I-911
Thursday, August 7th, 2008Remember this story, it could be crucial in a few years.
First, let me give you the facts:
Just a few days ago, Internet law expert Larry Lessig revealed the details of a conversation he had with Richard A. Clarke, a long-time (and very high-level) counter terrorism official.
Lessig relates that the conversation began with some background about the Patriot Act; in specific, that it had been sitting in a drawer at the US Justice Department for twenty years before an event came along that allowed them to get it into law. It was pulled-out after 911, and signed into law a mere twenty days later. (None of the legislators actually read it, of course.)
Then Lessig asked Clarke if there was such a plan ready to be implemented upon the Internet, following some sort of cyber-attack. “Of course there is,” said Clarke.
So, there you have it, folks. The gang in Washington (and their friends elsewhere) have a plan to take full control of the Internet.
By the way, you can read the story here, and watch Lessig talk about the conversation here.
The next question is this: CAN these control freaks really take over the Internet? Well, maybe not completely, but in the Internet’s current form, they could probably do a fairly good job of it. Take a look at this map:
Can you see how powerful a position the US holds? And not only that, but the Patriot Act gives US enforcers power to grab the citizens of other countries (and certainly their own) all over the world.
New Internet links are desperately needed. Some are being built (ironically, a major one is being built by two of the worlds greatest evil thugs: Hugo Chavez and Castro, Jr.) but many more are necessary. If I-911 happens before then, we have a problem on our hands.
Sure, excellent privacy technologies exist, but the only permanent fix is millions of human beings deciding not to take it. And, following a disaster, they are likely to be just as cowardly as they were in 2001. Courage is more essential than fiber, and it is just as lacking.
This a serious threat, folks. The Internet is hyper-important, and for a lot more than chatting and email.