This morning, in a rally before the vote, I  stood outside in the cold windy weather, bearing witness as the FCC prepared inside to take away our net neutrality protections. I drew strength from a crowd of racial justice advocates gathered outside the FCC.  Despite the winter temperatures and threatening skies, leaders in the fight for racial justice and equality came across town and across the country to speak about the importance of the Internet in the quest for social justice.

As part of the online video stream, we were so excited to see this new video from Sister Simone Campbell from NETWORK, the catholic social justice lobby, who took time out from working against the tax bill to share her message.  She explains, without net neutrality: “it’s as if we would have a gag in our mouth," you might as well "put tape across our mouth and say we can’t speak.”

Today’s vote was a bad one, but I know our community will continue to press to keep the Internet open and free for everyone.  I’ve been working on these protections in one form or another since 1999, and there were times in the past when we thought all hope was gone – but because members of the public paid attention, and spoke out, we came back stronger than ever.  Today is one of those days I count on people of moral conscience to spread the word, to reach out to their elected leaders and to take back the Internet so we can create the world we want to see.

Congress has the ability and authority -- through something called the Congressional Review Act -- to quickly repeal the FCC’s attempt to kill net neutrality and keep the current protections in place.  Will you join me and sign our petition asking Congress to restore net neutrality by repealing the FCC’s dangerous order?

In solidarity and radical hope,

Cheryl

Policy Advisor, UCC OC Inc. & Co-Founder of Faithful Internet

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