More on DOPA

Now and then, the Blue Skunk gets a comment in response to an entry that deserves its own entry. This is one:

I work for a group called Mobilizing America’s Youth (Mobilize.org) and this bill (HR 5319) is one of our top priorities. This bill was written by people who do not use social networks on a regular basis. They don’t understand what an important tool they are becoming for the youth of America to connect to one another. We are working to organize yung people from across the country to write to congress and the media informing them of our opinions on social networks. We DON’T support online predators, and recognize the good intent at the heart of the bill bu feel this is the wrong way to go about it.

This bill is also unfair to many economically disadvantaged youth. For these students, their only access to computers and the internet is at schools or libraries. Their families simply cannot afford home access. Denying them the ability to use social networks in the only places they can is denying them tools the more advantaged members of their generation are using to great benefit.

As a college Senior, I have been using MySpace and Facebook to meet new people with similar interests around my school, connect with old friends and keep track of other students in my classes for studying. These sites are a wonderful way for me to connect to other people, and restricting our ability to use them is unfair.

As of right now, the bill has 30 cosigners, a number that grows daily. It is not fading away, and in fact is picking up steam. (Bold mine - Doug)  If this is an issue that matters to you, please tell your representatives about it. It is in the Telecommunications and the Internet subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

If you are interested in more information on what Mobilize.org is doing with HR 5319, please visit us at www.mobilize.org/SOS

I am so glad to see others engaging in a dialog about this!

Mandy Mallott
Case Western Reserve University
2100 Fund Coordinator
Mobilize.org

Thanks, Mandy, for your work on this issue and giving me permission to use your response as a new blog entry. OK, folks, have you written to your legislators yet?

Comments

[Miguel Guhlin]

yes, but they didn't really say anything back except that they're committed to helping prevent inappropriate use of Internet, giving law enforcement the tools they need, etc.

Wouldn't it be neat if they gave teachers the tools they needed so that preventative work could be done? I'm reminded of that old study--surely you remember, Doug <evil grin>--about how much it costs to keep someone in prison as opposed to investing that money in their education as children...and prevent the crime...mentioned here:
"It's better to invest in schools early on, rather than spending $40,000 a year to keep someone in prison. It's a matter of justice and fairness, to students and taxpayers."
Source: <a href="http://www.texascivilrightsproject.org/newspub/clip_050126_close_prison_pipeline.html">Texas Civil Rights Project</a>

and

"Spending on prisons has increased from 2.1% of the national budget to 6.3% in the past 20 years, while higher education spending has fallen from 8% to 4.3%, the study shows. The total number of people in jail during the same period rose from 502,000 to 2.1 million, while numbers in college increased from 12.1 million to 14.8 million."
Source: <a href="http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-28-2002-25410.asp">Buzzle.com</a>

Sigh.

Long sigh.

Perhaps, social networking is seen as a luxury. But is it really in a more connected world? Will the skills our children learn be dependent on what they learn on the virtual streets?

[Pat Carson]

"We had to destroy the village in order to save it." Online interaction can be a force for good for all of our students - their free speech rights need to be encouraged. This is the future of communication and it should NOT be blocked

I just 'sent' my comments via mobilize.org's site to my Maryland legislators in Washington. I forwarded their reminder to a young friend of mine - I hope she will mobilze her online community to join this campaign. After all, that's what social interaction is all about.

[Doug Johnson]

Miguel,

My understanding is that most legislators still keep track of positive and negative communications received on pending legislation. I would not assume that your letter did not have an impact, even though the written response was less than positive.

Pat, I think it is great you are getting involved. I found the mobilize.org site quite amazing. The power of social networking will grow despite the attempts of our generation to contain/stop it!

Doug