U.S : The FCC Gutted Net Neutrality. Congress Only Needs #OneMoreVote to Overturn Them.

The Senate Needs #OneMoreVote to Save Net Neutrality

Tell the Senate to Pass the CRA!

04/03/2018

Dear friend. 

This past week marked the 6th anniversary of the murder of Trayvon Martin and as we reflect back on how movements for justice have grown, much of the organizing would not have been possible without an open internet. From the creation of #BlackLivesMatter, to the canceling of a book deal for one of the jurors who acquitted George Zimmerman¹, to the creation of organizing tactics that have been used in social movements all over the world, and currently in use by the students of Parkland, FL², an open internet has made the advocacy for Black human rights and the amplification of our stories possible. All that may come to a halt if one more Senator doesn’t sign on to the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution overturning the FCC’s decision to gut the net neutrality rules put in place by the Obama Administration.

Tell the Senate to Pass the CRA and Save Net Neutrality

The FCC’s decision to repeal rules that made the internet an equal and open space is just an updated version of the tactics used in the past to silence Black voices and deny opportunities to marginalized communities. Before net neutrality was in place, the 5 major internet service providers (AT&T, Time Warner, Charter, Comcast and Verizon), who provide broadband service for 75% of the country, were regularly slowing traffic speeds to popular websites.³ Now that there’s a Verizon lobbyist in charge of the FCC and a presidential administration that caters to big business, there’s almost nothing to stop these corporations from controlling what you can consume on the internet, even as you’re paying for it.

If you’ve ever used the internet to say #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, or to remind the world that Flint, Michigan doesn’t have clean water, then you know how vital an open internet is to sharing our stories and advocating for human rights. Major corporations like Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T shouldn’t get to decide which messages are heard, based on what’s good for their profit margin. Join the rest of the internet as we come together and flood the Senate with phone calls, texts, and tweets demanding they protect net neutrality.

We Only Need #OneMoreVote in the Senate to Save Net Neutrality

Until justice is real, 

Evan, Rashad, Arisha, Brandi, Jade, Johnny, Janaya, Corina, Chad, Mary, Saréya, Eesha, and the rest of the Color Of Change team

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References :

1. "Zimmerman Juror Wins, Loses Book Deal All In A Day", LA Times, 16 July 2013.  http://act.colorofchange.org/go/22276?t=9&akid=9505%2E1942551%2EpZJnYL
2. "Black Teens Have Been Fighting For Gun Reform For Years", Teen Vogue, 23 February 2018  https://act.colorofchange.org/go/22277?t=11&akid=9505%2E1942551%2EpZJnYL
3. "Major Internet Providers Slowing Traffic Speeds For Thousands Across US", The Guardian, 22 June 2015  https://act.colorofchange.org/go/22278?t=13&akid=9505%2E1942551%2EpZJnYL

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Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.