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1996-03-05
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[ Prev | Next | Index ] Wed Feb 21 13:10:00 MST 1996 : sl41n@cc.usu.edu,
Logan, Utah USA
Threat of a New Earthquake
Karen Coleman
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Born and raised in the US, I have continually taken my freedom for
granted. I've gone where I wanted and done what I wanted. I have been
free to earn an education. Now I am seeing it all come tumbling down,
and the government actions in the Telecommunication Act appear to be
the fault line which is shaking the earth.
Living in Utah, I have grown up fearing the Wasatch Fault and the ever
present threat of the big earthquake. I have taken the precautions. My
husband and I have a safety plan. But as a student at Utah State
University, I have no safety plan to protect myself against the
government. Again there is an ever present fear, but this one is even
bigger.
The Communication Decency Act threatens to take away the tool I am
just now learning to use. I know I am a little behind the times, but I
am taking classes this quarter to learn about the Internet and its
wonderful uses. I just saved up and bought a fancy home computer with
on-line capabilities. I've fallen in love with my free AOL hours and
have used them to search numerous topics. Now the government is trying
to tell me they are going to censor my viewing and researching
abilities. How dreadful.
You know what, I have a mother. And my mother occasionally told me
what to do when I was very young. But she quickly gave me my
independence to grow and learn for myself. The government should no
more tell me what I can view on the Internet, than my mother should
tell me how to dress. The government should not take away my research
abilities that my mother taught me to look for. I am inquisitive, I
like to research. How dare they try to limit my scope.
Decency. What is it? Who is to say? Certainly a government which can't
agree on any topic two days in a row isn't. But they sure are trying.
I don't particularly enjoy pornography, but I am not going to take
away the right of others to enjoy it. I personally feel ill to my
stomach every time I see Rush Limbaugh on the TV, but I am not going
to deny others from viewing and supporting him.
I recently did a research paper on the past Calvin Klein incident. I
wonder how I would have done my research if it had been censored. Does
the government realize or care that they are hindering education?
As I am preparing to graduate in June, I am uncertain what the
Internet future is. I hope my ability to search the net doesn't end
when I graduate. I learned in grade school to crawl under my desk in
the event of an earthquake. Tired of hiding under my desk, I am ready
to crawl out and face the world. I hope I spent my money wisely when I
invested my hard earned dollars in a new computer. I hope that in a
few months I am not wishing I had put the money towards a new
transmission for my beater college car.
Karen Coleman Utah State University
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[Image] sl41n@cc.usu.edu