This message is getting posted around a bit so I thought I better send it to this list! :) It doesn't really apply to any of us anyway except that it might affect some of the stuff we do on the net!
Read on and......well......who cares! :) >However, a matter has come to my attention that is of the utmost >importance to all of us online. > >Simply put, a couple of senators have proposed a particularly >heinous piece of legislation titled the "Communications >Decency Act of 1995" (Senate Bill S. 314). Basically, the >bill would subject all forms of electronic communication -- >from public Internet postings to your most private email -- >to government censorship. The effects of the bill onto the >online industry would be devastating -- most colleges and >private companies (AOL, Compuserve, etc.) would probably have >to shut down or greatly restrict access, since they would be >held criminally liable for the postings and email of private >users. > >Obviously, this bill is designed to win votes for these senators >among those who are fearful of the internet and aren't big >fans of freedom of speech -- ie., those who are always trying to >censor "pornography" and dirty books and such. Given the >political climate in this country, this bill might just pass >unless the computer community demonstrates its strength as a >committed political force to be reckoned with. This, my friends, >is why I have filled your mailbox with this very long message. > >A petition, to be sent to Congress, the President, and the media, >has begun spreading through the Internet. It's easy to participate >and be heard -- to sign it, you simply follow the instructions >below -- which boil down to sending a quick email message to a >certain address. That's all it takes to let your voice be heard. >(You know, if the Internet makes democracy this accessible to the >average citizen, is it any wonder Congress wants to censor it?) > >Finally, PLEASE forward this message to all your friends online. >The more people sign the petition, the more the government will >get the message to back off the online community. We've been doing >fine without censorship until now -- let's show them we don't plan on >allowing them to start now. If you value your freedoms -- from >your right to publicly post a message on a worldwide forum to your >right to receive private email without the government censoring it -- >you need to take action NOW. It'll take fifteen minutes at the most, >a small sacrifice considering the issues at hand. Remember, the age >of fighting for liberty with muskets and shells is most likely over; >the time has come where the keyboard and the phone line will prove >mightier than the sword -- or the Senate, in this case. > >Yours in liberty, > > -don > > Here's what you have to do to sign the petition: > > send an e-mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > the message (NOT the subject heading) should read as follows: > SIGNED <your online address> <your full name> <U.S. Citizen (y/n)> > eg. SIGNED [EMAIL PROTECTED] Laura Sewell YES > > If you are interested in signing the petition, I would highly suggest > investigating the details of the situation. You can find out more on > the Web at http://www.wookie.net/~slowdog or in the newsgroup > comp.org.eff.talk That's all folks! ================================================================================ ======== ======== ====== /> ====== ===== ( //---------------------------------------------------\ ===== ===== (*OXOXOXOXO(*>==R=o=n=a=n==T=h=e==B=a=r=b=a=r=i=a=n================> ===== ===== ( \\---------------------------------------------------/ ===== ====== \> ====== ======== ======== ================================================================================ ====================* Ronan FitzGerald: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *==================== =======================* Location: Belfast, N. Ireland *======================== =============================* Tel: (01232) 668261 *============================ ================================================================================
