SOPA & PIPA are Anti-Free Speech

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Posted by Cynic | Posted in Cynicism, Internet, Logic, Philosophy, Politics, Rant, Uncategorized | Posted on 20-01-2012

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Free Speech Crosshairs - SOPA - PIPALet’s get things straight. SOPA and PIPA are NOT about piracy. They are against suppressing free speech. They are tools for a totalitarian/authoritarian government to silence opposition. They are anything but what the mainstream is trying to push them as.

There are plenty of laws already in effect that target copyright infringement. So they are obviously not creating laws that are already in effect. Why would you have 2 laws that say the same thing?

No. SOPA and PIPA are new. They introduce extremely vague language that would effectively allow the government to snipe sites that express dissent.

This isn’t rocket science. These people aren’t totally incompetent. They are smart enough to come up with trojan horse legislation like this and they shouldn’t be underestimated.

Don’t oppose SOPA and PIPA just because you think that they will protect you from piracy. Oppose them because they will be used to silence dissent. Oppose them because they are the tools of dictators and fascists. Oppose them because you believe in freedom. Oppose them because you believe in free thought and freedom of expression. Oppose them because you have a conscience.

I make my living off of intellectual property like copyright. These bills are not there to protect me. These bills are there to silence me and people like me that don’t tow the party line.

Also, please make certain to vote against anyone running for office that has ever supported these bills. SOPA and PIPA are merely symptoms of the disease. The real disease are the people that introduced the bill, the people that supported the bill, and the system that allowed all of this to happen. Vote for people that are willing to stand up for principles and do what is right. Vote for people that have a conscience. Vote for people that believe in freedom. Vote for people that will fight for freedom.

Peace,

Ryan

 

  • barney

    Ryan,

    I disagree with you on a few things, although not on your overall concept. Mind you, your blog could be shut down and I could be incarcerated had SOPA/PIPA been passed already. And party affiliations have become so important in our legislative body that few have the courage, much less the influence, to try to change things.

    This is – these are? – a product[s] of Congress. Congress has been dysfunctional for decades. People buy their way in – they’re not voted in, they buy their seats. Oh, it’s not called that, but the would-be politico with the biggest advertising budget is usually the one (1) elected.

    Voting against the supporters of these bills is something with which I agree. However, given the current US political climate, it would likely have small, if any, beneficial result. Oh, I’ll exercise my right to vote – while I still have it – but I have small faith/expectation that anything significant will result. The US is becoming – has become? – a police state in all but name.

    As to SOPA/PIPA, if passed in their current forms, they could do a lot more than curtain the Internet. Authors of scholarly works – or any other, for that matter – could be taken to task, and their books figuratively burned, for a casual quote.

    These bills have been sponsored by the recording and movie industries, industries that have not found how to deal with a new marketing venue, but they have yet to realize how strict enforcement of the bills could actually shut them down.

    OK, I’m wandering far afield, so I’ll shut up. But, know that I’m in total agreement with your intended aim.

    • I think you’ve hit on a few core problems. I’d like to address 1:

      “Voting against the supporters of these bills is something with which I agree. However, given the current US political climate, it would likely have small, if any, beneficial result.”

      Boom. Nailed it. So what do people do? They vote for who they think will get into office, or they vote for the “other guy”. They don’t vote for what’s right because they have no real options.

      But it’s completely irrelevant who they vote for (except if they vote for someone like Ron Paul who actually has principles, a consistent message, and who doesn’t take reams of money from lobbyists).

      Both parties are bought and paid for. No matter who you vote for, you’re still voting for the people that own the politicians.

      That’s a big problem. Not something to try and tackle in a quick comment, but the initial step is pretty clear:

      * Get corporate money out of elections

      PEOPLE are supposed to vote. Not corporations or special interests.

      Anyways, let’s hope that things improve.