, there have been few serious (reported) attempts at curtailing this amendment. Unfortunately, with our government going the way it is, I wouldn't be too surprised if it were to happen that somebody tried to put a lock on this one. I'm a Liberal Democrat, but apparently don't hold true to that some days - for instance, in this case, I like my full usage of this amendment.
A few days ago, my girlfriend and I spent a few hours at the house of a family we consider friends from church. These are awesome people, and have done nothing but good for us. The whole family owns weapons - father, mother, and son. All of them are shooters, and the father carries concealed almost all the time.
If there is anybody in the world I can trust... It would be them. They have proven to me - if nothing else by honesty and their trust of other people - that they are trustworthy. Crazy, maybe. But trustworthy. And if there's anybody out there that I'd rather have watching my back and carrying? It's them.
I'm afraid to see what my own party will try to do though (democrats) once another attack or two happen. They WILL happen, that much is inevitable. I don't know when, or where, or by who to who. But I know they will, because it is human. I will stand against any bill that tries to prohibit these rights though, just like I'm standing against that which is attacking our first amendment.
A statement I rather like... "I may not like you, but I will defend to my death your right to go fuck yourself." Crude as it may be, it's my attitude towards these situations. I may despise you, may want you deader than dead, but I will defend your rights. (Side note: Try to stab me in the back and I'll make sure you don't ever use that hand again. I'll still defend your rights though.)
Until next time.
Peace.
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