The net neutrality movement has sadly lost its way. Well intentioned at the start, it has morphed into an angry e-mob with digital pitchforks bent on inflaming Internet users with unsubstantiated fearmongering and
inciting fear-blinded e-mob "justice." The neutrality-ites have demonized broadband carriers without evidence, spread unsubstantiated rumors bordering on slander
itsournet.com savetheinternet.com and basically have appointed themselves the Internet's judge, jury and executioner.
Please hear me out. At the core of the neutrality-ites belief is the outrageous presumption that broadband providers are all guilty until proven innocent. They want Congress to preemptively throw all broadband carriers into regulatory jail before there have been any real problems, without any evidence of an real offense, and without any regard to their rights and freedoms. And the neutrality-ites unfairly want to throw all broadband carriers into the same regulatory jail, regardless of the facts or circumstances. The e-mob has summarily judged that all broadband carriers represent the same mortal threat to the Internet, regardless of their history, practices, business models, public statements, or circumstances. That's not the rule of law or the American constitutional system -- that's e-mob "fairness"and "justice."
Of all people, this e-mob's disrespect for the rule of law and the U.S. constitution should trouble the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Hopefully, the e-mob will not incite the Judiciary committees to seriously consider moving 100 year-old antitrust goal-posts and redefine the legal meaning of "monopoly" to also mean only two or three choices. I guess Congress could pass a law that "mono" meant more than one, but Webster would surely object.
The neutrality-ites e-mob behavior should concern any high-minded folk who claim to care about our American constitution. The e-mob is calling for massive government coercion, without being able to define the problematic offense, without evidence of any infraction, or without any respect for constitutional protections of due process or property rights among others. And when the people's House resoundingly rejected net neutrality 269-152, the neutrality-ites disrespected the process by saying it was just a tool of lobbyists and not considering that they failed to make their case after swamping the House with their emails. The neutrality-ites failed because they were an irrational e-mob, not a persuasive and respectful grassroots movement focused on real change.
Finally where has the free-and-open, consensus-driven Internet gone? Consensus, mutual self interest and economic incentive have made the Internet what it is today. Not this e-mob "justice" that apparently believes the answer is to intimidate, bully, and coerce your way to a free and open Internet.
