Fox News is searching for fuel. Knowing that the engines of social and political control run principally upon ignorance and fear, Fox is drilling, blasting and pumping the heads of its considerable viewing audience to determine just how deep the rich deposits of gullibility, greed, self-interest and mental sloth may run in its demographic. All indications from recent explorations is that the network’s target audience may be far richer in those resources than ever Fox imagined, all of which has prompted the network to thrust its probe far deeper into the body politic than ever before.
The tool selected by the network for its newly launched cavity search of the “I want to be sure that nobody get’s a damn thing that’s mine” market segment is, as has been widely anticipated, Glenn Beck. Testing began earlier this week with Beck’s presentation of two segments focusing on the unmistakably simple proposition put forth in the FCC’s proposed Net Neutrality regulations—the simple idea that broadband providers should treat all legal content fairly. The network must have figured that if Beck could somehow manage to construct a lie so gargantuan and fantastic as to persuade viewers that net neutrality is a bad thing for them, it would signal that we are now into new territory, an era of mindlessness never before seen in this country.
Beck’s task wasn’t easy. In fact, I imagine that it was among the more challenging things with which any entertainer has ever been tasked. Consider what’s involved.
Start with the idea of net neutrality. What is it? Okay, it’s really, really simple, and it goes like this. Suppose you subscribe to Comcast’s broadband internet service, and you get your VOIP phone service from Vonage. Further, suppose that you’re quite satisfied with both your internet service and your phone service. You wouldn’t want to switch to anything else. Net neutrality says you shouldn’t have to.
You know that Comcast sells a VOIP phone service of its own called Digital Voice. It’s probably a pretty good service, but it’s a little more expensive than Vonage, and Vonage offers a couple of exclusive features upon which you have come to rely. No way do you want to change your VOIP provider.
The net neutrality rules proposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) simply provide that Comcast can’t block your Vonage service and limit your choice of VOIP services to the one it sells. You see, the rules make sure that you have a choice of VOIP providers. You can choose to use Comcast Digital Voice, Vonage, Packet 8 or any other VOIP service you might choose. Without net neutrality rules, Comcast could lock out all competing services and force you to buy Digital Voice.
The same thing would be true of movie rentals. Lots of people like Netflix. They buy and download movies for viewing on their computers and television screens, and they like Netflix’s service and price. Without net neutrality, Comcast could partner with a competing movie rental service, block access to Netflix on the Comcast network, and limit your choice of movie rental companies to just one—the one Comcast offers.
One more example. Most of us have come to appreciate and prize the level to which freedom of speech and freedom of the press have been raised by the internet. In days of old, it was often said the freedom of the press is limited to those who own a press. Since the advent of the internet, almost everyone owns a press.
For pennies, and very often for free, anyone can publish an electronic newsletter, website or blog, and anyone can promote their ideas freely across social networking sites and open public forums. Net neutrality regulations insure that this will continue. Under the proposed regulations no ISP (Comcast, ATT, Time Warner, etc.) will be permitted to discriminate against any content on the internet. They will not be able to block your access to this blog or any other internet destination you may want to visit. The ISPs will not be able to impair your web surfing by giving network priority to their own content services, news channels, enertainment offerings, et cetera.
Now, that’s it. That’s all there is to the proposed net neutrality rules. The net neutrality rules proposed by the FCC do not propose to spend a penny for anything. They do not propose building anything, extending anything, creating any panel or board to decide anything. Net neutrality rules are simple. They are just a few rules that say what ISPs cannot do. They can’t limit your content choices.
So, who could be opposed to net neutrality? Well, only the giant ISPs, of course. If net neutrality regulations are implemented the ISPs will not be able to exercise monopolies over your phone service and entertainment choices, and they will not be able to stifle free speech and freedom of the press in order to increase their profits and extend social and political control. Simple enough. You see that, right?
Okay, so Fox tasks Glenn Beck with convincing his audience that net neutrality is bad for Americans. How’s he gonna do that? It would seem an impossible thing, but he’s pulled it off. You’ll love this.
Beck went on the air last Tuesday and told his audience that the Obama administration has launched a Marxist plot to take over the Internet. They call it net neutrality, he explained to his audience, and here’s what it means: The government wants to spend millions of your tax dollars to provide free broadband internet to everybody in America. They want to elevate broadband internet access to a right, and they want everyone to have it. The government would run it. Just like what the Marxists want to do with health care. That’s step one.
In step two, Beck continued, things get scarier. Once the government has control of the state run internet, the government will decide which news sources you can access and will be able to keep track of where you go and what you do online. The government will be able to shut down free speech and freedom of the press, and to control everything you see and hear online. It will be total state control—a Marxist, socialist, communist, nazi, fascist jump-up-and-down-and-turn-blue-blustering-spewing plot.
Guess what… his audience bought it!!! Yes, sir, they bought every word of it, and they’re talking it, preaching it and hanging tea bags off their ballcaps. Twice today I’ve received emails from friends who think Beck’s uncovered another sinister Obama plot. They think it’s all real.
There was a time when shame served as a reasonably effective deterrent to a wide range of bad behavior. Of course, it only worked if people believed that their bad behavior would be discovered. Fox has no fear of being discovered. Beck and his network understand well that their audience will never read the proposed network neutrality regulations, and they will shove plugs in their ears and refuse to listen to any socialist-commie-liberal voices that might try to poison their minds with non-Fox approved explanations. Experience has shown them that their audience will never catch on.
So, what does all this mean? What’s to be done?
Well, it all means that reasonable, responsible, sober minded people are going to have to work even harder to ensure that net neutrality remains a reality in the U.S. We’re gonna have to make our voices heard, and we’re gonna have to try to motivate our reasonable, though less politically active, friends to join our efforts.
I know. It’s one more thing. It is, however, an important thing.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I saw several news segments about this issue of net neutrality today. I had never heard of it before, but wouldn’t you figure that the big corporations are once again trying to tighten their monopolistic hole on their customers’ throats! It also figures that the politicians who are the paid servants of those corporations will be trying to pass laws to ensure that the corporations get their way. I just heard on MSNBC that John McCain sponsored a bill today to keep the FCC from implementing net neutrality rules. I urge everyone to contact their congressional representatives and senators and let them know that we are watching this issue, and we insist on the equal treatment of all content on the internet. I only learned about this issue today , but it is clear to m e that this is one of the most important free speech issues of my lifetime.
Those who would distort the idea of net neutrality have no shame. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are two of our most fundamental rights. People who will take liberties with these two rights are not fit to be on our public airwaves. Lying for the purpose of thwarting the First Amendment seems a lot like treason.