An Open Letter to Marcia Fudge

I just wrote to my Congresswoman, Rep. Marcia Fudge, regarding the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA, H.R. 3261):

Rep. Fudge,

Hello. I recently moved to Shaker Heights and was pleased to see that we have a representative who is as dedicated to Civil Rights and issues of Social Justice as you are. I know you are busy, so I will make this short.

I am writing to plead that you vote against the Stop Online Piracy Act.

Online Piracy is a big deal, and I understand the desire to put new tools in the hands of the legal system to deal with it, but the collateral damage the act will cause would hurt many websites and internet-based businesses.

The Internet has changed the way the world operates. While the freedom of the Internet has made the piracy of intellectual property easier then before its inception, this same freedom has opened new doors for Democracy, both in and outside of the United States. Social media sites like Twitter and YouTube have been used to make the world more aware of the plight of the inner cities of the United States, and they were instrumental in the revolutions in Libya and Egypt. Putting the keys to this powerful medium solely in the hands of the entertainment industry lawyers is counter to everything the United States is supposed to stand for.

I won’t take any more of your time, though I will provide a link to a video (about PROTECT-IP, the Senate version of the bill). Thanks you for your time, and I hope you will oppose this misguided bill.

Thank you for your time,

Jason Novak

OK, here’s the thing: SOPA almost passed today. I urge all of you to write similar letters to your congresspeople and tell them to say no to SOPA.