Stop SOPA and PIPA

#1 @Michael,
There is more to this than just these bills. It is an indicator and prelude to a total loss of liberty. Make your voice heard now with your reps and at the polls when it is time to vote.

#2 Everyone in this thread is a hippie and a communist!

I've got your names and I'm gonna tell The Man.

#3 Thanks for this blog Michael.

Regarding the "disclaimer": As a 6 years old GarageGames customer, and member of this community, I'd like the company to support the pro-freedom stance of the community. In other words, this blog should be a GG official statement.


@Frank: absolutely agree!

#4 I've called both of my Senator's offices for PIPA and all the West Virginia House Represenatives too for SOPA (even the ones outside my district). Hopefully all this will work. Thanks for posting this blog!

#5 You bring up something I cannot stress enough. SOPA is getting the most attention, but we must denounce and fight PIPA as well. Don't forget that when you are messaging your reps.

#6 Unfortunately I live in South Africa and can't sign the petition for you guys ... but my support (for whatever it counts) is with you all.

I truly hope the petitions work out. 8-}

@Steve: LMAO ... Love the comment dude.

#7 Thank you for posting this. The support the internet has had today towards stopping these bills is amazing.

#8 Gamasutra's support notice is great as well.

#9 @Michael: Thank you for bringing this up, this is a very important topic if you live in the states and these bills go beyond violating our rights.

@David: Thanks for the link, petition signed.

#10 These bills are getting out of hand. I think its time to implement Separation of Business and State. And cops need to keep in mind that they are part of the 99%. Just say'in.

@Steve
My parents are hippies and proud of it. Me thinks you're jealous. =P

#11 @Michael / All -- signed the petition and emailed my state Reps. Really hope it helps, as this all reads like another attempt to appease the big money players ... with little concern for the impact on the rest of us.

But if they pass -- impact will be much further than just US -- as will set precedents for other countries to lock down, control and restrict the internet.

@Steve - whats wrong with hippies ? :) Peace, Love and Not War - is all that is great thing... of course, the pachooli oil does get to ya after awhile.

#12 Peace? Love?

That's loser talk!



You do what the Forces of Darkness tell you to, and nobody will get hurt!

... or else ...

#13 So I hate to sound like a square, but I don't really understand the bill. Does anyone here have a good link that provides an objective review?

I'm not against the idea of stopping piracy that would be really helpful to us. And I don't really think that the government wants to censor web-sites...but it does scare me to think that they have the right to do so. This is probably driven by a lobby from a big software company and the bill sponsor is driven by support for re-election.

From what little bit I understand of the bill...it's just a dumb idea that wouldn't work. It has the underpinnings of the traditional drug war tactics.

#14 That's where I sit on the bill - it's a good idea presented by the worst possible people. I fear that once you let Congress control the internet we'll be buggered. Just like the FCC tax that is still in effect to pay for the Mexican/American War, once you let that group get their hands on something they won't let go until they destroy it.

The myth about inviting vampires into your home is based on politicians, not supernatural fears....

#15 For info
Disclaimer, it's a Brit lawyer ... who probably reads the Guardian ...

#16 @Eric, I dont think it is a good idea *at all*.

In the first place, and as a basic human right, the fact of making unauthorized copies should be a matter of personal choice.

You cannot forbid people to get out of their houses, in fear that some of them may hit others with their cars.

Is a matter of choices, so vast and complex that no one, nowhere, should assume the role of controller over our choices.

And for the depth of a good understanding of the context: we are in a moment when the problems that "piracy" may provoke are highly debated in its most basic principles.

So its really urgent the need for an understanding that this has to do with big gatekeepers putting billions on lobby first and foremost, not necessarily with anyone getting actual losses. And those billions on lobby are pointing towards *control* not "piracy".

You have plenty of information out there to understand this. Maybe this information is the reason of this, go figure.

And for the record USA, threatened other countries with sanctions for not approving the same law, so I *do* think that your government wants to censor web-sites.

#17 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16623831

#18 "The function of government is to take money from the people and give it to the rich."

Ask this question: Why is there a death tax? The accumulation of generational wealth is a threat to the elite wealthy.
Why do certain elite families have tax free trust funds? Because they are the elite and everyone else gets the death tax.

There a great many more questions like this to ask, but because everyone is strapped to survive in a time of some of the greatest prosperity in history, we aren't asking these questions. From the cradle you are taught bad financial principles like: you deserve it now (buy on credit/loan), get it before it is gone, etc. We do not understand how to accumulate and hold onto wealth so we can be financially stable enough to ask "why" are things this way.

Companies are doing very well despite the threat of piracy. Yes piracy is a reality, but that is not the purpose of the bill. The bill is to remove some of your "fair use" rights. There is also a move to make it so you cannot sell something that has firmware in it because the original buyer was the licensee. The purpose is greed, deception, and stripping away at your liberties, period.

When I was young I thought I was liberal, when I got a little older I thought I was conservative, when I woke up I realized I must, for my children, be a defender of the US Constitution. There are very few in Washington that are defending it, and most have set it aside for special interests. I am going to do my best to make sure we do not get a "traditional" Democrat or Republican in office this November.

BTW, the current economy is not the current president's fault. The event that got this crash rolling started almost 100 years ago. Food for thought...

#19 www.khanacademy.org/video/sopa-and-pipa?playlist=American+Civics

Here's a good overview.

It's poorly written and everyone hates it. It's not going anywhere. I'm glad there are people out there looking out for this kind of stuff.

Sounds like a great way to drive all of our big tech companies to other countries.

Sorry D.C., can't stop piracy with a baseball bat...we are going to need to be smarter than that.

#20 @Frank, interesting thoughts. I Agree with you.

About "piracy" been a threat, I think is a matter of time -looking at your line of thought-, until you realize that its another false flag propaganda operation from the same people with the tax free trust funds :)