As most of you know the Communications Decency Act has been passed in the US, the effect of which is to censor expression on the Internet by prohibiting the discussion and publication of anything considered "indecent". This evidently could include the clinical discussion of abortion, especially since "indecent" is not a legally defined term like "pornography".

The issues of freedom of speech and freedom of the press are not a matter of left or right, Republican or Democrat divisions. These issues are core principles that the United States was founded upon. And these issues do not end at the US border. The US's decision to abridge freedom of expression, as a major part of the worldwide Internet backbone, affects everybody and crosses over into human rights issues.

For the past week or so I have been considering what I would like to contribute to re-asserting the value and importance of free expression. As you may have already noted we have put the EFF "Free Speech Online Campaign" blue ribbon on the Glass Wings site. I chose not to turn the Glass Wings homepage black because that seemed to symbolise the death of freedom on the Internet, and I believe that we still have much to have faith in yet. Though all of these actions are useful in showing a solidarity in concern over the enactment of this law, I did not feel for me that they showed a depth of commitment in squarely facing the situation. Recently I had reason to be reminded of Martin Luther King Jr.'s efforts in securing civil rights for all people. Through love, commitment and peaceful civil disobedience people were able to generate great changes whereby the awareness that indeed all people are created equal finally seeped into the American consciousness.

Please find attached to this message a little icon I created to go up on the Glass Wings site some time today. If you have a homepage of your own, I invite you to also make use of this icon and spread it around to your friends for use on their homepages. It may be a small step, but it is the most appropriate step I could think of at this time.

Thank you for your shared concern.

Katherine Phelps
Glass Wings

muse@glasswings.com.au
Nothing can withstand the powers of love, laughter and imagination
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