Freedom to Connect

David Isenberg gave an unusual talk at our Emerging Telephony Conference. In Dr. Seuss-inspired rhyme, he gave a call to action to the net community to stand up for what he calls Freedom to Connect, and what Tim Bray calls "Fat Pipe, Always On, Get Out of the Way." David's organizing a conference in Washington D.C. April 3 and 4 to help raise awareness of these important policy issues. Hopefully, he'll get some attention from people who are currently being lobbied to protect entrenched telecoms at the expense of the net we know and love. Here's a bit of the Dr. Seuss:

When Ed Whitacre, the head of AT&T, says,
"They're not going to use my pipes for free"
he's not talking about Them, he's talking about Me.
He's talking about Us, it should be plain to see.

. . .

Freedom to connect,
it's like every other right.
We've got to fight,
Or they'll come and take it from us
in the middle of the night.

So let's finish with the words of Tim Bray,
Fat Pipe, Always On, Get Out of the Way.

When we write to our congressman, what do we say?
(audience) Fat Pipe, Always On, Get Out of the Way.

And when Whitaker says "Pay again" what do we say?
(audience) Fat Pipe, Always On, Get Out of the Way. . . .