Lamar Smith's Head-In-Sand Approach To SOPA Critics Inspires 'Lamar Smith Can't Hear You' Anti-Campaign Poster
from the speak-up-please dept
This is pretty awesome. Last week, Lamar Smith (once again) tried to dismiss any opposition to SOPA, by insisting that it was a tiny "vocal minority" who was peaking up, and insisting that "not one of the critics was able to point to any language in the bill that would in any way harm the internet." Except... that's not true. Tons of people have pointed out language that was problematic. Furthermore, spitting on and lying about the widespread internet community, just as it's trying to make a difference, isn't that smart. Via BoingBoing, we learn that this is just leading to further backlash, such as ChadRocco creating a brilliant "anti-campaign" poster against Lamar Smith: Lamar Smith Can't Hear You:
Meet Lamar Smith, representative from Texas, and Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary.If anything, I'd say that the graphic significantly underplays the opposition. The massive list of those opposed to SOPA is growing daily and has a lot more impressive folks than are just in that graphic (also, as far as I know, Microsoft has not publicly opposed SOPA -- though it was rumored to have done so quietly to get the BSA to back off). Still, the graphic really is emblematic of the stance that Smith has taken on SOPA. As long as he ignores the loud, widespread and growing opposition, perhaps he thinks it will just go away.
As Chairman he can kill any bill he doesn't like by denying it a hearing while giving priority to the bills he wants to pass, Like SOPA.
While addressing the massive outcry over SOPA he stated that:
“It’s a vocal minority. Because they’re strident doesn’t mean they’re either legitimate or large in number. One, they need to read the language. Show me the language. There’s nothing they can point to that does what they say it does do. I think their fears are unfounded.”
Above is a list of people that have pointed at the language, including law professors and computer experts.
You have a civil war among video game companies, and the successful boycott of a company. How do you ignore that?
It's an election year. This November. Whatever happens, Texas, please kick this guy out of office.
Filed Under: anti-campaign, lamar smith, pipa, poster, protect ip, sopa
