[Foundation-l] How SOPA will hurt the free web and Wikipedia

Thu Dec 15 12:26:43 UTC 2011

Hi folks,

Just wanted to let you know that I got word a few minutes ago that today's
SOPA markup meeting will be using a new tool that allows for public input
into the markup.  Shortly before 8:30, you'll see the SOPA bill replace the
OPEN bill at Keepthewebopen.com.  If you'd like to have input during the
markup process, this is a nice way to do it.

pb
___________________
Philippe Beaudette
Head of Reader Relations
Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

415-839-6885, x 6643

philippe at wikimedia.org

On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 11:44 PM, Keegan Peterzell <keegan.wiki at gmail.com>wrote:

> On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 9:30 PM, Kim Bruning <kim at bruning.xs4all.nl>
> wrote:
>
> > On Thu, Dec 15, 2011 at 04:04:36AM +0000, Thomas Dalton wrote:
> > > On Dec 15, 2011 3:20 AM, "Kim Bruning" <kim at bruning.xs4all.nl> wrote:
> > > > That, and remember that it is preferable to stage a protest BEFORE
> > > passage of
> > > > the bill. :-P
> > >
> > > I'm not sure about that. If we strike before they pass the bill then we
> > are
> > > assuming they will pass it. Shouldn't we give them a chance to do the
> > right
> > > thing? If we think striking is a good idea (and it certainly looks like
> > we
> > > do) then I would rather we threaten to strike and only actually do it
> if
> > > they do pass the bill.
> >
> > Same kind of thing as (external) people protesting us going to Israel I
> > think. By the time they protested,
> > we couldn't change our venue if we wanted to.
> >
> > "Didn't they know we can't change venue at the last minute? They should
> > have voiced their
> > objections EARLIER!"
> >
> > But I'll leave it up to the US politics experts to figure out the best
> > timing. ;-)
> >
> > Maybe we can do something else earlier? (probably best to continue this
> > onwiki :-)
> >
> > sincerely,
> >         Kim Bruning
> >
> >
> ...but this begs to be answered here :)
>
> I'm not a U.S. political "expert", but I am informed enough to comment on
> American process, so my answer is the best protest is before the law is
> passed.  Legislation is intentionally slow to be processed and slow to be
> overturned.  Once you have a bill passed and signed into law, it takes an
> injunction and then years of litigation to over turn it.  It's expensive to
> the tune of millions upon millions of legal fees for each passing year, and
> it takes many years.  Best to nip it in the bud.
>
> --
> ~Keegan
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Keegan
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