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Date: Fri, 2 Feb 1996
From: •••@••.••• (Rick Crawford)
To: "Multiple recipients of list •••@••.•••"
Subject: Democracy Hosed by Telecom Dildo: Mass-Mediated Mutilation
Democracy Hosed by Telecom Dildo: Mass-Mediated Mutilation
Although a cursory review of some archived list material turned up
numerous examples of indecency, I found nothing comparable to yesterday's
obscene evisceration of democracy in Congress. Hence, I thought I would
exercise my "right to free speech" just one last time here, for the record.
The hypocrisy of American politicians is legendary.
On 1 Feb. 1996, they overwhelmingly passed HR 1555 / S 652,
an alleged "Telecom Reform" bill that promotes Consolidation
in the name of Competition, and Censorship in the name of
Child-protection. (George Orwell would have been impressed.)
But in fact, what the politicians have approved is a rape of the
American people, and a virtual genital mutilation on our children.
I want to be absolutely clear that the "indecency" provisions
in this bill are _not_ its biggest problem. That's merely censorship
by the *government*. The major problem with this bill is that it
increases the already vast and unaccountable power of *corporate* censors,
who decide what is "appropriate" (ie, profitable to them) for Americans
(and indirectly, the world) to see and hear.
If you're concerned that content will soon be "dumbed down" to
the level of children, wake up and smell the napalm. For years,
U.S. democracy has been malnourished, forced to subsist on an unbalanced
information diet that is extensively "sanitized for our protection".
The Telecom bill could never have passed in this form if the American
people were allowed to examine its text beforehand. But its text was
kept secret from American citizens; it was available only to the
corporate lobbyists and their politician puppets who drafted it.
Where was our vaunted "Free Press", that fierce watchdog over government?
As usual, the news media were corporate lapdogs -- cheerleaders for power!
Let's be clear what's happened. The 414 Representatives and
91 Senators who voted for this legislation functioned as high-priced
whores -- in the past decade, they accepted over $50 million
in campaign funds from the telecom industry. And in a classic
quid pro quo, they proceeded to fuck the unsuspecting American people.
Not only did *they* thoroughly enjoy it, but they had the gall to claim
it was good for *us* too! (Like we can't gauge 6 inches or low rates !-)
Now, we'll have more "choice" :-) Imagine that. Collectively,
we were gang-banged without our knowledge or consent, and then the
Congressional sodomizers kindly referred us to the oligopolistic
telecom abortion providers we could "choose" to gouge us deeper
(AT&T, MCI, the RBOCs, Murdoch, TCI, etc).
This political masturbation is reminiscent of J. Edgar Hoover.
For years, FBI Director Hoover publically waged war for
heterosexual purity in this country. Yet all the while, he dressed
in women's clothes and had anal intercourse with a male partner.
American mass media pretend to uphold the ideal of free speech,
while in reality, they keep free speech abjectly enslaved, gagged and
chained to their corporate bed, an inflatable tool for their pleasure
and profit, and a shield against democratic accountability.
While online activists are diverted fighting the "indecency" provisions,
and libertarian-leaning "rebels" beat their chests, vowing Death to the
Great Government Satan, corporate-controlled mass media will consolidate
their choke-hold on power, both online and offline.
Folks, in the name of "progress", "economic growth" and "consumer choice",
we've just been screwed by the Media Monopoly. Make no mistake,
the politicians were merely instrumental pawns, dildos manipulated
by those who wield the power to frame the news. Who's really in charge?
Meet the new boss (same as the old boss -- a merged "strategic alliance")
... the Robber Barons of the Information Age.
Bend over, vassals, ... the Dream Team is coming. Sweet dreams, America ;-(
-rick •••@••.•••
------
"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves
me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. ...
corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption
in high places will follow, and the money power of the country
will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices
of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands
and the Republic is destroyed."
-- U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864
(letter to Col. William F. Elkins)
Ref: "The Lincoln Encyclopedia", Archer H. Shaw (Macmillan, 1950, NY)
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Posted by Richard K. Moore (•••@••.•••) Wexford, Ireland
Cyber-Rights: http://www.cpsr.org/cpsr/nii/cyber-rights/
CyberLib: http://www.internet-eireann.ie/cyberlib
Materials may be reposted in their entirety for non-commercial use.
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