You Have the Freedom to Share This

It doesn't always work the way I plan, but I try to blog each week and target Wednesday to grace the 'net with my verbosity. But last week, I made a decision not to. It was my silent (literally speaking - or is that literally "not" speaking...I digress) protest regarding SOPA and PIPA.

Do I think we need to stop piracy? Oh yeah! Don't I want my copyrighted information secure? You bet I do! That's how I eek out a living. In fact, if any of my works, be it writing or art, are copied, not only am I frustrated, I treat it like a crime because, in fact, it is. It means someone stole something from me.

Let me explain what I'm seemingly talking in circles about and what it has to do with Autism and Asperger's.

I have a passion for Asperger's and Autism Awareness, and I express that in various media, including word and art. I want people to share pieces of it from time to time. For instance, if someone likes Asperger's in Pink, and wants to recommend it to someone I want them to have the freedom to link to the listing on Future Horizons and post it on Social Media, and have that friend be able to pass it along, as well.

If someone reads a post of mine, then I want her to link to it, if she feels it will help someone either understand Autism Spectrum Disorders, have a smile, or simply know, truly know, they are not alone on their journey. If I say something on Twitter that resonates with someone, I want them to have the freedom to RT (retweet) it. And, likewise, if I read an article, I want to be able to share it, as well, without fear of violating copyright.

If we do not share information, we cannot learn much at all, can we? And one of the main ways we share this information is via links. If I understand correctly, one bad link on my blog - even if posted by a reader, not me - can have my entire blog go "poof". It seems too easy to make a misstep, which will have everyone walking on eggshells, therefore curtailing the amount of information we share with each other.

And the end result?

Our kids will suffer. Adults who are just now discovering they are on the autism spectrum will have fewer resources to choose from as they try and make sense of what is unfolding around them.

If I am misunderstanding what would truly happen if SOPA and PIPA do pass (yes, they did not pass it in January, but these things tend to reappear), understand that I have tried, in good faith, to truly make sense of it, and what it will mean. Please correct me if I misspeak.

And that's the thing, isn't it? We're human. We do misunderstand. We do unintentionally say things that are inaccurate from time to time - not on purpose, but because we are human.

We are all still human, aren't we?

Aren't we?