Tye The Czar
Member
Great post!
This is definitely worth keeping up on the front page.
This is definitely worth keeping up on the front page.
Great post!
This is definitely worth keeping up on the front page.
Ars Technica said:Did you feel a sudden loss of Internet freedom in February 2015? That's when the Federal Communications Commission imposed net neutrality rules that prevent Internet service providers from discriminating against websites and other online services. And that's when Americans lost their Internet freedom—according to the current FCC chairman, Ajit Pai.
Pai, a Republican and former Verizon lawyer, opposed the net neutrality rules when Democrats held the commission's majority, and he quickly got to work dismantling the rules after being appointed chair by President Donald Trump. To convince the public that the FCC should eliminate rules it passed two years ago, Pai's office yesterday issued a press release titled, "Restoring Internet freedom for all Americans."
The press release says the plan to eliminate Obama-era Internet regulations "will benefit all Americans" by "boost[ing] competition and choice in the broadband marketplace" and "will restore Internet Freedom by ending government micromanagement and returning to the bipartisan regulatory framework that worked well for decades."
...
The press release doesn't say which freedoms ordinary users of the Internet lost because of net neutrality rules. The rules didn't actually impose requirements on users of the Internet—or the website operators and other companies that provide services over the Internet. The rules were targeted only at ISPs such as cable, DSL, and fiber home Internet companies and cellular data carriers.
Because of net neutrality rules, ISPs aren't allowed to block or throttle lawful Internet traffic and cannot accept payments in exchange for prioritizing some online services over others in the network path to customers' homes or mobile devices. The rules were implemented using the FCC's Title II authority over common carriers, and Pai intends to eliminate the FCC's classification of ISPs as common carriers.
Along with net neutrality rules, Title II was also used to require greater disclosures about hidden fees and data caps and to force ISPs to get consumer consent before using or sharing Web browsing histories, two sets of rules that Republicans started chipping away at even before yesterday. Title II has also been used to prevent slowdowns of Internet traffic caused by disputes over network interconnection fees, which was a problem for Netflix users before the net neutrality rules were implemented.
More generally, the classification of ISPs as common carriers requires their rates and practices to be "just" and "reasonable" and lets their customers or companies that deliver services over the Internet complain to the FCC about unjust or unreasonable behavior.
ISPs will clearly have more freedom if the Title II classification and net neutrality rules go away. Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, Charter, and lobby groups for ISPs praised Pai's announcement yesterday.
But consumer advocacy groups and Web companies urged the FCC to preserve net neutrality rules, saying they are crucial for giving online businesses access to customers and for letting Internet customers use the applications and websites of their choice. Advocacy group Free Press published an updated list of incidents in which ISPs interfered with Internet content in the years before Title II net neutrality rules were implemented.
Ars Technica said:Before implementing net neutrality rules in 2015, the FCC received 4 million public comments, mostly in favor of strict rules for ISPs. Yesterday, Pai dismissed Title II support as coming from "special interest" groups, particularly Free Press.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who invented the World Wide Web in 1991, criticized Pai this week, saying, "the Internet must remain a permissionless space for creativity, innovation and free expression."
Emailed my reps.
It's easy to do on EFF's website.
https://act.eff.org/action/tell-congress-don-t-surrender-the-internet
Everyone should do it.
Thank you for continuing to update this thread.
Worth noting to those feeling tired after 100 days that it's okay if you can't do everything for every issue. Every little bit counts. Don't forget to take care of yourself. Find what works for you!
In my case I've mostly stuck to the 5Calls app and Jen Hoffman's newsletter. Plus regular small gifts to causes I support. Sometimes I need a break for a week, and that's okay, too.
Keep it up!
Great thread resource. Much appreciated.
On the April 28th 2017 episode of the On The Media podcast, I heard about this intitiative from one of its developers. Victims and witnesses work with ProPublica to report crimes who in turn work with news agencies who want an accurate picture of the climate of hatred within the US.
Articles on the lack of data surrounding hate crimes:
Documenting Hate - Where witnesses, victims and journalists can go to contact ProPublica. Also contains running list of stories from ProPublica and their partner organizations.
Unerased - A Similar Initiative by MIC About Compiling the Deaths of Transgender Individuals
Were Investigating Hate Across the U.S. Theres No Shortage of Work. - ProPublica
Why Are Hate Crime Statistics So Poorly Tracked? - ProPublica (PODCAST, ~21 minutes)
Hate Crimes Are Up But the Government Isnt Keeping Good Track of Them - ProPublica
Hate Crime Statistics Lack Key Facts - NPR (PODCAST, ~5 minutes w/ transcript)
DOJ Study: More Than 250,000 Hate Crimes a Year, Most Unreported - SPLC
SUPPORT:
ACLU
Human Rights Campaign
Southern Poverty Law Center
Equal Justice Initiative
NAACP
Anti-Defamation League
The Matthew Shepard Foundation
CONTACT YOUR REPS AND VOTE
5 Calls was posted earlier, and it's absolutely the best way to contact your representatives.So, today was a big news day....
If you care, and want to make a difference, pick up the phone and call your Representative and Senators - even if they are not of your political party or you think they'll vote or go against your interests. Call anyway.
So, today was a big news day....
If you care, and want to make a difference, pick up the phone and call your Representative and Senators - even if they are not of your political party or you think they'll vote or go against your interests. Call anyway.
5 Calls was posted earlier, and it's absolutely the best way to contact your representatives.
Hate talking on the phone? That's fine: You can do it. This site makes it easy by giving you a script to follow if you need it.
Chances are that you're going to leave a message on a machine, and the staffers in the office aren't going to judge the eloquence of your argument; they're going to mark you down as yet another person who demands, say, an independent commission on Russian election tampering.
A guest on the podcast Fake The Nation mentioned this site in response to the anti-life AHCA and the Trump administration's continued vendetta against women's health.
National Network of Abortion Funds is a group focused on removing or at least lowering the barriers for people of all walks to have abortion access. And sadly, their help continues to become more necessary in modern America. If you can donate, please do. And if you or someone you know actually needs their services, save the site to your bookmarks and spread the word about it.
Will do. What time did they mention this website?
They mention it at about 34:45 on today's episode: Comey Gets Canned
Excellent thread, OP.
If this doesn't get stickied, then hopefully this thread will be on the front page more often than not.
Sweet.
Thanks for letting me know about the Abortion Funds.
This is the occasional reminder that your representatives have telephones and mailboxes which you should be filling with your expressed opinion on impeachment, special prosecutors, and the behavior of the President.
Make sure you're being heard by your representatives.
https://5calls.org/
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/
Thanks for the thread OP. I've been sticking a tinyurl on a slip of paper for this thread in the back of this book and handing them out to people i think want to help but don't know how...
seems to be working so far at least for the people i've handed out books to. Probably spent about $80 now on that book.
Woah! Amazing work, wenis! Glad to know the thread is reaching outside of GAF
I actually have that book in my wishlist but have yet to buy it sadly.
it's only $6 currently on amazon, tho I've purchased it in bulk as low as $4. definitely worth having a few on hand.
OurStates said:You have more power to influence your state legislator than your member of Congress. The average state representative's district is 12 times smaller than a Congressional district. Most are not lifelong politicians, or even full-time politicians. They are not always focused on reelection because many of them run unopposed. And state legislators have the power to decide many of the most important issues impacting communities.
However, since state legislators have fewer resources than members of Congress, it is harder for them to take ideas and turn them into legislation.
That's where you come in.
Posting another resource thanks to the podcast Pod Save The People
OurStates.Org is another consolidation site helping you pinpoint your specific state legislators and where they stand on current issues as well as the tracking of bills related to said issues. It's a fantastic and incredibly useful site that I encourage bookmarking or putting in speed dial. It was helpful in my case for informing when my states legislative session was running and when it ended.
As the site itself says:
Thanks for this.
Crooked Media said:Organizer and activist DeRay Mckesson takes you inside conversations about culture, social justice, and politics by exploring the history, language, and people who are shaping the struggle for progress — and talking about the steps that each of us can take to make a difference. You can listen to the teaser below, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.
EarthJustice said:President Trump has forfeited American leadership by announcing he is withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. History will judge withdrawing from the Paris Agreement as a huge error, says Trip Van Noppen, President of Earthjustice.
Trumps announcement is far from the final word. Legally, the United States is still in the Paris Agreement for at least the next year. As an environmental law organization, Earthjustice will continue to do everything in our power to accelerate the clean energy transition in the United States and globally. We are already working in states around the country and partners around the world. Trump's action won't reverse the momentum. Progress will continue. The American people will not turn our back on climate leadership.
NRDC Twitter said:NRDC‏Verified account @NRDC 11m11 minutes ago
[TONIGHT] Rally against withdrawal from the #ParisAgreement.
NYC: 6 pm at Foley Sq.
DC: 5 pm at the White House
Any other cities? #resist
Resistance Near Me said:In partnership with Town Hall Project, Resistance Near Me is a hub for progressive local #resist actions, designed for you to find any public event, rally, town hall, protest, and more, near you, as well as the information you need to contact your member of Congress. It's never been more important to raise our voices to resist Trumps harmful agenda and the elected representatives who aren't speaking for us.
1. Fucking vote
2. Contact your state legislator and ask them to improve upon the policies that your state currently has given the announcement to withdraw from the Paris agreement.
https://www.ourstates.org/#engage/
3. Call your Senator by dialing 844-6-RESIST and tell them to support action to stop climate change.
4. Find out when your Senators and US Representative are holding town halls. Show up and tell them to protect the climate.
https://townhallproject.com/
5. Get involved with People and Organizations that are working on environmental justice and climate change.
https://citizensclimatelobby.org/
http://powershift.org/
http://wwf.panda.org/how_you_can_help/
https://350.org/
https://policy-practice.oxfamamerica.org/work/climate-change/
6. Switch to Green Energy
http://www.greenelectricity.org/
http://renewableelectricity.com/renewable-electricity-providers/
Mostly (exceptions being point 1 and 6) via
https://www.resistancemanual.org/Climate_/_Environment
Lock if old
PS: If I should add a link, feel free to share
Ben Wikler said:Ben Wikler ‏Verified account @benwikler 4h4 hours ago
When you get through, explain that you're a constituent and you have grave concerns about how the bill will affect you. Then explain WHY 19/
These staffers are human beings. They work on health care because they care about health. Even if their bosses don't. Tell your story. 20/
What you want is for health staffers to be telling their bosses that they've spent all day with the phone from freaked-out constituents 21/
And then you want to ASK FOR A MEETING, before the vote. With state staffers (or in DC, if you can come). Promise to bring a group. 22/
If you get the meeting with your Senator or their staffers, bring a ton of people & make it huge. @MoveOn can help. (DM me.) 23/
If you don't get the meeting, no problem. You should still recruit a group & show up at Senators' offices. Time to break out the signs. 24/
Incidentally, it's also worth EMAILING the legislative assistants w/personal notes. Here's how to figure out Hill staff email addresses 25/
If I, Ben Wikler, worked for Sen. Murkowski, (I don't; Chelsea Holt is her health LA), I'd be [email protected]. Get it? 26/
So: CALL every day. Ask for health staffers. Email them, too. VISIT local officesfor scheduled meetings or to protest. Bring friends. 27/
Find the letters to the editor submission email address for local papers in your state & send them your story, mentioning your Senator. 28/
And mark your calendar for the last week of June, esp Wed-Fri. There should literally be round the clock vigils. You'll be needed then. 29/
Today is a day to call your representatives in Congress.
Glad that more people are fighting aginst this stuff.
Thanks for sharing this!
There might be a healthcare vote again, so if you want to see 20 million keep their insurance, today would be a good day to get calling.