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A CALL TO ACTION FOR ALL ST FANS AGAINST VIACOM
Friends,
As many of you know, sadly enough, Viacom, and its friend, Microsoft are
shutting down websites that post material relating to Star Trek. What
they are attempting to do is to force Star Trek fans to visit the Star
Trek site on the Microsoft Network, a site for which one must PAY a
premium to access.
There are first some things we must understand:
We support this franchise - we don't deserve to be treated like garbage.
This is not a matter of copywrite infringement, as due credit has been
given to Paramount on web sites posting ST material - it IS a matter of
Paramount's and Microsoft's greed and yet another example of attempts by
large media corporations to control the flow of information on the
internet, and by extention the hearts and minds of the general
population. It IS a matter of free speech.
This is what we must do:
1) Petition against the actions of Viacom/Paramount/Microsoft.
2) Download info and pictures from the good sites that remain, before
they are shut down, and start yet more sites and mirrors, even in other
countries, making Viacom's war that much harder. It's like this: if half
the country stopped paying its taxes, the government couldn't arrest
everybody.
3) Start a countersuit against Viacom/Microsoft on the issue of violation
of freedom of speech. Believe me, this would deal the hardest blow. A
lot of people dislike Microsoft for its monopolistic tactics. If a case
such as this made the news, it would not only spread the word about this
situation but would force Paramount/Viacom to change its position or else
face a public backlash against the American media which many people feel
stifles freedom of speech as guaranteed to American Citizens under the
First Amendment.
4) Get this issue on the news!
5) If all else fails, be prepared to threaten to bring down the Star Trek
franchise, just as many ST fans did back in the 80's with great success
in order to bring the character of Spock back to Star Trek. It worked
then and it can work now.
We've got a bit of work to do. Let's get it done, now and fast before
its too late.
To all the rebels against Viacom - May God be with you.
- Dan S.