This morning as I was scanning through the free apps newly available for iPad (my daily “shopping” spree–but only in the free category), I was also indulging in my daily ritual of giggling at some of the written descriptions of the apps. Clearly these aren’t all written by English speakers, as evidenced by this write-up for AirBookReaderFree: “You would be the one who knows well about PC and can convert files and transfer the files to your iPhone or iPad. However, can your family does? Can your mother convert ebook files? AirBookReader is a perfect ebook reader for the such people.”
Can your family does? This morning we have an answer! Our internet “family” of THIRTEEN MILLION activists just drop-kicked the threatening SOPA/PIPA legislation right off the U.S. Senate floor! Here’s an excerpt from the email I just received from the Fight for Freedom group:
A big hurrah to you!!!!! We’ve won for now — SOPA and PIPA were dropped by Congress today — the votes we’ve been scrambling to mobilize against have been cancelled.
The largest online protest in history has fundamentally changed the game. You were heard.
On January 18th, 13 million of us took the time to tell Congress to protect free speech rights on the internet. Hundreds of millions, maybe a billion, people all around the world saw what we did on Wednesday. See the amazing numbers here and tell everyone what you did.
This was unprecedented. Your activism may have changed the way people fight for the public interest and basic rights forever.
The MPAA (the lobby for big movie studios which created these terrible bills) was shocked and seemingly humbled. “‘This was a whole new different game all of a sudden,’ MPAA Chairman and former Senator Chris Dodd told the New York Times. ‘[PIPA and SOPA were] considered by many to be a slam dunk.’”
“’This is altogether a new effect,’ Mr. Dodd said, comparing the online movement to the Arab Spring. He could not remember seeing ‘an effort that was moving with this degree of support change this dramatically’ in the last four decades, he added.”
Tweet with us, shout on the internet with us, let’s celebrate: Round of applause to the 13 million people who stood up – #PIPA and #SOPA are tabled 4 now. #13millionapplause
So now we know: our internet family CAN does make a difference!
Kana's Chronicles 
Yay us!!
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Yes we does! Woo hoo!
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Ya-Hoooooo!
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Yeah *happy dance*
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Impressive, aren’t we?
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Wa-hoo!!! Thanks so much for your inspiration –otherwise, I might not have heard in time to call my senators a dozen times each! Thank you so very much for taking a strong stand. If something like this is happening, and you see at my site that I’m not participating, would you please kick my butt and get me moving, (actually, please just send me a link.) I’ll keep an eye on your site.
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Kana, now that we know we CAN, let us STAY banded together and speak up equally strongly about other issues of even more importance on our planet. (Sorry about the caps: meant for emphasis, okay? I AM super committed to not letting the impetus die that we have gained with this put-down of SOPA and PIPA!)
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Yay us!!! … living in Canada I have no illusions that our conservative federal government is only a step or two behind the US in such bullying tactics. That’s why I joined the blackout.
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Living in europe but I know similar kind of legislation are going to be discussed. It’s only question of time. Hopefully the USA example will teach something…
robert
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Show’s that we can make a difference
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Oh man… we is awesome.
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Hahaha that’s so cute … And we are awesome!!! :)
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Because I love your writing, I am giving you the Lovely Blog Award :http://wp.me/p1U4zR-bf
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Great title and a fantastic job of tying two very different stories together! It is always pleasure to read your writing!
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Nice.
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I am always in favor of protecting (but not necessarily limiting) intellectual property, however it appears that these two bills were not written by intellectual people. The bills were, and probably will be again, pushed by an industry that has refused to change their business model. Hopefully Congress got the message this time and won’t try again.
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Yes we can and it was an exhilarating event!
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That is so inspiring. And the Braveheart picture made me want to snort until I woke up my friend.
After all weekend at a conference that seems to be embracing and adapting to massive changes in the publishing industry, I have some hope that the entertainment industries will pry their heels out of where they dug them in and realize that these times, they are a-changin’.
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Go us, but it ain’t over yet…
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