User blog:AlexKawa/Let's Save The Internet!

Alright, I was worried about making this post. I will be getting slightly political here, so if that's something you're not too comfortable with, I understand. That said, this is very important for the future of this wiki, as well as that of the Internet in general.

So, the reason I was scared to make this post was not only because I thought its political message (even though almost 9/10 Americans support the policy I'm talking about here) would rub people the wrong way, but because I worried I'd get in trouble for not writing something Loud House-related, as the blog policy states that it must relate to the show or the fandom in some way, or else it will be deleted. But, by stretching the boundaries, I found a way to make this about the fandom.

So, as the title may imply to some, I'm gonna be talking about the future of the Internet. Net neutrality, as all of you in the United States probably know about, is at risk. Last December, the FCC voted to roll back these rules, which guarantee a free and open Internet. The repeal officially went into effect last month. With these rules gone, internet service providers (ISPs, such as AT&T and Verizon) will be allowed to block you from viewing certain websites, or make you pay extra to access certain sites. That puts this wiki at risk! This wiki is a place for us to learn about the show we love, to talk to people who we share a common interest with in this show. And to express our opinions on the show. We can't put that at risk! We need to make sure we are guaranteed access to this wiki so we can talk and learn about the show we love! And there is one way we can make that happen.

Two months ago, the U.S. Senate voted to express a "resolution of disapproval" towards the FCC's repeal of net neutrality. If this resolution passes the House and is signed into law by President Trump, the FCC's repeal will be overturned, and net neutrality will be restored. Tomorrow, net neutrality supporters across America will organize protests at their congressperson's office to urge them to support the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the FCC's decision. All these protests occur at noon local time (basically, noon in whatever time zone you live in). If you don't feel like attending one of these protests, or if you think it's too late to sign up (which is not a mentality I would recommend you have, by the way), then you can always call your congressperson to urge them to support the CRA resolution. Click here to enter your address and zip code. This will tell you who your congressperson is, and whether or not they have come out in support of net neutrality. If they do support it, then that's great! If not, then the website will give you the option to contact them by either calling, writing, or tweeting. You can click the button(s) that state the action(s) that you prefer to take to tell them you want them to support this resolution. Here is a sample script I came up with for people who may not know exactly what to say when they are on the phone with their congressperson's office:

The main way to get involved tomorrow, if you still want to RSVP with less than 24 hours left, if to go to this website, enter your zip code, and on the right hand side, it will show protests being held at certain congressional offices, ordered based on distance from your hometown. If there is a protest at your congressperson's office, please consider signing up. If there is not protest at your congressperson's office, if you wish, I believe you still may sign up for a protest at the congressional office closest to you, even if it is not the office of your congressperson.

In conclusion, while I am aware that this is not very Loud House-related, I would probably have regretted urging so many of you to take action to protect your access to this wiki and the Internet in general. Remember, this wiki is a place for us to openly express ourselves, and we must fight to protect our right to do so without any interference from our ISPs! If your congressperson already supports overturning the FCC's decision, than feel free to contact them to thank them for doing so. Otherwise, take any action you can, whether it be calling, writing, or tweeting your congressperson, or showing up at their office to protest the FCC's repeal to convince them to support the overturning of it. Thank you so much, and please do all you can to make sure your congressperson is on board with the majority of Americans. Wow, that was a pretty heavy topic. Again, I understand if you were rubbed the wrong way by this, but it's something I had to do to make sure we were all in this together for keeping this wiki (and the Internet) open, free, and attainable. I'll see you tomorrow for my reviews on Tripped!, Pasture Bedtime, and Shop Girl! Take care!