sopa the hilarious misunderstanding no. 120118 ... dafremen Representative/Senator ___________, We're tired of our representatives taking away freedom in the name of fear. Even schoolchildren know, since the day they learn our national anthem that as Americans, we are supposed to be FREE and we are suppose to be BRAVE. The NDAA is an insult to American bravery and the men and women who have served overseas, including my shipmates and I who served during Desert Storm back in '91. It's an affront to American freedom. And you, supposedly the cream of the American crop, voted from underneath your desks, to assault freedom in the name of security. And now? SOPA and PIPA. What other chicken little legislation do you have in the works up there? We're organizing now, even the conservatives, because you refused to represent us properly. You cannot run a government like a business, because a business' primary concern is the bottom line, and a government's primary concern should be the welfare of its people. And yet, in the name of protecting vast business interests, you'd kill any opportunity for small businesses to compete with vast corporations retaining teams of high-priced lawyers. You'd make any and ALL of us: businessmen, workers, civil servants and artists, whose pockets aren't deep enough, subservient through the court system to wealthy corporate interests. SOPA and PIPA are a blanket assassination of American Freedom in the name of someone's profit margin. How is that American? How does that reflect American values? Is that all we are? Money grubbing, fear mongers who value something as petty as cash, over the very soul of our Constitution..freedom? Myself and my family suggest very strongly that you do everything in your power to stop PIPA and SOPA from EVER being voted on. Kill those bills. Stop voting in the affirmative on legislation which kills or curtails freedoms in the name of security. We're not interested in wearing legislative chains in order to protect ourselves from the astronomical odds of a terrorist attack. We have better odds of winning the lottery than dying from a terrorist attack. My friend has played the lottery for 23 years and is still waiting. With whatever respect you've still got coming to you after the shameful way you've trashed our country, --- 120118 ... publicuser Think of the times you've re-posted someone's poem or perhaps a quote that inspired you...under these bills Blather can be shut down because of something so trivial. The Internet belongs to YOU. Use it to speak your mind and let your message be heard across the earth. Take a stand against the money-hungry corporations that want to shut down your voice. 120118 ... the hilarious misunderstanding Daffy - I just copied/pasted your text (quoted and gave you credit) to both senators and the representative of my region. Thank you for being so goddamn articulate. 120119 ... unhinged moral of the story vote and maybe even bigger moral of the story run for office 120119 ... daf moral of that story: for as long as you support the system owned by those in power, they will remain in power. Noncompliance is the only vote that matters. Pass it on. Special discounts for revolutionaries, visionaries, pioneers and risk takers. 120119 ... the hilarious misunderstanding Daf, here is the reply I got from Senator Feinstein: I received your letter expressing opposition to the "Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act," commonly known as the "PROTECT IP Act." I appreciate knowing your views on this matter. The "PROTECT IP Act" (S. 968) gives both copyright and trademark owners and the U.S. Department of Justice the authority to take action against websites that are "dedicated to infringing activities." These are websites that have "no significant use other than engaging in, enabling, or facilitating" copyright infringement, the sale of goods with a counterfeit trademark, or the evasion of technological measures designed to protect against copying. The bill does not violate First Amendment rights to free speech because copyright piracy is not speech. America's copyright industry is an important economic engine, and I believe copyright owners should be able to prevent their works from being illegally duplicated and stolen. The protection of intellectual property is particularly vital to California's thriving film, music, and high-technology industries. I understand you have concerns about the "PROTECT IP Act." While I voted in favor of this bill when it was before the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have also been working with California high-technology businesses to improve the bill and to address the concerns of high-tech businesses, public interest groups and others. I recognize the bill needs further changes to prevent it from imposing undue burdens on legitimate businesses and activities, and I will be working to make the improvements, either by working with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) or through amendments on the Senate floor. On May 26, 2011, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the "PROTECT IP Act" for consideration by the full Senate. Please know I will keep your concerns and thoughts in mind should the Senate proceed to a vote on this legislation. As you may be aware, Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) has introduced similar legislation, the "Stop Online Piracy Act" (H.R. 3261), in the House of Representatives. Once again, thank you for sharing your views. I hope you will continue to keep me informed on issues of importance to you. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841. Wishing you a happy 2012. Sincerely yours, Dianne Feinstein United States Senator 120119 ... dafremen Glad you enjoyed the letter. Really appreciate the other comments as well. Thanks. Keep a copy of both your email and her response. Send a second email to this effect: Senator Feinstein, It's obvious from your reply that neither yourself, nor any of your staff took the time to read our email about SOPA/PIPA. While our family was disappointed, we weren't all that surprised. Politicians with attitudes like yours are the reason this country is in the dire trouble that its in right now. And the childish inability of you and others like you, to admit that you're failing this country, is why you have become an anachronism to the American way of life. You and this musty, outdated way of running things has become a liability to our country and a thorn in the side of every working person on the planet..let alone among the hopeful citizens of both conservative and liberal persuasion here in this broken nation of ours. You didn't read our first email, and Ms. Feinstein, neither you nor your staff will likely read this one either. That's a shame. Because I intend on having this one published, along with my first email and both of your identical form-letter responses..in our local paper. If that doesn't make it obvious to my fellow Americans how TRULY unresponsive you are to the concerns of your constituency, I don't know what could. With much hope for a better tomorrow, but even less respect for your office and the person holding it than ever before, ------- 120119 ... n o m soup 120119 what's it to you? who go blather from