Fwd: Tell AOL -- Hands Off My Internet!

[Lernermichelle]

This is an alert from a different group about the same issue, but is an alert to individuals to take action as individuals, if you want to.  It has a very relevant quote from someone who runs an online group for human cancer patients, much like our group (but different species). Michelle

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Title: Activism Message from ActForChange

ACTFORCHANGE ACTIVISM UPDATE: March 2, 2006 You are receiving this newsletter because you have previously taken action on ActForChange in support of progressive values. Tell AOL: Don't Tax Our Internet! AOL has recently announced a plan to assess what amounts to an "email tax" for guaranteed delivery of messages to AOL accounts -- a misguided step that will stifle free speech and harm nonprofit organizations. Tell them to drop these plans. Tell AOL: Don't Tax Our Internet! AOL recently announced what amounts to an "email tax." Under this pay-to-send system, large emailers willing to pay an "email tax" can bypass spam filters and get guaranteed access to people's inboxes -- with their messages having a preferential high-priority designation. Charities, small businesses, civic organizing groups, and even families with mailing lists will wind up with inferior Internet service unless they are willing to pay the "email tax" to AOL. We need to stop AOL immediately so other email providers know that following AOL's lead would be a mistake. Click here to tell AOL to drop their plans for the email tax. AOL's proposed pay-to-send system is the first step down the slippery slope toward dividing the Internet into two classes of users -- those who get preferential treatment, and those who are left behind. The big loser will be regular email users -- whose email from friends, family, and favorite causes will increasingly go undelivered and disappear into the black hole of a neglected spam filter. The president of the Association for Cancer Online Resources (ACOR) points out the real-world urgency of this issue: "In essence, this is going to block every AOL subscriber suffering from any form of cancer from receiving potentially life-saving information they may not be able to get from any other source, simply because a non-profit like ACOR -- which serves more than 55,000 cancer patients and caregivers every day -- cannot afford to pay the fee." Click here to let AOL know this plan is unacceptable. Then, please forward this newsletter to your friends, family, and colleagues to help spread the word about this important campaign! Thank you for working to build a better world. Will Easton Manager ActForChange.com/ Working Assets P.S. -- Want to support 50 great progressive nonprofit groups fighting the right-wing agenda? Contribute here. View the groups Working Assets is supporting in 2006 here. Did this message end up in your bulk or junk mail folder? Please add "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" to your address book or "safe senders list." YOU ARE SUBSCRIBED AS: [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you do not wish to receive updates about ways you can make your voice heard: Please click on the following link to unsubscribe to this newsletter. http://www.workingforchange.com/unsub/[EMAIL PROTECTED] Or, send a blank e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]. Please note: this address is for unsubscribe requests only. Inquiries sent to this address will not be read. You may receive one additional newsletter while we process your request. Please send questions or comments to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. http://www.actforchange.com

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