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January 19, 2012

The biggest platform will be heard

Early yesterday morning- as some call it the wee hours of the morn- I was up trying to get some work done before I retired to bed.  I happened to wonder on to Google (my favorite search engine) and was confronted with this:

Now... one of the reasons I love Google is because they find the most creative things to do with their logo. I have been known, all to many times, to click the Google image to see what it currently represents.  Or, as I did this past Christmas, spend more time than normal playing with the button notes under the interactive image  (see image below, do you remember this one), embarrassing, but true.



Ok, back to post...

As I stared at the blacked out Google, I thought it was strange.  When redirected to the petition page: End Piracy, Not Liberty, honestly I didn't even take the time to read it.  I just kept it moving because, after all I just wanted to know why they blocked out the Google logo, at present I was satisfied with my vague understanding.  I was past tired, thus I preceded to use my favorite search engine so I could hurry off to sleep.  When I woke up later that day, I found out to my HORROR wiki went dark.




If I wasn't paying attention before, I was now. What was going on here! Google now Wiki!  Wiki, is like my ultimate favorite site.  More than half the time when I get on my favorite search engine it leads me to my favorite site, wiki.  How was I going to make it through the day without wiki. At the time I didn't know but alas the day is over and I am here. But it got me thinking...


Those with the biggest platform, can be heard.

Before yesterday I had no idea about the bills Protect IP Act (PIPA) and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), or that my Internet access could be censored. But I started learning a little more about it as the day progressed.  Can you image how many people signed that petition yesterday, or called their representative or congressman? Can you imagine the change that could have taken place yesterday because someone had the platform and the resources to do raise awareness.

In my opinion, for wiki and other sites, these bills hit close to home. So because they had the appropriate resources and most importantly a platform to be heard, they went about doing something.  They made people aware and further more care.  Care to do something.  Its got to make you think, how many bills are passed before you are aware or before you can raise awareness?  On the issues that may matter and most always affect the common man, why are we as a whole not more aware?

I will never feign to be a political person or pretend that I completely understand our democratic system.  But none the less, I do know when legislation is being made on my behalf I should do more in lieu of awareness or at least I will say in 2012 I  can try. We should be more invested in making changes with issues we are most concerned with. Though I may not have a big platform if I, one, do something to implement change and you do two, we can do things as Wiki put it- extraordinary.


From Wiki's Thank You



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