A free and democratic society depends upon a well-informed and educated populace, for without it the forces of totalitarianism will certainly prevail. Our founding fathers recognized this in the principles of freedom of the press, never visualizing a world where the reigns of the press, or access to information, could be accumulated in the hands of a very few.
Recent history has seen an agglomeration of power and control in the radio, television and print media spaces. Unfettered by thoughtful dialog or action by our elected representatives, these sectors have been allowed to concentrate to the point where we now have a thoughtless and uninformed press, beholden to, rather than independent of, entrenched corporate interests.
We the people require free movement of ideas to maintain our independence and freedoms, something that Congress has been asleep on the watch in protecting. Today we face an even more insidious issue – the distribution networks for alternative media and information are under attack through loss of net neutrality. If companies such as Comcast or AT&T are allowed to tier or deny access to content, of any sort, then yet another source of information required to maintain a free society will have been lost.
The stakes and issues are clear. The Senate can vote for continued accumulation of power and control into the hands of a few corporations as has the House, or it can vote to keep a free society.
I know that the issue is a difficult one – these are the very corporations that provide our elected officials with large donations they so desperately need for re-election. However, as citizens of this great nation, with children and grand children who will have to live with the consequences of their decisions, I can only hope they vote for net neutrality and maintain the last vestiges of free communication that we have as a people.
Remember what this nation is supposed to represent and uphold it. This is your Senators' sacred trust. Hold them accountable to it.
Live Free or Die – John Stark, 1809.
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