Clyburn Stands with the Public on Net Neutrality
By Megan Tady, October 29, 2009
FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn expressed her enthusiastic support for Net Neutrality last week, during the agency’s announcement of proposed new rules for all wired and wireless networks.
Here’s a highlight of Clyburn’s opening speech at the FCC meeting:
On Thursday, the Greenville News, a newspaper in Clyburn’s home state of South Carolina, published an op-ed urging the FCC to drop the proposed rules. The op-ed reads like it could have been written by a phone company lobbyist.
Suspect, yes, but not all that surprising. In the lead-up to the FCC meeting, AT&T and other telecom companies pulled out all the stops to pressure the commission, including a PR blitz in South Carolina. Clyburn made it a point to call out the "radioactive rhetoric and unseemly and unbecoming tactics" that have surrounded the Net Neutrality debate.
"Such an approach may yield headlines,” she said, “but will not yield positive results with me. So let us permit our better selves to emerge during this process."
By supporting Net Neutrality, Commissioner Clyburn is standing with dozens of public interest organizations and civil rights groups, more than 1.6 million people who have spoken out for Net Neutrality, and with President Obama, too.
Clyburn’s commitment to Net Neutrality is clear, and we applaud her for acting in the public’s interest to safeguard free speech and innovation online.
Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Free Press does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media and universal access to communications.
Megan Tady
Megan Tady is a blogger, video producer and freelance writer who previously served as the Free Press communications coordinator. She blogs at SavetheInternet.com and SavetheNews.org. Follow her on Twitter @MegTady.
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Comments
The Real Net Neutrality
Without Net Neutrality the private sector will be free to manage Internet traffic in whatever way provides them with the greatest profit. Your choices will be pay the toll or suffer the consequences of reduced speed and reliability.
Get A Clue
"radioactive rhetoric and unseemly and unbecoming tactics" is just another example of liberals, progressives, or whatever they call themselves this week, attacking the messenger rather than debating opposing points of view. This tactic is wearing thin and thankfully people are starting to catch on.
Net Neutrality sounds like a great idea but the devil is in the details. Further government control will only stifle competition and innovation.
morons
net neutrality is a complete bunch of government take over of our lives!!!! Stop now, we will stop you. I don't need your regulation in my life Big Brother. You can't silence my voice!!!!
The Real Net Neutrality
Without Net Neutrality the private sector will be free to manage Internet traffic in whatever way provides them with the greatest profit. Your choices will be pay the toll or suffer the consequences of reduced speed and reliability.
open internet
AS you continue eroding our free speech≤why do you think you can take away the content of the net.Are you fucking crazy.Once you take it away from the privite sector and put it it in the hands of the gov.you are taking
away me free speech.Just because you do not like us tea baggers speaking our minds that means controll all content on the net assholes by the way you forgot about taxing the use of the net to.think larger