ridecamp@endurance.net: [endurance] not horsey, but very important
[endurance] not horsey, but very important
Dawn Engle (dengle@vt.edu)
Thu, 8 Feb 1996 11:38:34 -0500
>========================================================================
>
> JOIN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER INTERNET USERS IN
>
> * 48 HOURS OF PROTEST *
>
> AFTER PRESIDENT CLINTON SIGNS THE BILL THAT WILL CENSOR THE INTERNET
>
> Update: -Latest News: Congress passed the net censorship language
> on 2/1/96.
>
> -What You Can Do Now: Help demonstrate the extent of the
> impact of the Internet Censorship legislation. Join
> Hundreds of thousands of Internet Users in an
> International protest for 48 hours after Clinton
> Signs the bill.
>
> CAMPAIGN TO STOP THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT
> Feb 3, 1996 (expires Feb 29, 1996)
>
> PLEASE WIDELY REDISTRIBUTE THIS DOCUMENT WITH THIS BANNER INTACT
>
> This alert and coalition coordinated by the
> Voters Telecommunications Watch (vtw@vtw.org)
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>CONTENTS
> The Latest News
> What You Can Do Now
> Chronology of the CDA
> For More Information
> List Of Participating Organizations
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>THE LATEST NEWS
>
>Last week Congress approved sweeping restrictions on online speech and
>conduct, imposing fines of $250,000 and jail sentences of 2 years for
>anyone who makes "indecent" material available in a public forum online.
>
>This legislation threatens the very existence of the Internet as a viable
>means of free expression, education, and political discourse.
>
>Despite loud objections from civil liberties groups and the public,
>the measure is part of a massive telecommunications bill that President
>Clinton has already pledged to sign. Although you should feel free to
>continue to express your objections directly to the President, there are
>other ways to express our outrage for this legislation. The President
>is expected to sign this bill into law during the week of Feb 5-9, 1996.
>
>For 48 hours after Clinton signs the Telecommunications Reform bill into law,
>join hundreds of thousands of Internet users everywhere to show the far
>reaching impact this bill will have on all Internet users. TURN YOUR
>WORLD WIDE WEB PAGES BLACK with white lettering to demonstrate that the
>Internet will not accept this kind of second class treatment from the
>United States Government.
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW
>
>1. For 48 hours after Clinton signs the net censorship language in the
> Telecomm bill into law, TURN YOUR WORLD WIDE WEB PAGES BLACK with
> white lettering. To know when the bill is signed, check these
> sources:
>
> Newsgroups: alt.society.civil-disob
> Email:vtw-announce@vtw.org (watch for mail on this list)
> WWW:http://www.vtw.org/
> Finger:vtw@panix.com
>
> You can also just watch CNN; they'll announce the signing of the bill.
>
> To turn your pages black with white lettering, simply add the following
>
> tag to your World Wide Web pages:
>
> <body>
> <BODY BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#FFFFFF">
>
> Put this right after your <head></head> tags, and before any </body> tags.
> To explain to people who may be confused by the color change, temporarily
> add the following link to your page:
>
> <a href="http://www.vtw.org/speech/">My World Wide Web Pages are
> black for 48 hours to protest second-class treatment from the
> US Government for free speech. Read about it at this WWW
> page.</a>
>
> The Center for Democracy and Technology has also agreed to mirror a
> similar page at URL:http://www.cdt.org/speech.html
>
> If your pages get lots of hits from services that cache their pages like
> America Online, you may wish to start turning your pages black early.
> Please try and wait though until Clinton signs the bill, for maximum
> effect.
>
> Also, urge your Internet Provider and any Internet WWW pages you
> frequent to turn their pages black. Send us interesting sites that
> comply to vtw@vtw.org.
>
> $ Mail vtw@vtw.org
> Subject: ZTV.COM is turning their pages black!
>
> I'm the head of the ZTV Website and I've decided to turn our
> pages black. Thought you'd like to know.
>
> ^D
> Mail sent!
>
>2. Don't forget to send Clinton a message, contact him at:
>
> Email:president@whitehouse.gov
> Telephone:202-456-1111
> Fax:202-456-2461
>
>
> Sample communique:
>
> <ring ring>
> You're about to sign a bill into law that imposes a terrible
> set of speech restrictions on the Internet that belong in the
> broadcast medium, not the interactive one.
>
> I'm turning my World Wide Web pages BLACK for 48 hours after you
> sign the bill as a symbol of protest to show how many people will
> be affected by this bill.
>
> It is unlikely that he will veto the bill.
>
>3. Make a commitment become involved! There will be several court cases
> coming up to challenge the Internet censorship legislation, as well as
> an election that will put every single member of the House, and 1/3rd
> of the Senate (most of whom voted for this legislation) onto the ballot.
>
> Don't let them get away with this. Make this a campaign issue, and
> keep an eye out for legal defense funds for those challenging these
> laws in court.
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>CHRONOLOGY OF THE COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT
>
>Feb 1, '96 The House and Senate pass the Telecomm Bill (S652/HR1555)
> 414-16 and 91-5.
>Jan 31, '96 The House and Senate prepare to signoff on the conference
> report for the Telecomm bill and rush a vote to the floor.
>Dec 7, '95 The House half of the Telecomm conference committee
> votes the "indecency" standard for online speech into
> the Telecomm Deregulation bill.
>Sep 26, '95 Sen. Russ Feingold urges committee members to drop
> Managers Amendment and the CDA from the Telecommunications
> Deregulation bill
>Aug 4, '95 House passes HR1555 which goes into conference with S652.
>Aug 4, '95 House votes to attach Managers Amendment (which contains
> new criminal penalties for speech online) to
> Telecommunications Reform bill (HR1555).
>Aug 4, '95 House votes 421-4 to attach HR1978 to Telecommunications
> Reform bill (HR1555).
>Jun 30, '95 Cox and Wyden introduce the "Internet Freedom and Family
> Empowerment Act" (HR 1978) as an alternative to the CDA.
>Jun 21, '95 Several prominent House members publicly announce their
> opposition to the CDA, including Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA),
> Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA), and Rep. Ron Wyden (D-OR).
>Jun 14, '95 The Senate passes the CDA as attached to the Telecomm
> reform bill (S 652) by a vote of 84-16. The Leahy bill
> (S 714) is not passed, but is supported by 16 Senators
> who understand the Internet.
>May 24, '95 The House Telecomm Reform bill (HR 1555) leaves committee
> in the House with the Leahy alternative attached to it,
> thanks to Rep. Ron Klink of (D-PA). The Communications
> Decency Act is not attached to it.
>Apr 7, '95 Sen. Leahy (D-VT) introduces S.714, an alternative to
> the Exon/Gorton bill, which commissions the Dept. of
> Justice to study the problem to see if additional legislation
> (such as the CDA) is necessary.
>Mar 23, '95 S314 amended and attached to the telecommunications reform
> bill by Sen. Gorton (R-WA). Language provides some provider
> protection, but continues to infringe upon email privacy
> and free speech.
>Feb 21, '95 HR1004 referred to the House Commerce and Judiciary committees
>Feb 21, '95 HR1004 introduced by Rep. Johnson (D-SD)
>Feb 1, '95 S314 referred to the Senate Commerce committee
>Feb 1, '95 S314 introduced by Sen. Exon (D-NE) and Gorton (R-WA).
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>FOR MORE INFORMATION
>
>Web Sites (roughly in alphabetical order)
> URL:http://www.vtw.org/
> URL:http://www.cdt.org/cda.html
> URL:http://www.cpsr.org/
> URL:http://www.eff.org/pub/Alerts/
> URL:http://epic.org/
>
>Email:
> cda-info@cdt.org (General CDA information)
> cda-stat@cdt.org (Current status of the CDA)
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>LIST OF PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES
>
>In order to use the net more effectively, several organizations have
>joined forces on a single Congressional net campaign to stop the
>Communications Decency Act. Because the list is so long, we've been
>forced to omit many fine organizations. See the VTW Free Speech Web Page
>at URL:http://www.vtw.org/speech/ for the whole list.
>
>
>Public Interest Organizations Businesses
>
>Voters Telecommunications Watch (VTW) | ECHO (www.echonyc.com)
> | Hotwired (www.hotwired.com)
>Center For Democracy And Technology (CDT) | Mindvox (www.phantom.com)
>Center for Public Representation (CPR) | Panix (www.panix.com)
>Computer Professionals for | The WELL (www.well.com)
> Social Responsibility (CPSR) | Wired (www.wired.com)
>Cyber-Rights Campaign
>+-------------------------
>Electronic Fronter Foundation (EFF),
> and independent regional Electronic
> Frontier organizations
>Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)
> Feminists for Free Expression Hands! Off The Net
>Internet Users Consortium (IUC) Joint Artists' and Music
>The Libertarian Party (LP) Promotions Political Action
>National Campaign for Freedom of Expression Committee (JAMPAC)
>National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) National Gay and Lesbian
>National Writers Union (NWU) Task Force (NGLTF)
>People for the American Way (PFAW) Republican Liberty Caucus
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>
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* *
* \ ----___=__=__ *
* Dawn Engle /\ \ \_=___=__ There is no joy *
* (aka Phantom) / \_=___=__ equal to that *
* dengle@vt.edu / \ \_=__=__ found on the back *
* _phantom@vt.edu / ) \_=___=_ of a horse. *
* / __/\ \_=__=__ *
* / _/ \ \_=____ *
* ( _/ \ \_=___ *
* \__/ \ \_=__ *
* *
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