First of all, I just want to point out
that the recent protests and other actions in relation to the issue
of SOPA/PIPA (bolstered by varying degrees of blackouts on websites
like Reddit,
Wikipedia,
and Google)
quite likely amounted to the most politically active day in the
history of the world -- in terms of people discussing legislation,
issues of free speech, and governmental corruption. Furthermore, we
are quite likely to see evermore people championing the cause of free
speech (and challenging legal restrictions upon it through loopholes
like copyright and trademark). These are very hopeful developments.
However, what I find particularly
noteworthy is the kind of information that the government is looking
to restrict... namely, access to art. On it's face, there are
specious arguments about protecting artists and the profits of the
movie and recording industry. These arguments have already been
thoroughly dismantled
by others -- in terms of artists thriving because of their works
being spread and because artists created and thrived before any
copyright laws existed. But the underlying issue isn't really about
protecting artists -- or even corporatized industries profiting off
of them. Rather, I feel, the issue is about the plain censorship of
political dissent.
