I've now had two readers who have miscontrued my position on S-1738 because they have failed to read the post through to the end. As a result this is for those readers: "A quick get to the point version of my position on S-1738."
The following is a more detailed reasoning: A few days ago in my commentary "Monday's Oprah Show - Internet Predators, How Bad Is It.. " I gave a few of the reasons, in essence, this alleged solution (S-1738) only looks at prosecution and incarceration of offenders. That perspective fails to solve the SOCIETAL PROBLEM.
The societal problem is, children are being exploited, abused, or whatever other word one wants to substitute there, and the societal resolution is to, 1) Find the perpetrators, 2) Prosecute them, 3) Incarcerate them, 4) Civilly commit the worst of them, and 5) Provide treatment for the remainder as they will be released back into society at some point in the future.
That is how you solve the SOCIETAL PROBLEM from the societal perspective. What you DO NOT DO is, stop with step 3, which is exactly what S-1738 does.
One point I want to get out of the way first is, S-1738 was introduced in June of 2007 by Sen. Biden, and the bill has gone no where, it has sat in committee. September 2008, Sen. Biden becomes Democratic nominee for VP of the U.S., all of a sudden S-1738 becomes a campaign issue. Draw your own conclusions.
Now, on to the societal problem, a few facts no one can refute:
1) Sen. Biden on introducing S-1738 in 2007, said, and I quote, "Let me repeat that, we have new investigative techniques that will allow us to identify many of the people who are trafficking child pornography and we can go pick them up. A very conservative estimate is that there are more than 400,000 people who we know who are trafficking child pornography on the Internet in the U.S. right now. We can, with minimal effort, take these people down."
If we believe Sen. Biden, and I do not dispute him, but why do we need NEW high-tech computer software that can track down Internet predators? What is wrong with the computer software currently used, its finding the bad guys?
2) If there are -more than 400,000 people trafficking- they are doing it through some Internet Service Provider (ISP). Like the State Attorneys General who worked with MySpace to remove registered sex offender accounts from the MySpace website, why cannot the ISPs of the 400,000 not simply close their accounts. Clearly if one is trafficking in child pornography that is not allowed under the terms of agreement of the ISP. No costs beyond a listing of the 400,000 and their ISPs.
3) Again about the 400,000 trafficking, obviously they are doing it through some websites. Here again, that has to be a violation of the terms of agreement of that website's ISP. Get the ISP's to close down such websites, and if necessary sue the ISP for permitting trafficking.
State laws place responsibility on hosts for accidents that occur when a drunk guest causes that accident (dram shop laws). State laws also place responsibility on host for injuries that occur on the premises of a host (premises liability). Why then is the government not making the hosts responsible for their guests' content posted on the internet, and for the hosts ridding the sites of the content of their guests? These hosts contribute a lot of money and include Comcast, Time Warner, etc.
4) S-1738 creates a host of NEW federal agencies or departments within federal agencies, the functions of which are already in place and functional within the states. Are these NEW federal divisions PORK? Or, are they precursory to another more hidden agenda. If offenders are NOT prosecuted in state courts, and instead, are prosecuted in federal courts where the certain outcome is a federal sentence in a federal prison (the Bureau of Prisons), and mandating civil commitment hearings and possible commitment. Internment is a goal of the SMART Office.
There seems to be a push to do everything on the federal level which is not necessary.
Accordingly, because S-1738 was Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 862. it could be voted on at anytime. I am urging everyone to contact their Senator and ask that --S-1738 NOT PASS-- because it fails to solve the SOCIETAL PROBLEM.
Contact your Senators NOW..
By E-mail :
CLICK http://www.senate.gov/ to find your senator. When you find your senator click on "Web Form" below name, and e-mail your letter to have your voice heard.
By Calling them:
Tell them to VOTE NO on Senate Bill 1738—The PROTECT Our Children Act. And be sure to tell them why (See above).
By Writing them:
Use the address provided in their contact information.
Whether you choose to write a letter, fax, telegram or e-mail, use the following sample letter, or make changes using your own ideas.
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Dear Senator:
It is of paramount importance to protect children from Internet Predators, but it is more important to solve the SOCIETAL PROBLEM which goes BEYOND prosecution of offenders, and I am asking you for help. I want MORE THAN just prosecuting offenders, I want to solve the SOCIETAL PROBLEM!
Sen. Biden says, he already knows where over 400,000 of these Internet Predators are. Accordingly, we do not need all that S-1738 asks for, we do need to work with the states in simply going out and arresting these folks. Further, we need to have the Internet Service Providers close their accounts and the accounts of any associated websites. Each of the over 400,000 and the websites have addresses somewhere in the states, have these addresses given to the respective state Attorney General offices for their prosecution.
As your constituent, I urge you to STOP the PROTECT Our Children Act (S. 1738, Biden-Hatch) from passing. According to Sen. Biden who has knowledge of these 400,000 addresses, this bill should be amended to work with the states and go after the known 400,000 offenders.
(Your name here)
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How to Copy and Paste the Letter:
To copy and paste into your senator's web form. Point your mouse arrow at the beginning of the text that you want to copy;
Click your left mouse button and hold it down. Drag your arrow to the end of the text that you want to copy. Release the button. The text should be highlighted.
Now, place mouse arrow over the highlighted text, click your right mouse button once and let go. A new menu should appear. Select Copy from that menu.
When you get to the senator's Message Form Field, point your cursor arrow at the beginning of the message field that you want to copy into, and right click your mouse again and click Paste
Submit your form, it is that simple...
Thanks, you have helped by doing this.
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