Some of you who follow me on Facebook know my position on SOPA/PIPA. I had considered joining in the blackout protest, but because of the amount of time and work that would have been involved in re-routing everything, I instead elected to spew out a long rant and open discussion on Facebook.
I have just discovered that WordPress has a plugin available to enable the blackout automatically. Had I known this previously, I would have utilized the tool in order to participate. So my friends, I am sincerely sorry that I had missed the mark. I will install the relevant plugins for any possible future protest events.
You will notice now, however, the black ribbons on the top right corner of the Exodus website. These ribbons direct our readers to the American Censorship website when clicked on. There, our readers will find links to other informative websites, as well as an online form to contact members of congress. Don’t worry if the date is already after the fact, if you feel you should be heard… SPEAK!
Speaking to several other Exodus members, we seem to be in agreement. We feel the spirit of the word and the language of the act poses potentially devastating consequences to internet users around the globe. Many of us have chosen not to be silent on this issue, participating in organized protests, sharing crucial information through social media and engaging in open debate.
I urge everyone to learn as much as they can about SOPA and PIPA and consider how it will affect them in the future. This act, although meant to be effective in the United States, WILL affect everyone globally. Educate yourselves and spread the word. Don’t be silent on this issue (even if you agree with SOPA… healthy debate is a valuable education tool and can be helpful to everyone!) and take advantage of the internet’s resources to voice your concerns.
In case you’ve been vacationing in the mountains without ‘net access, or living under a rock, here are a few videos that can help explain the issue. Again, poke around and look at different resources to give you a broader picture of the issues.
And just for shits and giggles, because these videos always tickle me… (and because despite the messenger, the message is something many of us agree on)
