Declan McCullagh wrote:
[Forwarded with permission. --Declan]
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 11:53:02 -0500 From: Nina Crowley <crowleyn@ultranet.com> Subject: Senate hearing summary
Senate Subcommittee Hearing
Senator Sam Brownbacks subcommittee hearing on the possible effect of music violence on society was a major disaster for music and freedom of expression.
The hearing, held on Nov.6, for 2 hours, had a very restricted list of speakers. For the two weeks previous to the hearing I and many others applied to testify and were denied. Brownbacks staff member in charge of overseeing the panels was Cherie Harder. (Ms. Harder appeared in the Oct. 19 MTV special "Fight for the Right" representing Empower America.) Ms. Harder was doggedly dedicated to preserving the short and biased list of speakers, refusing to consider additional speakers or an extended hearing time allotment.
This illustrates *exactly* why maintaining freedom from censorship on the InterNet is vitally important to help preserve what is left of democracy in America. No matter what stance you take on this or that issue, one of the chief underlying issues of democracy is the opportunity to have your voice heard, or be heard via a balanced mix of representative voices. The citizen's right to _participate_ in democracy is denied even when those who oppose them have their voices stifled. The strong shout out and/or silence the weak in the Halls of Power in America, and what is reported to the citizens by the mainstream media is a dilution of this already aldulterated product of our power-mongering politicians. None of us is likely to hear a desciption or report on this meeting that is as accurate or comprehensive as that provided by Nina Crowley, via Declan McCullagh, in the media's thirty second sound-bytes. Even more in-depth portrayals of the proceedings by the media still inevitably reflect what those in power have put in the public media display-case. Those in power use manipulation, secrecy, and 'National Security' to keep the citizens from learning the proverbial 'rest of the story' long enough for them to retire with their reputations and their fortunes intact. Last week came the 'news' that Richard Nixon was an active and knowing participant in the Watergate crimes. _News_? Give me a break. The reality is that the InterNet is a media which currently allows us to listen to the voices that were stifled by the power-mongers, if we choose to do so. As well, we can listen to another voice in a following post that explains why Nina Crowley is a drug-dealing, terrorist pedophile. No doubt there are those ready and willing to 'save' us all from Ms. Crowley's erronious facts/opinions, as well as those who are equally ready and willing to 'save' us from those of her detractors. If we allow our 'saviours' to throw as many concrete lifesavers to us on the InterNet as we have allowed those in government and society to do, to date, it won't be long until there is nothing left to save. The 'Tree of Liberty' has a lot of branches, and I, for one, do not plan to hang alone. I've got a rope, too... TruthMonger