a draft petition against S.314

[slowdog <slowdog@wookie.net>]

[A draft petition, comment, but do it QUICKLY.]


In united voice, we sign this petition against passage of S.314 ("The 
Communications Decency Act of 1995") for these reasons:

S.314 would prohibit not only individual speech that is "obscene, lewd,
lascivious, filthy, or indecent", but would prohibit any provider of
telecommunications service from carrying such traffic, under threat of
stiff penalty. Even aside from the implications for free speech, this
would cause an undue - and quite possibly unjust - burden upon operators
of various telecommunications services. In a time where the citizenry and
their lawmakers alike are calling for and passing "no unfunded mandates" 
laws, it is unfortunate that Congress might seek to impose unfunded
mandates upon businesses that provide the framework for the information
age. 

The threat of such penalty alone might result in a chilling effect in the
telecommunications service community, again creating an environment
contrary to the principles of free speech, press, and assembly -
principles which entities such as the internet embody as nothing has
before.

We ask that the Senate halt any further progress of this bill. We ask 
that the Senate be an example to Congress as a whole, and to the nation 
at large - to promote the general welfare as stated in the Preamble to 
the Constitution by protecting the free flow of information and ideas 
across all of our telecommunications services.




- dog