Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Was Today's Outrage Most-Successful Internet Protest?

Perhaps never in America has a protest on the Internet reaped so much as today's onslaught.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, a co-sponsor of PIPA, a bill that placing restrictions on Internet websites, dropped his sponsorship. And, he was not alone.

"SOPA protest rattles Congress," reads a headline in Politico. It says the day began with 40 co-sponsors of PIPA, and ended with four of them changing their minds, the well-known Sen. Marco Rubio from Florida being among them.

Hatch's defection was the most noteworthy, he being co-chair of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus. Bless Sen. Hatch for his change of heart, as changing stands brings wrath from a public that seems to thinks such changes are reflect political weakness. I say changing opinions is a strength, taking courage, and showing you are open to reason.

The House version of the bill, SOPA, lost two co-sponsors, out of 30 it began with, Politico said.

Several contact sites of congress members crashed under the load of protests, according to one report. It seemed based on having tried to contact the congress members, and finding the sites to be down. Perhaps the sites were down for other reasons, though. I do not know.

Thus, the Internet, key to bringing us the Arab Spring, notably the protesting that led to the downfall of the Egyptian government, saw its most successful protest to date in America, I would guess.

Among the other outrage: Hundreds rallied at the offices of New York's two senators, who are supporters of the PIPA, expressing their disapproval.

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