The Internet Puts Up A Billboard In Front Of Lamar Smith's Office: Don't Mess With The Internet

from the will-he-notice? dept

Wed, May 23rd 2012 5:05am — Mike Masnick

You may recall that, back in March, on a whim based on a discussion at SXSW, Alexis Ohanian and Erik Martin (from Reddit) teamed up with Holmes Wilson (from Fight for the Future) to crowdfund a billboard to go up in Lamar Smith's district in Austin. It turns out that you internet people don't mind paying after all, and helped fund two billboards which have now gone up in Smith's district, including one across the street from his office in San Antonio, and a second one on "Lamar Blvd" in Austin

Oh, and Ohanian's BreadPig is selling a "Don't Mess with the Internet" t-shirt, where each sale will help fund Fight for the Future and its new Internet Defense League -- which you should join, in part because if you do cool things to help defend the internet, they hand out totally awesome medals.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: alexis ohanian, austin, erik martin, fight for the future, holmes wilson, lamar smith, reddit, san antonio, sxsw

59 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 5:08am

Hilarioussssss.
Wow, you guys have got such a hot sense of humor.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 5:30am
  
  Re:
  glad you finally noticed
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Kingster (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 5:38am
  
  Re:
  Actually, I find it very hilarious, and snide, and think that the only way it could be any better is by having a dude holding up two middle fingers and saying "F U Lamar!"... But I don't think that would fly.
  
  What would your more highly developed ventromedial frontal lobe produce?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - The Devil's Coachman (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 5:55am
    
    Re: Re:
    Your assumption that he has one is not necessarily valid.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Hephaestus (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 4:31pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      "Your assumption that he has one is not necessarily valid."
      
      If you mean Lamar Smith having a frontal lobe, he doesn't. He has a bill slot on the front of his head that only accepts $100 USD bills from lobbyists.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
John Doe, 23 May 2012 @ 5:15am

Where is the like button?
Cause I like.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- gorehound (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 5:37am
  
  Re: Where is the like button?
  +1
  Count Me In on that !!!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Chris Rhodes (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 5:49am
    
    Re: Re: Where is the like button?
    They should put an electronic "Like" counter up on it and sync it to a Facebook page.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - The Devil's Coachman (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 5:54am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Where is the like button?
      It would make the National Debt Counter look like a sundial in comparison.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 6:35am
  
  Re: Where is the like button?
  Will the Like button track me every time I look at it, just like the one on the Internet?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 5:20am

The internet serious business.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Ninja (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 6:30am
  
  Re:
  The Internet: doing serious business, one meme at a time.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
freesamples (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 5:35am

You know things are serious when medals are getting handed out . . .
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- harbingerofdoom (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 9:19am
  
  Re:
  i am unable to hear the intended levels of sarcasm you intended due to the overwhelming level of awesome found in those medals.
  
  good day to you sir.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 5:40am

how long before Lamar Smith issues a 'take down' notice then?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 10:51am
  
  Re:
  It's a trick question, the takedown will be from the state of Texas.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - That One Guy (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 5:31pm
    
    Re: Re:
    ... paid for by Lamar Smith.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Digitari, 23 May 2012 @ 5:49am

RE
can we get rubber Lamar Smith masks so we can wear egg on them???? I'd buy one
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 6:13am

Next step, claim Lamar's seat, and let his loss serve as a reminder to other politicians what happens when you mess with the internet.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 6:21am

Oh, lookie. Some deluded and naive pirate gave Mike a medal.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 6:27am
  
  Re:
  Please go do something anatomically impossible to yourself. You have yourself a nice day.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 6:37am
  
  Re:
  Translation: I'm a big loser that has never won anything, therefore, I feel obligated to piss on everyone else's parade.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 6:49am
  
  Re:
  Oh lookie... some deluded and naive AC supports Lamar Smith!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 8:08am
  
  Re:
  Sounds like someone needs to call you the wambulance.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 10:13am
  
  Re:
  Let him have his moment in the sun. The apologists are big on self-congratulations and creating meaningless forms of self-recognition. I'm sure he wears it around town like an aging Soviet WWII vet with dementia and probably wears it to bed at night as well. You know pirates, it's all about the bling.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Ninja (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 10:26am
    
    Re: Re:
    Marked as funny. But I think that might not have been your intention. Good job!
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 10:40am
    
    Re: Re:
    @36
    Very nicely, with the slander, give yourself a pat on the back, your getting very good at it
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Mike Masnick (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 10:18am
  
  Re:
  Oh, lookie. Some deluded and naive pirate gave Mike a medal.
  
  I knew you'd be jealous.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Hephaestus (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 4:40pm
    
    Re: Re:
    He is not jealous, just undergoing a slow speed mental break down.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 6:27am

So who funds fightforthefuture.org, anyway?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Ninja (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 6:34am
  
  Re:
  They found that pot of gold in the end of a rainbow.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - The eejit (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 7:30am
    
    Re: Re:
    I thought the MAFIAA had stolen it to pay for hookers and blow!
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 6:38am
  
  Re:
  Big Search and Big Piracy, of course.
  
  /bob
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 10:36am
  
  Re:
  I bet it's the Google... =P
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- The Groove Tiger (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 11:39am
  
  Re:
  "So who funds fightforthefuture.org, anyway?"
  
  The internet. Duh!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Ninja (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 6:27am

The internet has scored.. well, +100.000 internets with this one. At the time I couldn't donate (damn international payment issues) but I'm glad we actually funded TWO billboards!!!!!

This crowdsourcing thing is damn powerful o.o
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The Spork (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 6:34am

lol-tastic
I hope Lamar realizes he is toast now. Go IDF!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 6:37am

It's over 9000!!!!!!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
weneedhelp (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 7:01am

ClearChannel
The ClearChannel logo kind of kills it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 8:51am
  
  Re: ClearChannel
  You mean the wifi logo? Since when did ClearChannel start using that - I thought theirs was a stylized C?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 8:53am
    
    Re: Re: ClearChannel
    Argh. Nevermind. It was so tiny I didn't notice it.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 8:52am
  
  Re: ClearChannel
  I'm assuming that ClearChannel is the owner of the sign. In my area, on billboards like that, there is a logo in the same spot which I know is the owner of most of the billboards in my city. The number on the lower left is the sign ID. If you want to advertise on that board, you then know who to call and also how to identify the sign to them to rent the space.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 12:12pm
  
  Re: ClearChannel
  What irony!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Glen, 23 May 2012 @ 7:40am

And yet, some clueless jackass will blame Google for this too.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 8:57am

Look at the bottom center of the billboard, on the support frame.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 9:35am

Why is "Lamar Blvd" in quotes? Would you write "Main Street" like that? It's not the name of a fake or ironic place. I dislike grammar Nazis, but I hate the inappropriate use of scare quotes more.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 10:33am
  
  Re:
  Emphasis on the name related? Irony? On another comment, why would any1 care about the quote?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 10:18am

HaHaHa.....GENIUS!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Vincent Giannell, 23 May 2012 @ 10:28am

I have a feeling Lamar Smith will be pissed off by that sign, take it as an insult, and order someone to take it down.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Joe Blow, 23 May 2012 @ 10:28am

Where's my coffee mug
Just bought my t-shirt. Now I have something to wear when I visit Mr. Smith's office.

Being in Austin, I'm ashamed that this man is our representative.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 5:08pm
  
  Re: Where's my coffee mug
  At least you have the privilege of voting against him. Really wish I could do that.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - PT, 24 May 2012 @ 4:36pm
    
    Re: Re: Where's my coffee mug
    You could make a contribution to his primary challenger, Sheriff Mack. About the only way you can unseat an incumbent in a Gerrymandered state like Texas is in the primaries. But you'll have to hurry, the primary is next Tuesday.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2012 @ 12:10pm

Kind of ironic with Clear Channel right below it ya?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The Internet, 23 May 2012 @ 2:12pm

I'm hoping Lamar can read, cause he sure hasn't listened!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Hosting en Chile, 23 May 2012 @ 6:44pm

hahaha, that's the attitude, I would have liked to see the Lammar's face the first time he looked out the window and found this.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Hak Foo (profile), 23 May 2012 @ 8:27pm

I find it ironic that, by buying a T-shirt, we're contributing to the demise of people who whine "a world without IP requires musicians to just sell T-shirts"
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous, 24 May 2012 @ 5:24am

While I applaud the effort, the sign could have accomplished a lot more by simply mentioning Lamar Smith's name. 99% of the people reading this billboard will have no clue what it's about and will not go to the website or do any further research to educate themselves about the topic. I bet Lamar Smith would be much more concerned and upset by a sign that read, "Don't mess with the Internet, Lamar Smith. We can vote you out."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- PT, 24 May 2012 @ 4:39pm
  
  Re:
  Actually I think 99% of people who see this will know exactly what it's about. It's been a major issue in the primary.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 24 May 2012 @ 6:32am

Hahaha... $Chan: Still selling out after all these years.

*is still convinced that anything the online troll community does nowadays is for media attention and publicity, therefore defeating the purpose of the legions so-called anonymity*
[ link to this | view in chronology ]