This is purely what if.
What if… SOPA passes? What if they get their way? Let’s do a little math, shall we?
NDAA for 2012 was passed, WITH the same features that our Commander in Chief stated he would veto if those features remained as they were. It is now a law. It declares that ANYONE who is deemed an enemy of the country can be held without trial indefinitely and essentially declares war on anyone who might not agree with how things are run. Ok, sure, no problem. Lets overlook the fact that this little gem was tucked in, decided on, the whole 9, without so much as a glance or mention by the majority of the country.
Then we have SOPA/PIPA rearing its ugly head. We’ve known about this for quite some time. Now, one of the great things about the Constitution, is our right to freedom of speech. We are suppose to be allowed to speak what’s on our mind without fear of repercussion or persecution by our government and law officials. This does not include acts of slander, or hate speech, etc. As I understand it, what this act will do is to hinder our transferrence of information, rather than do as it was intended to do and stop online piracy.
So… what you have here, is the revocation of habeas corpus, and the modern day equivalent of a book burning.
In 1775, colonists of this nation took up arms to declare their freedom from oppression. Those battles were fought and won with the lives and blood of a people who would not sit idly by and allow a tyrannical rule. In 1860, southerners, with the state of South Carolina at the head, took up arms against their own country.. against their brothers, uncles, fathers, neighbors… NOT in defense of slavery, but in defense of state’s rights vs. a government that sought too much power. In 1940, men of all nations rose up together to put a stop to a psychpathic dictator hellbent on world domination. It started slow, sure. And the United States did not get involved in an official capacity until the attack on Pearl Harbor, but nonetheless we did get involved. The purpose of this little history lesson, in its very condensed form, is to show that in times of conflict, people will not tolerate having their rights, their freedom infringed upon. People will fight and die for what they believe in. Even if they do not win, every person who stands up for what they believe to be right and true, has served their purpose in this life. What we have lost sight of here, is the statement that led me to my love of history.. “Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it”.
At the end of the day, they can try to control the flow of information. They can try to control what people do, what they say and how they think. But as we all know..
Do or do not. There is no try.
And I happen to believe that they can try all they like, in the end, people will not cave so easily.
