It was a bill that, as Jon Stewart put it, would "break the Internet.”
But the bill its self is unimportant. What happen to it is, what it created is. The bill was stopped, shelved, for all intended purposes killed. What it killed because the big company Google was against, no. What it killed because it was unconstitutional, that didn’t stop the patriot act. So what killed it?
We did.
On January the 18, 2012 the largest online protest ever happened. This protest, committed by companies and individuals, large sites and small, killed SOPA. But something else happened, too. For the first time in our lives my generation, the millennials, realized we had a voice.
On that day, we discovered that we could effect policy.
On that day, we learn that we could hold politicians accountable.
On that day, we found that didn’t have to accept the way the were.
On that day, we understood we could change things for the better.
On that day, the revolution was born.
The fight for net neutrality, end citizens united, the fight for 15, black lives matter. These are just a few of the faces this revolution has. Bernie Sanders did not create this revolution. It had already existed, though few realized it. What he did was focused it, grew it, gave it a leader. So when people say that Bernie won’t be able to enact his policies, their right. He won’t. We, the revolution, will.
Why do I bring this up?
Well one, I’m sick of people saying that Bernie won’t be able to get things done though a republican congress, but Hillary would because… they hate the Clintons so much they will vote with her just to mess with her? She has the One ring and will use it to control them? She’s so much like a republican they’ll think she is one?
I can’t make sense of it.
I could use this diary to highlight how the democratics and the republicans are both fear mongers who just tell you to be afraid of different people. But I want to focus on two lines.
One:
Political success is largely determined by influence and leverage. Even if large numbers of people want to vote for Bernie Sanders’ ideas, they need to understand that ideas need real power to manifest.
Influence? Have you not seen the mass attendants of Bernie’s rallies.
Leverage? What do you call a large grass roots movement that will vote out those who hinder progress.
Power? Power resides with in the people. If we want these changes all we have to do is stand up and demanded them. If we do that, no one can stop us.
Two:
Are these idealistic voters going to work hard to get a majority Democratic House of Reps and Senate? I kind of doubt it.
Democratics? No. Having D next to you name is not enough. Someone who will vote for universal health care? Yes. Someone who will vote for free college? Yes. Someone who will vote for switching to renewable energy? Yes. Having a D, a R, or an I next to you’re name will not determine whether or not the revolution will vote a candidate in. Their polices will.
And before you say that republican will never support these polices, I assure you that this revolution will change the republicans just as it will change the democratics.
And this revolution is not going anywhere.