SOPA? How about NOPA!

Posted by Antoinette R. Banks | Posted in | Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2012

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Such leading websites as Google, Wikipedia, Reddit and Boing Boing have either shut down, or delayed their load in time in an attempt to protest congressional antipiracy bills they say amount to censorship.
SOPA and PIPA seemed to have the right intent to stop piracy and phishing online, however reports say their methodology is flawed. According to the LA Times, already three major co-sponsors of SOPA and PIPA antipiracy bills have publicly withdrawn their support due to the weight of  heavy protests.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)  says on his facebook page:
 ”Congress should listen and avoid rushing through a bill that could have many unintended consequences.”
Wikipedia, Reddit and about 10,000 other websites blacked out their pages Wednesday with messages warning of the dangers of the legislation and urging people to contact their congressional representatives. Dan Weiser, a spokesman for the House office of the chief administrative officer says,
“Due to the black outs, there has been a manageable increase to House member websites”
I thought censorship was unAmerican?!
To read more on the bills, click here: End Piracy, Not Liberty

An Observance on Martin Luther King Day

Posted by Antoinette R. Banks | Posted in | Posted on Monday, January 16, 2012

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While 56% of American’s have the day off, 44% of Americans, under employers’ ideals somewhat synonymous with Jesse Helms and Ronald Reagan, are in their offices today answering phones, and scheduling meetings—another manic Monday. But how should we honor a man who wanted to overturn the entire edifice so that ALL PEOPLE could practice justice and love toward one another?

Vincent Harding, one of King’s colleagues, once said, “A dangerous Negro, now a national hero. How shall we work with that?" In 1963 Martin Luther King, Jr. was called the most dangerous Negro in the United States because he posed a threat to the very precious ideals that, unfortunately, continue to underwrite our socio-economic and political culture.

A national observance of Martin Luther King Day today leaves me feeling Shakespeare-like—to work or not to work? If we take the day off, are we observing King for the man he was and the amazing lengths he went for equality or by taking the day off are we domesticating his radical message?

Most people who live under a time of influence of a natural leader, trailblazer, and hero—do not realize it until articles and books are published posthumously. While we contemplate the above statement, “If we take the day off, are we observing King for the man he was and the amazing lengths he went for equality or by taking the day off are we domesticating his radical message?” I would like us all to consider what a conversation would be like between Bishop Charles E. Blake, President BarakObama, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be.

Let’s honor our leaders while they still inhale and exhale precious air.  Pray for our leaders and support them the best way we can. Mark 6:4 says, “But Jesus said tothem, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his ownrelatives, and in his own house.” Could it be possible to speak well of our leaders and honor them now? To marvel at the legacies they still create?

Today is not just another manic Monday.

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