The Government Takeover of Free Speech

With the Federal Communication Commission's latest decision with regard to the internet and the rights of the internet providers, our government is one step closer to gaining total control of the internet and our free speech.  This new ruling restrains existing internet providers from competing with others.  The FCC did say that they will allow internet providers to "reasonably manage their networks."  That may sound good, but with the government, when is anything reasonable?

This decision also mandates that the network management policies of broadband internet providers be made public.  No longer will individuality be tolerated.  No longer will success be allowed to flower in absence of weeds.  Now the government will swoop in and mandate that your business publishes its success tactics and chains you with non-competition legislation.

With the Patriot Act the government already gave itself the power to listen to our phone conversations, our internet posts, and whatever else they can manage to strain their ears to hear.  No longer do policemen need to obtain a search warrant; they can now enter and search based solely on probable cause.  Our lives are falling more and more in the overreaching view of the government.  The next big hurdle for them to overcome is the internet.

Saddling the internet with regulations under the guise of protecting consumers will ultimately allow the government to digitally enter our homes to keep tabs on us.  In the end, this will lead to a situation similar to the Chinese censorship of the internet.  For those who say it won't happen here, or that it can't happen here, the government already censors radio and television.  They can already prevent anyone from flying, simply by placing their name on the No Fly List, and to do so, they do not need proof or a reason, and their say is final.

By stripping us of our voices, they will soon be able to regulate unopposed.  Once it's illegal to disagree with the government it will be too late.  The internet is one of the last places free speech is allowed, and that soon will be gone.  The government is working hard to silence your tongue.  Just remember you can't voice your opinion when you're in a body bag.  This is an attack on our rights and on our lives.  Are we going to sit back and take it?