Image from ICanHasCheezeburger.com anti-SOPA site lifeaftersopa.cheezburger.com. Used, as I always attempt to do on this blog, with correct acknowledgement and link back to the host site.

So there's a big call to action today by right-minded internet users and providers about the thuggish powerplay cooked up by a collection of 20th-Century-nostalgic content middlemen (RIAA, MPAA, Rupert Murdoch, et. al) and some of their stupider lackies in Congress.

The issue isn't protection of intellectual property -- people who create content really ought to be able to seek compensation for it!  Instead the issue is about how much "security theater" hampering needs to happen in order to protect that intellectual property.  Proponents of bills like SOPA and PIPA believe that every American should be treated like criminals (how do you like seeing those lingering, un-skippable FBI warnings on every #%!#% DVD you try to play?)  They believe further that no measure is too draconian, no inconvenience is too great, no destabilization of the entire fucking infrastructure of the internet is too great, and, in the case of SOPA especially, no legislation too capricious.

Just the threat by sites major and minor to go dark today has had some effect.  But, as this post by Joan McCarter of Daily Kos makes clear, the results are more cosmetic than substantial.

The weekend was good for opponents of SOPA and PIPA, notably for the assurances to Rep. Darrell Issa from Majority Leader Eric Cantor that a SOPA vote in the House wouldn't happen "unless there is consensus on the bill."

Judiciary Chair (and copyright violator) Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) is going to try to force consensus by resuming the markup on the bill next month. From his press release:

Stop Online Piracy Act Markup to Resume in February

Washington, D.C. - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today said that he expects the Committee to continue its markup of the Stop Online Piracy Act in February.

Chairman Smith: "To enact legislation that protects consumers, businesses and jobs from foreign thieves who steal America's intellectual property, we will continue to bring together industry representatives and Members to find ways to combat online piracy.

"Due to the Republican and Democratic retreats taking place over the next two weeks, markup of the Stop Online Piracy Act is expected to resume in February.

"I am committed to continuing to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate to send a bipartisan bill to the White House that saves American jobs and protects intellectual property."

Which means the legislation is far from dead, and Smith just as hell-bent on passing this bad legislation as ever, with a big assist from the MPAA.

Which means tomorrow's internet blackout, in which hundreds of sites are participating, is still absolutely necessary.

It also means members of Congress have to hear from us. You can use this form to send an email to your representative, and this one to contact your senators to tell them to oppose this bad bill.

Source: Daily Kos

Three weeks ago it looked like this thing was a sure shot to pass quietly.  The authors of the bill, and their stenographers in Congress, have roughly zero intention of giving up.  Don't you give up either.