Another Internet Grab by the U.N.
The European Union, in cahoots with the United Nations, is again pushing for the United States to give up control of the Internet, pretending, this time, that it's somehow in the best interests for "the developing countries" that the United States not retain sole control over a technology it developed all on its own . . . thank you very much.
Get this: "The European Union proposed stripping the Commerce Department and the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers of authority over domain name management and other regulatory tasks . . . Delegates to the Geneva session cited international opposition to the Iraq war as one factor fueling the Internet controversy. A statement from the Brazilian delegation said, "On Internet governance, three words tend to come to mind: lack of legitimacy. In our digital world (as it is now), only one nation decides for all of us."
Whatever, Brazil. Maybe you don't have any control over the Internet because you did nothing to develop it? But as socialist governments are accustomed to nationalizing what they don't have the brains or balls to develop themselves, so I can't say I'm particularly suprised that Brazil is throwing a hissy fit about legitimacy . . .
Internet Cassandras are wailing about countries that might set up their own domain systems if the United States refuses to relinquish sole control, and I say fine, let 'em. Any country that wants to shut itself off from the present International web of commerce and information can go right ahead -- and don't let the Web Door hit their asses on the way out.
I've mentioned this issue before, and wish to repeat the point: We cannot allow the United Nations, an international body stuffed with the representatives of dictators, tyrants and outdated monarchies, to gain control over a medium that requires absolute freedom in order to thrive. We've already seen what happens when commercial enterprises like Yahoo! bow to the will of the Chinese government (jail time for dissent), and I shudder to think of what will happen to free expression and free commerce should representatives from Iran, Zimbabwe, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Venezuela, Cuba and Singapore start meddling with what can and can't be done and said, and the rules for obtaining information about alleged "dissidents" in their own countries.
Senator Norm Coleman is working diligently to make sure that the United Nations does not get its hands on the internet, and it's important that he has your support, as well as the support of your representatives in Congress. Please write and/or call your representatives in Congress and ask that they do whatever possible to ensure that the Internet remains under the free governance of the United States, or you might just kiss your blogs goodbye.