[easyDNS did not terminate wikileaks DNS, that was everyDNS. See this ]
(Background: as you may or may not be aware, earlier in the year the US Department of Homeland Security began seizing domain names of various filesharing websites. Suddenly the agency tasked with protecting the United States from further terrorist attacks was now seizing domain names to combat copyright infringement. Without further adieu ado, I bring you “First they came for the file-sharing websites….)
First, they came for the file-sharing websites, because they were infringing on copyright. (I didn’t care, because I didn’t share files).
Then, they came for the illegal offshore pharmacies, because they were facilitating the import of dangerous generic pharmaceuticals that massively undercut the name brand companies. (I didn’t care because I didn’t buy generic drugs)
These first choices may have seemed odd, because there were far worse things out there on the internet to go after. However, since nobody cared too much about the file-sharing sites and the illegal generic pharmacies, they figured it was safe to take things up a notch….
So even worse things were gone after…..
Next, they came for the terrorist websites. And since criticizing the government was itself considered an act of terrorism, it meant the end for everything ranging from WikiLeaks to LewRockell.com (I didn’t mind, because I didn’t follow those websites).
By now, the economic malaise that began in the first decade of the new century was well into its second decade and the culprit for this was clearly known to be financial speculators, short sellers and contrarians. So then they came for the websites that disseminated unofficial economic data. Bye bye ShadowStats, Zerohedge and a whole host of others. (But I didn’t care, because I was still sore from losing all my money in the housing bubble crash)
But “illegal dissent” was still rife on the internet (perhaps even more so, for some reason….)
Because constitutionalists, legal scholars and other dangerous cranks were sewing sowing dissent and challenging the actions of Homeland Security, they came for the websites that facilitated “criminal online assembly”, “unlawful collusion” and “non-sanctioned collaboration. That was the end of Facebook, Twitter and a host of others. (Not that I minded, I was never much into all those “social” websites…)
Then they needed to do something about websites that provided “tools to access criminal content”.
That’s when they came for Google. (That was ok, I had all the stuff I accessed bookmarked anyway)
Then they came for my neighbor’s website, because they said his blog was pernicious and unauthorized. (He was kind or weird, so it didn’t really bother me).
Finally, they came for me. (And nobody else cared)
Because nothing had stopped them before and they could do whatever they want.
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Andy Konecny says
It is interesting all the JavaScript they use to just push up that picture. While I’m not a JavaScript programmer, it looks to me that they are gathering stats so they know who has visited this site. At least they are using open source tools 🙂
Sadly this is reminiscent of what happened in Germany just under 80 years ago. History repeating itself (different details, same basic BS), sigh.
American’s concerned with protecting their Constitutional 1st Amendment from such violation should make a point of getting as many Americans to visit that site just to see what is going on and then talk with their elected officials about this.
Sam says
FYI, “sowing” is to plant seeds, not “sewing.”
Nice homage!
[ woops! thx for the pointer – mark ]
Rob says
FYI Sam, it is “hommage”, not homage…
Sheogorath says
FYI, Rob, it is both ‘homage’ and ‘hommage’.
P.S. Please mind your punctuation when correcting others, to do otherwise makes you look like a hypocrite.
john says
you think the nazi’s were bad, you wait this will be worst, a lot worst, welcome the the Nazi, Zionist western world, where they will tell you , what to think, and what to feel,
packrat says
and since ANY website is a publishing body, it fell under certain new regs…
‘first thing we do (ie:China) is stop all the cartoonists’ dept.
cartoons:
see today’s sinfest
also mimi+ Eunice
utube/area163 big9.mp4 (me)
Brasscheck TV
etc etc etc
packrat
Anon says
Very nice parallel to Martin Niemöller quotation. You really should have included a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came
Aword Tothewise says
…without further ado…
Unless you’re leaving without saying goodbye!
[ Argh …. maybe I should … why is it the one you don’t proof read is the one that “goes viral”? – thx ]
paul says
I wasn’t going to say anything, but it’s ado, not adieu.
Good post. Probably prescient, if these creeps keep to present tactics. Thanks
FailDNS says
LOL, this is so sad.
If somebody is suspected of dealing in illegal goods, they dont let them keep their store open while they investigate. They will sieze the property. That’s how it works in the real world, but now you’re pissy that the same thing happens on the Internet?
joe says
In the real world, they bring a warrant from a real court.
Disgusted says
The removal of the wikileaks domain by EasyDNS has disgusted me. The politicizing of web services is just wrong.
Mark Jeftovic says
Wikileaks has NEVER been an easyDNS customer. They were with a company called “everyDNS”, owned by Dynect, who took off their DNS service because of a DOS attack.
Kate Black says
“it meant the end for everything ranging from WikiLeaks to LewRockell.com (I didn’t mind, because I didn’t follow those websites).”
Yup. Thanks for letting us all know how unreliable and cowardly you are, Mark!
Richard says
Actually, first they came for the on-line poker sites…
easyDNS Support says
Nope, that came next. 🙂