Chill Factor (4 Feb 1996): 0%
I don't know how I feel about this protest. I'm afraid the powers that be, who are already afraid of the internet and the "lawless" elements that abide therein, are simply going to think that this is simply more lawlessness, or at best a childish prank.
What will certainly happen is the White House email system will be flooded. It will either go down or (since they have certainly heard about the protest by now) they will take it down early to prevent the problem. In any case, your email there is pretty likely to fall on deaf ears--or disconnected T1s, as the case may be.
My own advice is to print out a copy of the letter and send it to Clinton via snail mail. Snail mail is harder to ignore, and a pile of copies of the Bill of Rights might make more of an impression than a computer system gone haywire (think of the respective photo ops--that's what drives politicians, after all).
I have gone so far as to prepare an htmlized version of the letter, which you can print directly from your WWW browser. Just sign it and stick it in an envelope addressed to:
President Bill Clinton
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C. 20500
You can also fax it to (202) 456-2883 (if you have a faxmodem on your computer, you may be able to fax directly from the htmlized version).
Or you could call up the White House at (202) 456-1414 and read it to them (that might be effective).
If your letter gets to the White House any time around February 29th I think it would count as part of the protest, although I'm pretty certain the Bozos on the Hill could use a reminder about the Bill of Rights just about any day of the week (in other words, if you're too late to make the Feb. 29 protest, send it anyway no matter what the date, and it might not help to send a copy to a few of your favorite congressmen and senators, too).
To whoever may read this, This is not a typical letter, in that by passing it on to as many people as you can, you are taking part in what may yet become the world's biggest practical joke. The U.S. Government has rece ntly passed an act which enforces censorship on the internet. A group of internet users has now come together to kick back at this oppression, and have a bit of fun at the same time. >The aim of this exercise is to re-establish the United States as "The land of the Free", not a fascist state where freedom of speech and thought are curtailed. Communist Russia fell as a result of s uch limits being placed upon the minds of the general populus. On receiving this letter, please pass it on to as many friends or E-mail lists as you can. We predict that if everybody copies the lette r to 5 other addresses, by February 29th 1996, this letter should have reached in excess of 2 million people. That's when the fun begins........ >On February 29th, please send the message: Dear Mr. President, Do you remember this: And afterwards enclose the pre-typed copy of the Bill of rights. By sending the letter on the date above, you will contribute to either one huge petition for freedom, or else lead to a crash of the whitehouse server.Send all letters to: >President@Whitehouse.gov Remember that solidarity is the key to success !!!!! --------------------------------------------------- THE BILL OF RIGHTS Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Amendment II A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Amendment III No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Amendment V No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Amendment VI In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. Amendment VII In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. Amendment VIII Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. Amendment IX The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. Amendment X The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.