Chillin’ on the Sopa

If you’re confused by the media and political circus surrounding SOPA, don’t expect to find any better answers here. In a world piloted by agenda, it’s almost impossible to truly gauge a bill’s impact unless you take the time to weed through all the biased opinions and influence.

When I first got wind of this bill, I could see the pro’s and I could see the con’s. Those who favored the bill talked about wanting to preserve American jobs and protect intellectual rights. That’s a good thing, right? I can totally get behind that! Long live SOPA!

But then those who were against the bill talked about the threat of rampant censorship, friendly fire, and stifled innovation. That sucks. I hate those things. Down with SOPA!

It became blatantly apparent that until I knew more, I couldn’t rightfully support or protest the bill. Even though I couldn’t care less about protecting Hollywood’s bazillions, I knew it had to be more than that. Even though I supported free speech and an outlet for the masses, I knew there had to be more to it, and my vague broad-stoke understanding of the bill wasn’t enough for me to start championing it.

To passionately lobby one way or the other, you really need to understand the legislation at its core. You need to read how it is written and formulate your own stance based on fact rather than the opinions of those flooding an already bewildered mainstream media.

So, I took the time to do so, and after a few hours of research, I now understand SOPA and I now understand why it blows.

Just don’t ask me to explain it to you. I’d just screw it up. Much like if I were asked to provide driving directions to our house. I know where to turn and what to look out for when I’m at the wheel but you risk ending up in Nebraska if you expect me to jot down the route or scribble out a map.

For the record, I’m against SOPA. Like, WAY against it. To quote my 8-year old self, “I’m so against it it’s not even funny.” But still, I feel pretty helpless when it comes to doing anything about it. Then again, while I lack the millions of dollars it takes to properly control my Senators’ marionette strings, I do possess a voice. And I’ve used it.

Larger concerns, particularly those who are directly and indirectly threatened by the legislation, have taken a different strategical approach. In protest of the potential mockery of our Constitution, many monsters of the Internet are in the middle of a pledged 24-hour blackout. The intent is to help raise awareness about the potential bill and jam Congressional phone lines with irate callers. I have to imagine it’s working. People just won’t stand for a Wikipedia-less Internet.

Myself, I think a total blackout of TellingDad.com would be silly. First, I don’t think anyone would notice, so the impact of such a move would be about as effective as me picketing by myself in the deep woods. And second, I think a total blackout is a rather drastic step in light of the fact that everything will resume back to normal at midnight tonight.

Still, I see the justification for it and I support the validity behind it. So, to show my solidarity, I’m going to black out what probably could have caused my site to go viral. A photograph so extraordinary that it very well could have elevated me to elite blogger status. Yet here I stand, sacrificing the indisputable millions it could have generated, all in an effort to stand shoulder to shoulder with my geeky brethren.

No one said loyalty was cheap.

When I took a look at SOPA’s sponsor, the ol’ curmudgeon really brought me back. Back to the days when my out-of-control and out-of-touch grandpa would hoard a remote control he had no business wielding.

Rather than face the potential threat that his grandchildren might somehow perhaps see something that could possibly be construed by some as maybe being improper, his solution was to control the remote and leave the television on Lawrence Welk reruns.

I have to believe that the supporters of this bill, at least at the Congressional level, only see the Internet in its general form. They don’t fully understand how it all works, the technological inner-workings at play, and the ripple effect they could cause by such a move. It’s like yanking out a car’s oil pan because it leaks and then expecting everything to be okay.

From what I’ve read, SOPA is rooted in good intentions but rife with rushes to judgment, misunderstandings, and completely misguided targeting. Until they fully understand what they’re restricting, shouldn’t they stand down and open some productive dialogue? Maybe bring in some experts who possess more knowledge than checks?

Metaphorically speaking, I hate fire ants, and I’d fully support a call to ban them. But I wouldn’t expect or even want my sponsored bill to also obliterate all the hard working and innocent non-biting ants in the process. I hate that the government feels they need MORE control, especially when it’s something placed in their ear by a handful of entertainment giants.

I think what we have here is a group of old school cronies completely out of touch and inexperienced with the digital world trying to control something they don’t fully understand. You need look no further than Jurassic Park or Independence Day to know how dangerous this line of thinking can be.

Perhaps one of you could hand Lamar Smith a few of these DVDs to enlighten him?

(Unpirated, of course.)

____________________________________

What follows is what I felt to be the most compelling and factual condensed overview of the SOPA and PIPA proposals. But don’t take my word for it, or anyone else’s really. I encourage you to establish your own stance based on unbiased facts you uncover. I’ll just forewarn you now, it’s difficult to pluck them from the rhetoric.

____________________________________