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                              The Clarion Call

[Image]The noticeable indifference on the part of politicians and the
Christian Right to technical proposals of systems to control children's
access to adult material on the Internet, is fascinating. It would appear
that the flag of the protection of innocent children flies high on the mast
but with time the false colors are wearing off and revealing that it is
merely a painted over skull and crossbones. The last thing that either
group wants is a successful system to protect children, at least one that
will not give them control over the Internet.

[Image]Free minds communicating freely is abhorred by this fiendish
coalition. It represents a lack of control. To politicians control is
essential for big business and government, as they see it, to operate. For
the Christian Right control will make it far easier for them to convert the
unwashed masses into their idea of righteous little Christians. Niether of
these groups appears to be even slightly worried by the fact that many of
these children are smarter than the politicians and will easily get around
the law. They also deem it unimportant that these same children will have
to grow up with severely limited freedom of speech, a far more damaging
condition than the results of them seeing some sexually explicit pictures
or hearing a few four letter words.

[Image]The Freedom of Speech is our basic right. Without it, all the other
rights fall, become meaningless. With it intact, all other rights are
guaranteed.

[Image]It may well be that the US courts will give respite from this move
to destroy our freedom. It matters little. The gauntlet has been thrown at
humanity's feet. Sweeping leaves over it now will not make it go away. The
next change in direction of the political winds will uncover it.

[Image]It would seem that we need a symbolic act, a declaration that will
be the Web site seen around the world, one that will affect how the world
lives, a declaration of mental independence. We will take control of our
own futures. For every last one of us, one country has our bodies, but no
country has our minds. We must declare a pure democracy without borders,
whose constitution will be built around absolute freedom of speech and a
prohibition of representative democracy. We citizens of this new realm will
have learned the lesson taught by the ages; we will delegate not one of our
rights, not one of our responsibilities. We must rule ourselves, not be
ruled by those who claim to represent us. The Internet is a startling new
concept and this new concept is by far the most powerful force loose on the
Earth today. But it is incomplete until we accept to really live in true
freedom under its sheltering branches.

[Image]At first our cybernation will be greeted by laughter, then by frowns
and finally by respect. If we ourselves do not treat this idea seriously,
then the concept will become ludicrous. If we take it very seriously, we
may well be on the doorstep of great changes in how man lives on this
planet. The choice is ours, to be clowns with a restricted right to speak
our little minds or giants forging a new civilization. The threat to our
freedoms is great, the answer must be even greater.
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[Image] Millions of people the world over live in one country but are
citizens of another. I am one. Even so, I thought more than twice before
making this essay into a simple HTML page and presenting it. I could become
a laughing stock or a founding father. Worse yet, I could be ignored. Oh
well, it's in you reader's hands. What is? Not just my future my friends,
but your own.
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Roy Lent - lent@costarica.org