Random thoughts on most things from A. M. Craig.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

What I Wrote to My Congressman Jason Chaffetz about SOPA/PIPA


Any intellectually honest investigation of SOPA/PIPA will reveal it as a vicious attack on our free information society. The technology is indistinguishable from what is used to control public opinion in China. It would lobotomize our infrastructure. It protects a single sector of the economy by sweepingly restricting the free movement of every other person and entity within U.S. jurisdiction. People will not invest in an ecosystem like that. The economy will suffer tremendously, but even more important than the economy are basic civil rights. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are among the god-given, unalienable rights we defend. Liberty and freedom of discourse fall squarely within our Constitutional rights. SOPA/PIPA grant courts and specific industries undue policing power that will set this country back, probably forever, in global standing on freedom and economic growth.
Mr. Chaffetz, please fight this. Thank you.

Ironically, in order to send this message about privacy and freedom, I had to provide a surprising amount of personal information. Phone number, address, full name, email. Funny... ish.