Root Routledge

Small businesses & democracy need net neutrality

I am a small business person, as well as an active citizen. NET NEUTRALITY protection (equal and open access for all websites and Internet communication) is crucial to the survival of small businesses, if we are to have any chance to compete on a national and global level by employing modern technology. And it is also crucial for democracy, if that word means anything more than freedom for big money to do what it wants. Independent media programs like Democracy Now!, which is a bright light of truth in an ever darkening field of corporate control of news, would suffer and their existence as a people-based alternative news source would be severely threatened.

Net Neutrality is essential to free speech, equal opportunity and economic innovation in America. Since the FCC removed this basic protection in 2005, the top executives of phone and cable companies have stated their intention to become the Internet's gatekeepers and to discriminate against Web sites that don't pay their added tolls.

This fundamental change would end the open Internet as we know it. It would damage my ability to connect with others, share information and participate in our 21st century democracy and economy. The FCC must ensure that broadband providers do not block, interfere with or discriminate against any lawful Internet traffic based on its ownership, source or destination.

Please; don't do anything or make any decisions that constrict network neutrality; and, do everything you can to protect it. Is the FCC the communications advocate for corporate domination and control of democracy; or, is it the guardian of free and open communication for the people, upon which any true meaning of democracy is based?

Sincerely,
Root Routledge, PhD
Durango, Colorado