Dear Senator Wyden,

I would like to thank you for taking a stance for defending freedom of speech in a society that has forgotten what that phrase means. COICA is the digital equivalent of a lynching, allowing people in positions of power and favor to manipulate the internet and limit our freedoms, in the name of limiting piracy. Like similar measures in the past (such as the DMCA, which is the first to come to mind, but many others as well), it is a misguided attempt at reducing piracy at the cost of individual liberties; usually furthered by politicians who don't really understand the way the internet is run and the implications their decision/support would have, or else are trading the constitutionally-protected liberties and freedoms of their constituents in order to please big businesses across America.

We've seen with the DMCA that these measures, first and foremost, don't work. When treating a disease, doctors will try and treat the root cause - simply stifling the symptoms rarely works. But COICA goes even further, and we feel it is akin to treating a flu with radiation and chemotherapy. Thank you for saying "No" to a bill that would have been misused (the DMCA has a history of being used by businesses to shut down competitors and to limit Fair Use) and abused (people pushing through requests to companies and in local courts, taking advantage of the ignorance of many company owners as to their constitutionally protected rights and the definitions of Fair Use) to scare people and organizations alike into giving up their liberties.

Thank you for standing up to freedom in America.

While I'm not lucky enough to be one of your voters (as I do not reside in Oregon), I thank you all the same.

Sincerely,

xxxx

http://www.standtallforamerica.com/

http://leahy.senate.gov/contact/