Changes....11/3

The internet has changed the face of news, advocacy, and social consciousness forever. I don't know what else has been as revolutionary in the distribution of ideas since the advent of moveable type. Television, certainly, but the production and distribution cost takes that out of the reach of most of the population. The internet is a true leveling of the playing field.

For the cost of a computer, an internet connection and an idea, anyone can be published, quoted, and assessed for worth--on an international level. My ideas, comments (rants, if you would), have caught a level of awareness and kindred spirit of which I was previously ignorant. I knew the problems existed, just not how many others did.

But, this hasn't just been my blog, there are thousands of like ilk, advocating almost every conceivable subject. (There are millions of blogs, but most are of the on-line diary type.) I think that the tendency is to try to make an old law fit a new venue. We need legal guidelines that actually fit the circumstances, not that are taken like a square peg, and whittled down to fit.

An example is a blog in Galveston, GISD Watch, which is under legal attack, as well. One would think that the board, since they are elected posts, would be considered public figures, and as such have little to contest, as long as the comments made were true. According to the blog, the board members are willing to spend the district's money to put an end to that idea.

The board wants several items on the blog removed, and is suing the blogger to do so. Kind of sounds like a freedom of speech issue, and vaguely familiar.