When something is so bad that Progressives and the Tea Party oppose it cooperatively for the same reasons, you should realize your dealing with a disaster. SOPA (the House version) and PIPA meet that description. I’m proud that Oregon’s own Ron Wyden is leading the charge against it and ask you to join him. Here’s an explanation of the act, Ron Wyden interviewed by Keith Olbermann, and four petitions you can sign to take action.
In a matter of days, the United States Senate may be voting on an extremely dangerous bill backed by the entertainment industry that would allow powerful media conglomerates and other big corporations to censor the Internet at will.
This bill, S. 968, which we’ve previously written about, is officially known as the Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act of 2011 – PROTECT IP, or PIPA, for short.
Ostensibly, S. 698 is intended to protect “intellectual property”, as the title suggests. Executives at Hollywood studios, publishing houses, and record companies have long wanted to “cableize” the Internet, because it would give them control over the medium. They want to be able to decide when and how everyone timeshifts or spaceshifts content, and to what extent (if any) content may be shared with others.
(Timeshifting refers to the practice of recording programming for use later, or playing and reading on demand. Spaceshifting refers to the practice of making digital copies of content – for instance, ripping a compact disc and putting the resulting MP3 or Vorbis tracks on one’s portable music player).
If big media gets their way and the Internet gets cableized, it will cease to exist as we know it today. Net neutrality will be a thing of the past. Censorship will replace freedom of expression. Innovation will be stifled.
And netroots-powered organizations like NPI, which use the Internet to organize and mobilize for change, will no longer be able to exist.
This legislation is a grave threat to the Internet. It absolutely must be stopped.
That is why we’re so thankful that two courageous U.S. Senators from the great Pacific Northwest – Ron Wyden of Oregon and Maria Cantwell of Washington – have stepped up to lead the fight against it.
Ron Wyden has pledged to lead a filibuster against the legislation in the Senate if it reaches the floor in December – as we expect it to. (It’s already made it through the Judiciary Committee). Wyden is prepared to go to the mat to defend the Internet, and three other senators have agreed to stand with him: Maria Cantwell of Washington, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Jerry Moran of Kansas… [emphasis original]
Inserted from <Northwest Progressive Institute>
I support measures to stop Internet piracy. I agree that companies have a right to receive just compensation for their intellectual property. However, this measure is way too extreme. If I were to to criticize a criminal corporation,they could file a complaint and have Politics Plus shut down. Here’s Oregon’s Ron Wyden with Keith Olbermann,
And here are four petitions you can sign.
If you sign the last one, Ron Wyden will read your name on the Senate Floor during his filibuster.
Thank you for your help.
12 Responses to “Action Alert: Oppose the Protect IP Act”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
While I agree that the internet need to monitored more closely for spam and piracy, this is NOT the way to do it!
Signed and called both of my Senators offices and especially Levin.he can kiss my ass, they told me he has made no policy position public on this bill public yet which to me means he will support it. Wyden better be ready to stand alone in his filibuster, do the republican say he’s filibustering and go home until they take it off the floor.
Signed them all. Thanks for posting tomCat.
I watched Sen. Wyden on KO last night. He was great.
thanks TomCat – signed them all –
Signed ’em all– ty–
I liked Ron Wyden’s analogy — this bill would be like using a bunker blaster bomb when you should use a laser beam!
There is no doubt that there are problems with piracy and inappropriate content. But this bill will totally strangle the access to information and would impede free speech.
Signed all four plus AVAAZ petition. Also forwarded a link to this story along with AVAAZ so others could sign these as well.
I’d much rather have spam than censorship!!!
We certainly do not need the Bozos in congress messing with freedom of speech, press, or the internet. These freedoms are necessary to maintain our democracy. The idiots in Washington have already made attempts to take away many of rights; we can’t allow this.
Welcome Nancy! 🙂
Thanks all!
Signed all of them as they came to my private email over the past week. Thanks, Tom!
Thanks Terrie!