Enough of Net neutrality activists' hypocritical sanctimony over freedom, free speech and democracy! It is sickening.
Net neutrality activists claim to support freedom, free speech, and democracy, but they really don't in practice.
First, let's look at the recent activist whining from FreePress/SaveTheInternet about how the FCC network management forum at Harvard was somehow hijacked by Comcast sympathetic attendees or who these activists have derisively called "seat fillers."
- Come on.
- This event was held at SaveTheInternet's preferred forum, in Ed Markey's home turf, at a Harvard Law auditorium that seats 300 -- isn't this one of the epicenters of radical activism in America today?
- If this was such a "hot" issue why couldn't these activists get hundreds or thousands of students to stand in line to attend?
- Why wasn't the forum held at a basketball arena or a football stadium to accomodate all of the supposed legions of net neutrality activists working this issue?
- Because the net neutrality activist's grass roots base is a whole lot thinner than they would like people to know.
- The whining over "seat-filling" sounds a lot like CYA by the activists in charge -- to cover up their own mobilization incompetence in getting their people to an event at the right time.
- They are basically whining for their own failure in "Activist Organizing 101."
- But, its so hard to get busy students to wait in liiiiiiine...
- But we shouldn't have to get up early in a democraceeeee...
- Only our side should be able to attend our ralleeeee...
- wah! wah! wah!
Second, these activists claim to care about freedom, free speech and democracy -- however, when the rubber meets the road they really don't care at all -- they are just political tools and slogans to advance their net neutrality agenda.
- The broadband sector I represent in opposing net neutrality:
- Employs a million Americans, which in turn economically provide for several million more Americans' livlihood; and
- Serves the communications needs of most all Americans.
- Moreover, many tens of millions of Americans own shares in broadband companies in mutual funds and pension funds meaning that broadband companies are an integral part of millions more consumers' financial security.
- The economic reality is that net neutrality regulation would devastate broadband companies' ability to invest, deploy, operate and compete -- which would have a profoundly negative effect on tens of millions of American consumers in a wide variety of ways.
- If net neutrality were to become the rule or law, Internet congestion would explode -- affecting the Internet responsiveness, reliability, and speed of the Internet for hundreds of millions of users around the world.
Third, I am sick of the sanctimonious conceit and delusions of net neutrality activists that routinely act like, they and they only, care for the American consumer.
By what perverted sense of "freedom," "free speech" and "democracy" do these activists have the right to say that other free people, can't excercise their free speech and democratic rights to speak out against net neutrality as several civil rights groups recently did.
- Broadband companies have worked with many of these groups over many years helping real people with real needs improve their lives, opportunity, productivity and safety.
- It is an insult to these groups for neutrality activists to belittle their struggles and worthiness to participate in the democratic process.
- Moreover, how are not-for-profit free-market think tanks like Progress and Freedom Foundation any less worthy of free speech than the pro-net-neutrality-regulation New America Foundation?
- The hallmark of true supporters of free speech is that they never attack the right of others to speak their mind.
Bottom line: If the Moveon.org activists that run FreePress and SaveTheInternet truly cared about freedom, free speech, and democracy they would encourage and defend ANYONE and EVERYONE'S freedom, free speech, or democratic participation even if they disagreed with them on an issue.
- These activists should take a long look in the mirror and realize that they are increasingly acting like thugs trying to intimidate and squelch the freedoms, free speech, and democratic rights of those Americans who disagree with them.
