Egypt, the Internet, and the Second Amendment

We live in a time of amazing transformation.  Nowhere has this been more apparent recently than in Tunisia and Egypt where people are fighting against entrenched regimes and for democracy.  In both places the Internet has played a critical role as an organizing, information and documentation tool.  So it is not surprising that authorities in Egypt have taken steps to cut off the people there from all modern forms of communication and especially the Internet.

It couldn’t be any clearer that the Internet is what citizens need to keep their governments in check or (if necessary) overthrow them — not guns!  That is why we need a new amendment that protects our freedom to access the Internet, publish on it and communicate through it.  That is also why the “Internet Kill Switch” type legislation and anything else that does away with due process (e.g., COICA) is such a terrible idea.

I know that constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority in both houses and that we seem further away from that then ever.  On the other hand this fundamental issue of supporting the individual’s right to bear witness and to communicate should in theory be something that can be supported by everyone, even the Tea Party.