Last night, after reading a bit on here and some other places around the internet, my roommate and I decided to sit down and actually do something about the COPE Act. We figured just a couple hours in front of the
Stamp Student Union here at the
University of Maryland would do the trick. So here's what we came up with:
more images
Instead of just two hours, we spent a good five hours altogether in front of the Union. I figured that we ended up handing out exactly 738 flyers that read:
TELL CONGRESS TO
SAVE THE INTERNET
Congress is pushing a law that would abandon the First Amendment of the Internet -- a principle called "network neutrality" that preserves the free and open Internet. Congress needs to hear from you today or they will hand over control of what you do online to companies like:
(images of Verizon, AT&T, & Comcast logos)
These companies want to control ALL the data you access,
allowing those who pay the most to get the most.
keep the internet free
www.savetheinternet.com
I'd hope that a number of the readers here on Daily Kos actually know what I'm talking about here. If not, please go now to check out the website and contact your representative about this.
We actually had a fairly good experience, all in all, despite the fact that many of the kids - and most distressingly, the faculty - weren't at all interested. The low point was when a kid with a cerebral palsy ended up coming up to us and chatted for a few minutes to find out exactly what the issue was. When a kid with CP can stay longer than some kid from frat row, I seriously wonder what's happened to democratic values in this country. Last summer I worked with Environmental Action, and it was one of the most depressing jobs I've ever had simply because of the lack of interest that most people showed.
But there were the high points. A lot of other interested folks stopped by to ask what the big deal was. Those who stuck around long enough realized that we aren't affiliated with any group, which seemed to make them side with our cause all the more. I found out about a local place for progressive and artistic-minded individuals to hang out in DC, called Busboys And Poets. A girl from my poetry class last semester actually went to get me a glass of water since I'd been standing out in the sun so long. And I at least got 738 (or more) people at least wondering what this whole "Save the Internet" thing is.
I feel like I need to get out there and do more of this. It was invigorating.