This is a double meaning.
Om the first level, I “stole” this graphic from SynthStuff, a daily read ever since I even HAD a blogroll:
And on the SECOND level, this is a truth of monumental import that not only the Egyptians need to hold close to their hearts, but in light of recent rumblings from our own benevolent leaders, we Americans need to recognize it also.
There is ONE reason and ONE reason only that a government would want the power to shut down the free and uncontrollably fast exchange of information that is the Internet, and that is to stifle the exchange of ideas. Those who are in control against the will of the people are the ONLY ones who wish to prevent bloggers and texters and tweeters and other users of the internet from being able to post ideas and facts and instantaneous and uncensored news reports.
Don’t buy into our own administration’s “It’s for the good of the children” whine. They’re not one iota as worried about free access to kiddie porn as they are about Obama’s constant flip-flopping lies or any of his minion’s many revelations about the true directions they have for the country.
That’s the key, folks. Twenty years ago, gaffes like Obama and his bunch are popping out almost daily would have never seen light of day. Today hardly a minute passes between screwup and nationwide dissemination. Make no mistake: The ruling elite HATE this. They LIKED having a compliant mainstream media that would bury stories antithetical to the goals of the regime. A free internet, even little silly things like this blog, they’re thousands of voices that did not have a forum, did NOT get exposure a mere few years ago. And they HATE us.
So regard Egypt. It’s in chaos, and like much in the Mid-East, there are wheels within wheels, triangulations and convenient alliances, inscrutable Eastern “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” alliances where last week’s enemyis this week’s ally is next week’s enemy.
Instead, regard that the government cannot allow what it cannot control, even though EVERYBODY gets access. And so in Egypt, the government shut the Internet down.
Don’t think that our benevolent ruling class doesn’t wish they could do the same thing here, and bunkie, don’t lay this JUST at the feet of the Left. RINO’s? Do you honestly think that the country club republicans are all that into letting you have the freedom to revel every time one of those RINO SOB’s votes for bigger government and higher taxes? How MANY groups wish they could get into the internet and shut down whatever their pet peeve is?
Regard the poster. And think FREEDOM!
Dale, that was so well stated that I “borrowed it” for my blog site !
I had no idea that you could wax so eloquently my friend, as they say, more than a pretty face “A ?”
Of course instead of a reasonably friendly Mubarak we’re going to end up with a Taliban style government run by the Muslim Brotherhood and Al Qaeda.
But they’ll have overthrown “a tyrant” so the US are happy?
This is an important post. The link to it has just traveled across the span of my address list.
This part may be disingenuous:
“Ideas” and “facts” — sort of, I suppose. It’s more “Soldiers have left Boston, and appear to be heading toward Lexington. Be ready when they get there.” Or, “Police in riot gear have left 3rd St. and Oak, and appear to be heading toward the mall. Be ready when they get there.”
Remember how “the Resistance” hid radios? They weren’t engaging in dialectic debate by radio; they were relaying battle plans. These days, “the Resistance” communicates by cell phone, not radio.
That is, it is not so much about dissemination of philosophical ideas; it is about tactical surprise. How many troops? What weapons? What vehicles?
Just because they don’t have the authority, they do have the ability to shut down the internet, cell phones and land lines. They already control the MSM and TV broadcasts. When your cells go down Marshall Law has been declared and all commo is off, strictly for our own good don’t you know. Things are rarely what they seem to be.
Yep Rurik, this is important and well stated and I thank the author for it.
One of my best buds from my long ago past life was Cajun. He came back on his shield with honor.
I miss him.
Papa Ray
If Obama gets his way, we here in the US will all have an “internet ID” issued by the Dept. of Commerce. Won’t that be special?
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2011/01/national-internet-id-calls-for-caution
Hi MC,
This is a very timely post, as it appears that our own ruling class is taking a page from Egypt, and trying to revive the internet kill switch legislation.
Quoting Sen. Collins, ‘It would give our nation the best tools available to swiftly respond to a significant threat.’
Of course, one wonders what defines a ‘significant threat’ and who gets to make the definition.
Thanks,
Steven
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/01/30/0044222/Internet-Kill-Switch-Back-On-the-US-Legislative-Agenda#comments
The site you stole that from is requesting a royalty! :)
I doubt such as it’s all over the net. Interesting place over there though, but I’m easily distracted too.
This is not a save the children switch, it’s a stop them, (meaning the citizens), from communicating switch.
A most excellent write up there. Egypt just wishes they could shut down the phones and such too, but it seems there are way too many ways for comms to continue to pass.
Where Egypt is headed will be interesting. My biggest concern is when will we see the same activities here in the USA?
One of the things about the internet shutdown in Egypt is that an ISP open a dialup connection in France. Dialup moden and a call to a number in france and you are on the internet – okay only at 56Kb but that is fast enough to blog. I understand there has been a run on dialup modems of late.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dialup+modem&x=0&y=0
Spreading the Meme (Stealing your stolen “property”)