Well, are you? A recent article from Mike over at Techdirt.com explains the ins/outs of this hot question. Hey, and what a surprise, just like everything concerning our government, the Internet, laws, and money, the space between legal and illegal is more gray and vague than John Madden. This puts our federal government in a convenient place, since it writes and interprets the laws. The focus of this article will be slightly more broad than just Wi-Fi; let’s discuss the role of our federal government with respect to the Internet and legality

Ironically, our forefathers formed The U.S. as a free society, where religion and state were separate in order to escape the mostly religious persecution they were subject to in their respective places of national origin. Since then, we have progressed rapidly; we have maintained, for a lack of better terms, a “free-er” society, but every day it seems that we as citizens are being restricted more and more. Don’t get me wrong, I am no anarchist, without a set of rules (laws), there would be no order or freedom at all. However, just the creation of more rules and regulations doesn’t magically make us a better or safer place to live, it just creates more discord and furthers the gap between the groups such rules and regulations sanction.

Examples of such meddling are rampant throughout history books: television, the Internet, and probably your grandparents or parents. When we didn’t liked getting taxed for tea, we rushed the ship, threw the tea into the water, and started our own country. The great and open minds that have led our “advanced society” have just, in the past century-and-a-half, let women (51% of the population) vote and abolished slavery, and we can buy alcoholic beverages after a brief, failed attempt at its prohibition. As one analyzes the decisions that have been made in the past, it becomes quite evident that we have turned into the exact thing we ran away from: a one sided “faith and morality” based governing body that believes it must assimilate its views and way of life into its extremely eclectic population since we can’t protect ourselves and family from such evils.

The Internet has brought this travesty to all new heights. There are a ton of examples, some larger than others. Whether it’s porn, gambling, music, or really anything else, it feels that it needs to extend the restrictions that U.S.-based brick and mortar establishments already conform to. When you are online, are you subject to local or federal jurisdiction, or any at all? Does the fact that your ISP has cables in a certain state or country give that government the right to regulate or determine what you can do? Some governments think so.

This month, a bill has been approved and passed on to the Senate judiciary committee concerning online gambling. Ultimately the goal of these Bible-thumping “politicians” is to outlaw placing bets on the Internet for United States citizens. It seems that they don’t think that we can protect ourselves from the extreme danger of gambling. Since they don’t tax or regulate it, meaning that they in no way profit from it, they have decided to take this luxury away from taxpayers. Fact of the matter is, gambling online isn’t contagious, you can’t smoke or inject it, and it’s rather complex to set up. Playing for real money requires that you have a bank account / credit card, go through a third party, register your bank account, and make deposits. It requires a few days and ensures that you know what you are doing. It isn’t so dangerous that if an unsuspecting U.S. citizen stumbles on GAMBLING.COM and clicks the wrong button, she will lose her child’s college fund. There are no merits to support this ban, aside from Capitol Hill’s one-sided rhetoric, making us feel helpless and dependant in order to support its motives. There seems to be a trend that if our government doesn’t profit from something, then we ban it. Instead of being adaptive to new thinking and taxing such things, we default and strip our citizens of something they might enjoy.

Beyond the scope of gambling, this bill is a cause to worry and fight for anyone who believes in true freedom, who has an open mind and self control, and to anyone who believes people, regardless of citizenship, should have the right to use the Internet, a worldwide entity, the way they want to. You won’t catch me at your local knife and gun show handing out fliers about overthrowing the government or the second coming of Christ, but I will do what I can (as I encourage you) to keep the Internet free for all to do as they will, and not let one governing body take more control of something because it isn’t benefiting from the status quo.

[John Wilkinson]

[tags]law,freedom,congress,big government,constitution,senate,administration[/tags]