INDEPENDENCE DAY 1999, A CALL TO ARMS
by yer pal, BLUE
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." Those beautiful words say so much about our great country. Freedom is what this country is all about, it always has been and for as long as people are willing to fight for freedom, it always will be.
Today is the 4th of July but that is not the name of the holiday. It is called "Independence Day". Independence: a being independent; freedom from control of another. Look at the words that explain what independence is, think of why the founders of our nation used that word to declare what a new nation was doing.
Today a new found freedom is under attack. Some (often the powerful) would like to control others from using their new found freedom. The powerful will use their money (power) to try to control others new freedom. They will use their power as AOL has used their's, to censor, to harass, to control, I know because it has already happened to me and many others. And they will get away with it unless each one of us answers the call to arms and then we fight together. No way in 1776, would the strong British be kicked out of America is what the odds said. The odds were wrong.
The British tried to control, harass and censor the first "new" Americans. But, freedom was an idea that people back then were willing to fight and die for, and America as a nation has never lost that spirit. It is in that spirit that I write. Our new found freedom is under attack today and it is time to fight for for yourself and all the huddled masses around the world, yearning to be free.
Freedom, it is rare when a new form of freedom comes along. It is not rare that the powerful want to control that new freedom. The control of this new freedom is coming in two forms today. The direct, like AOL who CAN and DOES control, censor and harass when ever they like and the indirect, sue happy companies that seem to blame message boards for their broken promises and failing companies or even those who can't take a joke on April Fools Day. This is a call to arms if they are not stopped now, they never will be.
DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY. I've lived most of my life around those words. They are not my words, they come from West Point, this is what has been handed down from generation to generation. I've handed this thinking down to my daughter but she may not even know it. All I've ever asked of her is two things. 1) Always try your hardest and give your best (DUTY, HONOR) 2) Always make your Daddy proud (a family is a COUNTRY in ways).
Today we have the DUTY and the HONOR to stand up and fight for our new freedom (the internet). We are a great nation (COUNTRY), the greatest nation on Earth. We have lead the fight for freedom around the world and it is time we did so with the likes of AOL and sue happy companies that should spend more time running a company and less time running their mouths and running to lawyers.
Use your freedom in this fight. When you have been told that AOL censors, harasses and tries to control, then send steve case an e-mail. When he tries to control you by making sure that you can't answer (speak), then go to the roof top and show the World you are not afraid to fight. Point out how AOL or any other company or person is taking your new freedom away.
When a company goes sue happy, send them an e-mail telling them how silly they are. You can't get sued for telling someone they are acting like a jerk, in your opinion. However, if these companies hear that from enough people it will make them think. Stand up and be counted on this Independence Day. This is a call to arms and the true battle for the freedom of the internet starts today.
This is America and for the freedom we enjoy, we have the DUTY and the HONOR of fighting for our new found freedom. Not for our own sake but, freedom's sake, so others my be independent too.
Soon we will see many who were trying to use their freedom, go to court. It is my hope that those on juries rule on the side of freedom and independence. I would hope that Judges and Courts around the United States will rule for freedom and independence and make an example of those who sue because they can't run a business or take a joke on April Fools Day. I would hope the courts take the power away from the likes of an AOL, who have used their power to control, censor and harass.
Today is Independence Day so let's be independent and make all those who fought or fight for freedom proud. We the people can and will make a difference, this is America.
yer pal, (RED, WHITE and) BLUE. |
