I visited the Communet Conference list, last week, where the focus is on community freenets, which are in a dire financial situation. When I offered commentary on these matters, on Communet, what ensued was a torrent of distortions, insults, and personal attacks on me. The denial of reality with lies issued from the desks of corporate sycophants is easy. A strenuous effort must by made by citizens, however, to confront these realities and find the means to overcome the appalling existing situation. It is an unseemly exercise for community networkers to be sent out begging for funds urgently needed by freenets, while special corporate interests with colossal fortunes drawn from the US Treasury through corrupt political deals, assert their material powers in the subordination of citizens.
Public funding is the only viable and equitable support system for community networks.
The establishment of the Internet required billions of dollars in taxpayer funds and many years of creative work by thousands of non-profit groups and institutions. The case for dedication of these unique public resources to the corporate profit race, while disregarding paramount public needs, does not exist. After a five day flame war on Communet, bashing these issues back and forth, I was delighted to finally receive another, calm and rational viewpoint from a scholar at the University of Hawaii. Citizens can surely drive the point home with the power they command over the Internet. Payment for subscription by check or money order.