The issue is the Stop Online Piracy Act and the new legal tools it would provide for censoring online content, as well as its scattershot, blame-the-messenger approach. Regular readers know I'm no fan of the Wild West online atmosphere so beloved of fourteen-year-olds, nor of taking intellectual works willy-nilly without paying for them, which is the baby in this bathwater. But Congress does not have this right, and protests are having some effect in forcing the bad guys to climb down. Again. (Hint: they won't ever quit.)
Update, 5pm Wednesday: Wow, I had no idea my readers are so influential! Support for SOPA crumbled in Congress today. Power to the people, man.
Editorial: Stop Blaming Public Ed
Big cookie for the unnamed Courier editor today as he lambastes the Legislature and parsimonious voters for defunding education and complaining about the results.This editorial shows progress in style as well as substance, moving past the forced folksiness of late to a more direct and real voice.
He slips a bit where he tries a little too hard to distribute blame equally -- the schools don't decide how many days of instruction to provide, that's the Leg again.
But the sentiment is correct. We can't go on with this regressive minstrel show. Education is far too serious an issue to play political games over. I might hope our legislators take this to heart, but let's say I have reason for doubt.
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