On Wednesday, the Progressive Congress News Twitter feeds and daily email feed to Congress will go silent in solidarity with the internet community, technology innovators, and all those who stand up for civil liberties. Support for internet freedom is not a Democratic or Republican position, it has brought together a wide range of websites and political perspectives in a unity of purpose rarely seen.
Why would we actively join the SOPA / PIPA blackout, rather than doing what we do every day – sharing analysis and news about this and many other policy issues? One of the things PCN does best is to seek out a wide variety of sources for analysis and understanding of the policy issues that affect Americans. The greatest risk SOPA / PIPA presents is the loss of those small, smart, independent voices that make Progressive Congress News exactly the kind of valuable resource we aim to be.
PCN each day features individual blogs and small organization websites like Grist, MomsRising, Progressive States Network, and Angry Bear that add valuable perspective to the policy debate. When commercial power becomes a controlling force on the internet, or the very structure of our technical environment falls into the control of the few, those voices are at risk.
On Wednesday, PCN will show, in real terms, what it would look like if the public sphere of ideas is ended through misinformed, misguided, and permanent legislation, like that found in SOPA and PIPA. When websites are gone, or soften their content in fear of running afoul of rules set by the powerful, democracy itself is made weaker.
Access to information and a voice in our policymaking process are at the heart of being “Progressive”. The internet, as it exists today, is a powerful tool for the global exchange of ideas and information. This is especially true for those whose lack of financial or political resources would otherwise deny them a voice. Innovation, communication, and representation have been fostered by the internet. The decision to restrict or alter this access should not be taken lightly and should never be taken in the narrow interest of a few. It is not enough that we be successful putting SOPA and PIPA “on the shelf”. This legislation will likely be brought back to life, in whole or in part, at a later time. The message needs to be so clear that future legislators will not wonder what the public values and will fight for. Protect the internet – stop SOPA and PIPA.
PCN will resume bringing great policy news and analysis to Twitter and our email subscribers on Thursday. We invite you to follow us, or subscribe. More importantly, we invite you to always be part of the conversation that leads to better and more progressive policies for all Americans.
Progressive Congress News is a service of ProgressiveCongress.org, a 501(c)3. For more information or to join our team email us at news@progressivecongress.org