SOPA, PIPA - Stop Complaining, Get Off Your Ass And Do Something!

By now, most of us know what SOPA and PIPA are.  Furthermore, we understand the potential for extreme abuse of the power these bills grant government should they (or any incarnation thereof) ever be passed. 

If for some reason you aren't aware of exactly what I'm talking about, the first thing you need to do is start reading the news, even once a week.  The second thing you need to do is look up some information on SOPA - not what some jerk's blog (like this one) says, but real information, and decide for yourself how atrocious this bill actually is.

Our friends at Wikipedia have an excellent source of information on the act(s) which you can start with, which you can find here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act

*I ADVISE YOU TO GO LOOK UP INFORMATION ON THESE ACTS FOR YOURSELF - PERHAPS EVEN READ THE LEGISLATURE DIRECTLY*

Now that you're informed, you need to understand something;  politicians actions are governed by three factors, in this order:

1 - What will get me re-elected?
2 - What are the people paying for my campaigns telling me to do?
3 - What do I believe in / What did I pledge during my campaign?


The on line petitions going around are a good start, but there's a problem inherent to the anonymity of the internet that retracts from their credibility.  Fact:  Only about 20% of America votes.  So if your online petition gets 1,000,000 votes, a politician will see that as 200,000 voters supporting that petition's cause.


You need to write your representatives and share your disgust with them.  Here's how to find them. You're not just adding a letter to a pile on an intern's desk - you're informing them that they're getting one less vote come election time.  You can write exactly that.  Dear ____, support SOPA and PIPA in any way and lose my vote forever - sincerely, me.



If you aren't registered to vote, stop reading this now.  Get off your ass, take 20 minutes out of your day owning noobs and contact your local municipality - ask the lady or gentleman who answers the phone how to get registered.  They'll be able to tell you.  If they can't, comment here - and I'll do the leg work for you and figure out where you need to go, and who you need to talk to.  I'm dead serious.  

It's a sad day that we have to stop looking at ourselves as people, and start looking at ourselves as votes.  That's the only currency these politicians understand.  Now it's time we show them we're serious.