Written for my management blog blackout in support of those fighting SOPA and PIPA:
This site is participating in the SOPA/PIPA blackout day. Sadly I don't
have a simple way to just have this page for the USA and I decided
having it show for everyone was better than not showing it.
As this is a management blog, I would like to explain my analysis of this situation. The SOPA and PIPA bills are not special cause results.
They are the natural outcome of the current anti-liberty system in
place in Washington DC. As such the proper counter-measure is not to
band-aid this negative outcome and think you have done well. If you
need a band-aid counter measure immediately, that is fine. But if you
don't then look at the system creating that result: the bad result will
just reappear.
My belief on the systemic cause is the anti-liberty sentiment in
congress. This creates the conditions where lots of extremely bad
anti-liberty laws are proposed and passed. SOPA and PIPA happened to be
so horrible that an huge outcry they couldn't ignore and push through
(most likely, it is still possible they might). But that is all. SOPA
and PIPA are the natural result of the current system. They are not
some special outlier that you can block and then be confident the system
is working.
There are a few other systemic issues that contribute to the extremely
bad law that SOPA and PIPA would be. A profound lack of basic
understanding of technology. A profound lack of understanding of copyright.
Those are compounded by a profound lack of respect of knowledge (so
ignorance is not seen as any reason to act cautiously or seek
expertise). A system where large amounts of cash seem to drive policy
much more than anything else. Add those to the anti-liberty agenda of
the last decade and you will continue to get SOPAs and PIPAs.
Where we are today
"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty" - Wendell Phillips
which is often quoted as "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance" and attributed to Thomas Jefferson
Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Richard Jackson (maybe)
Those outside the USA
Several other countries have already had the USA coerce their governments
into adopting legislation desired by those who "donated" (in other
words gave cash to) American politicians. I am surprised none of those
countries has reversed the decision to harm their citizens as a favor to
those paying American politicians cash but I don't think any have. If
you live in one of those countries maybe you should see about getting rid of the people that do such things to your country. And the State Department may well be pressuring for SOPA like laws right now.
The USA's Anti-Liberty Agenda
Sadly the USA has been on a kick to reduce liberty and increase
government and corporate power over liberty of citizens. I have written
about the attacks on liberty on another of my blogs.
SOPA and PIPA are the
recent outcome of this mindset of those in congress today. The attempts
to payoff a few of the lobbyists that give them large amounts of cash
has resulted in many bills; SOPA and PIPA being the current examples.
They have become so used to egregious anti-liberty legislation being
ignored that they allowed the lobbyists to go so far in writing SOPA and
PIPA that even the normal apathy was overcome.
It appears they realize the price of their favors to those giving them
lots of cash (for their campaigns) is too high in this case. People
actually noticed how egregious the attacks on liberty were. And the
reactions by those people have made it seem that the consequences to the
politicians of passing the law (that they wanted to pass before the
consequences to themselves was made obvious) are now too high.
Given past conduct I would expect them to bow to the current pressure
and just sneak in most of the bad policy (to pay back those giving them
cash) into future bills. They also seem to be trying to say by getting
rid of a couple of the most vile parts of the laws that the rest of the
payoffs to those giving them cash should be ok.
I was amazed when the politicians were able to withstand the maelstrom of criticism about he security theater/anti-liberty practices of TSA.
So how far they are willing to fight in order to pay off contributors
and further the anti-liberty agenda I am not sure. But the evidence
seems to be pretty far. I would expect they will not learn from this
and continue their normal conduct, which will mean continued attempts to
pass similar measures.
Until we refuse to elect people that are willing to sacrifice liberty
for their personal short term interests we have risks of such laws
passing. Only extraordinary efforts seem capable of rolling back small
pieces of the anti-liberty agenda currently being pushed by both parties
in Washington DC. But it is only because the public lets them get away
with it. So it is really our problem. If we want to stop the
anti-liberty agenda (of which SOPA and PIPA are a minor, though
dramatically flawed example) we need to stop electing those that support
it.
There is an App to Help You Avoid Supporting Companies Actively Undermining Your Rights through their support for SOPA and PIPA.
Librarians Standing Up to the Madness
"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak out for me."
Martin Niemoeller
SOPA/PIPA resources:
PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.
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