Authoritarian Assholes' latest excuse to Censor the Internet

Via ballgame of feminist critics: Stop SOPA! AKA PROTECT IP Act Breaks The Internet To summarize SOPA/The Protect IP Act are basically excuses to use intellectual property rights to intimidate and shut down anyone posting content on the internet that the powers-that-be don't like.

As the video on vimeo.com shows there are already laws in place to protect intellectual property. While these are imperfect, it is not as if the entertainment industry is in imminent danger of bankruptcy. There are issues in the digital age that still needed to be sorted out with regards to the rights of owners of intellectual property and the rights of purchasers of content to share that content with others. But, there is no hardship so great being imposed on the creators of intellectual property that the government and Hollywood lawyers need to monitor everyone's personal website to penalize anyone who might have made an offhand reference to a copyrighted work.

For anyone interested in fighting this there are, in addition to the link provided by vimeo - fightforthefuture.org/pipa, there are also the following links to petitions and form letters to congresspeople: http://act.demandprogress.org/sign/protectip_docs, https://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/o/9042/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8173

I am sure all bloggers and blog contributors can understand the importance of this.

Another Attempt at Expanding Self-Defense Rights

My petition a couple of years ago to get reciprocity between states for gun rights did not succeed. But now there is a new proposal with a similar aim. A friend of mine recently sent an e-mail about House of Representatives Bill 822, which will do much to correct inconsistencies between states and within those that have little respect for the fair application of the right to self-defense. I would urge those interested to read more here http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=7044 and to write your elected representatives regarding this issue. Here is a copy of the main text of the letter I sent to my congressman and senators:

I am writing in support of HR 822, The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. The right of peaceful people to carry weapons to defend against society's violent predators is a basic human right. However, despite this right being upheld by the Supreme court, there are several states and municipalities that seem to find that respecting this right is too much of an inconvenience. They will allow the powerful and well connected to defend their own lives, but seem to think that the vast majority should blindly trust government officials to protect them. Perhaps if ordinary adults gave police, prosecutors, and their supervisors the power our parents had over us when we were infants, they would provide the same protection our parents did then. I am skeptical about this, though, and in any case do not see it as the best way to maintain a free society. As such, I support H.R. 822 which will compel states and cities that allow their elites to protect themselves from violence to allow the vast majority of their citizens to do the same.

I would also urge you to read (or re-read) the NRA's factsheet regarding this issue. In addition to the fundamental right to self-defense that I have already stated there are two points I find especially worthy of note:
• States with right-to-carry laws have lower violent crime rates.
and
• Crime declines in states with right-to-carry laws.
http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?id=189&issue=003

New Petition: Do NOT stop offshore drilling

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/do-not-stop-offshore-drilling

Two Important Upcoming Pennsylvania Bills

While I wish I was in New Hampshire, there are two positive pieces of legislation coming up in my current (and so far lifelong) home of Pennsylvania. I would urge all of my fellow Pennsylvanians to support them:


Via NRA-ILA - House Bill 40 - “Castle Doctrine”  Self-Defense Bill:

HB40, sponsored by State Representative Scott Perry (R-92), would permit law-abiding citizens to use force, including deadly force, against an attacker in their homes and any places outside of their home where they have a legal right to be. Read More.

Via The False Rape Society  - Finally, a chance to reduce false rape claims:

We frequently talk here about how the crime of making a false report of rape is treated so cavalierly. Finally, as shown by the article below, some state legislators are looking to do something about it. Read more.

My Petition

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Foreign Aid Petition

I received an e-mail asking to sign a petition to "Reform U.S. Foreign Aid." I had to think about this a little while. Normally, I don't think it is a good idea to try to "improve" something that, for the most part, I'd like to see eliminated. But, after looking at the text of the bill, as well as various commentaries on it, I decided that its calls for accountability, transparency, and streamlining bureaucracy are positive enough to outweigh any problems it might have. So, I signed the petition, while attaching this message:

I would prefer to see all foreign aid eventually phased out. I would like to see assistance to allied governments come in the form of loans or favors that can be reciprocated rather than grants. Charity, where it is needed, should come from voluntary private donations, not taxpayer money. But, seeing as how foreign aid is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, this does seem like a step in the right direction.