Technology legislation

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One of the most important issues to me in the last presidential election (aside from 2nd amendment rights; that's right, geeks with guns!) was net neutrality. Fortunately, it seems that President Obama's FCC chief believes in net neutrality, and believes that the federal government should stay out of the Internet.

This is a good thing, methinks.

It's already a pain to pay taxes on purchases online, but I guess that's what feeds our government so that it can do things like provide us with protection in the form of a military and provide us with overlords to make decisions in our best interest. I don't so much have a problem with paying taxes on products purchased online; I have a problem with censorship.

I don't condone stealing, child pornography, or anything that takes advantage of those who are incapable of making their own decisions (animals, kids, and some really old people). I do believe, however, that the government has no business telling me or someone else what we can post or view online. Sure, there will be things that we collectively or individually find offensive, but it's not the government's job to decide that for me. It's not the government's job to tell me what I think is appropriate. Get rid of the child porn? I'm cool with that. Otherwise, stay the heck out of our Interwebs.

The Internet is like cable TV. There are lots more "channels" than on cable TV, but to me, the premise is similar. If I find a site or article I don't like, I leave or shut the browser down. Conversely, if I am watching TV and I find a program to be offensive or not to my liking, I have the power within Excalbur (the TiVo remote) and my finger to change the channel or to shut the TV off. I don't need anyone to do it for me, and quite honestly, I find it offensive for anyone to think that they have the right to do so.

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We all have our own flavors of morality. What I believe may or may not be what you believe. Within beliefs, there are degrees that people within the same faiths don't agree on. How then can the government tell me what sites are offensive? To them? To whom within the government?

Illegal activities online should be dealt with. Terrorists using the Interwebs should be shut down. Chid porn should be shut down. Criminals using the Internet to perpetrate crimes, whether in the realworld or online should be shut down. However, just because someone doesn't like to look at nekkid girlies or guys, or because they don't agree with an opinion on an otherwise harmless website... well, too bad.

To those who think that the Internet should be censored should get themselves NetNanny and have a nice day. The rest of us will take our Internet straight-up on the rocks without any government intervention.