The three, proverbial wise monkeys -- or Iran, China, and now the United States? Are they stifling freedom of expression or looking at the world through a rose-colored lens? Would like to think that humankind in reaching the moon is one step beyond our primate ancestors. Or, are they our ancestors? – Better not get into any evolutionary creation discussion that might “offend” and shut down my Facebook account! This week I received an e-message from MoveOn.org Civic Action that alarmed me and made me angry. (This memorandum with call to action is copied in full at the end of my blog.) Its message – “INTERNET CENSORSHIP.” In an effort to combat piracy, counterfeit goods, copyright infringement, and foreign rogue states, Congress is debating an “US vs. Them” mentality pitting House Representative Lamar Smith, Republican from Texas and his SOPA “STOP ONLINE PIRACY” bill against the Senate’s counter-bill “PROTECT IP ACT.” All in the name of what’s good for us, or capitalized --- for US (“United States.”) It smacks of protectionism, isolationism, and censorship in a world virtually and literally connected. This brainstorm will stifle creativity, reduce our competitiveness, and instead of protecting jobs, will reduce the motivation to create new jobs. And, why do we believe that the rest of the world will comply? Other negatives include: Power to blacklist websites, freezing financial deposits of website owners, rewriting Internet’s domain name system (DVS). The Internet’s role as a catalyst for change in light of the turmoil sweeping North Africa and the Middle East, the exposure by WikiLeaks of confidential United States diplomatic cables and recent cyber-attacks were high on the agenda of a United Nations-backed meeting of the International Governance Forum IIGF) in late September in Nairobi, Kenya. (See Related ARTICLE – Conference Opens “Internet Governance/Regulation” diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/internet-governance-regulation-by-ambassador-mo/35643 The main theme of this year’s meeting was “The Internet as a catalyst for change: access, development, freedoms and innovation.” (See: “Internet Security, Openness & Privacy Forum Concludes.” diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/internet-security-openness-privacy-forum-concludes-by-ambassador-mo/35706 ) Obsolete and obstructionist regulations have no place in the free world. Broadband must be a catalyst for inclusion. According to UNESCO, “It is vital that no one be excluded from the new global knowledge societies we are building. We believe that communication is not just a human need – it is a right.” (See: “Broadband as Instrument of Inclusion,” By Susan Sacirbey diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/broadband-as-instrument-for-inclusion-by-susan-sacirbey/38302 A day later I received a Facebook post from the International Human Rights Commission’s Khalid Ahmed Chaudry talking about “Facebook users getting charged 15 years for posting content insulting to the Thai monarchy. “According to Southeast Asian Press (SEAPA), the government has requested that Facebook remove more than 10,000 pages containing images or text posted from abroad, which allegedly contravene Thailand's lèse majesté laws. Under the laws, individuals found guilty of insulting the monarchy can be sentenced to up to 15 years' imprisonment for each offence. Facebook now has over 12 million users in Thailand, representing close to 20 percent of the population.” The Arab Spring has taught us a lesson in freedom. The tide cannot be reversed. “SPEAK UP – OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE.” At marriage ceremonies, this is also a frequent restrain! By, Susan Sacirbey Facebook – Become a Fan at “Diplomatically Incorrect”








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 Message in full from MoveOn.org Civic Action: As soon as this week, Congress will start debating whether to give the government the power to turn off parts of the Internet. If that sounds like a terrible recipe for abuse of power, that's because it is. If enacted, a new law would make it so a simple allegation of copyright infringement—with no review process—could lead to the shutdown of sites from YouTube to Wikipedia to MoveOn.org.1 Any website, foreign or U.S.-based, could be wiped out on suspicion and made unavailable to everyone in the world. For example, if you (or Justin Bieber) wanted to post a video to YouTube of yourself singing a Beatles song, a record company could force the Department of Justice to shut down YouTube. Really.2 But as you may have guessed, Congress didn't come up with this tragically terrible idea on their own. Lobbyists representing Comcast, Pfizer, record and movie companies, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce3 have been pushing Democrats and Republicans to pass bills to allow this new kind of Internet censorship. And they're close to getting their way. But a small number of Democrats are standing strong and saying "No" to these powerful special interest groups. They need our help. Senator Ron Wyden from Oregon is one of our champions. He has promised to start a historic filibuster of the Internet Censorship Act where he'll read the names of every person that signs a petition against Internet censorship.4 It's the perfect opportunity for 5 million Internet-connected progressives to visibly add their voice to a Senate debate. The more of us that sign, the stronger this effort to block this terrible law will be. Click here to add your name and say NO to Internet Censorship. We know that the Internet's openness, freedom, and lack of censorship are what make it a bastion of infinite possibility, continued innovation, and job creation. Innovative companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Mozilla, and Yahoo have spoken out against this law, saying: We should not jeopardize a foundational structure that has worked for content owners and Internet companies alike and provides certainty to innovators with new ideas for how people create, find, discuss, and share information lawfully online.5 Internet venture capitalists say that the legislation is "ripe for abuse,"6 and leading law professors reject it because it will "allow the government to block Internet access to websites."7 We condemn censorship overseas when it happens in China or Iran. But today, we need to stand up for freedom of speech on the Internet here at home. Click here to add your name and say NO to Internet Censorship.