SOPA, NDAA, and EEA- A Public Service Announcement

Disclaimer: If discussions about Minecraft and Steve Jobs were permitted, I hope I am allowed to get this important message across.

Furry or not, you've all won my affection with your tolerance, kindness and consideration. I am sorry for being ungrateful, and thank you. Now let's cover the important things:

I am sure you know about these three acts which are captivating the otherwise stunted and limited imaginations in Congress, and let me warn you- you are in great danger. Most of us who have followed academic books and the independent/international press for the last two decades suspect that the American government is sadly hardening into an authoritarian plutocracy. Unthink tanks, protection rackets and the Fortune 500 companies are wielding excessive influence over political and legal processes. The implications behind these policies and some other ones, like large corporations not allowing you jobs if you're already unemployed (further entrapping the bankrupt and destitute), or proposals to profile Hispanics, African-Americans and Muslims, are very dire. Let's not forget recent documentation of police brutality, Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, either.  This isn't about parties or ideologies, and our collective future is at stake.

Maybe the recent protests were poorly conceived and executed, but they do have a point. My advice is to dedicate at least a little bit of your time to defending your rights. You don't need to pull off anything mind-blowing on the first day- start with little details like boycotting corrupt businesses and looking for local legislatures willing to protect you. And don't vote for any of the clowns being paraded around by the partisan circus during the presidential elections- they only cater to the moneyed interests. You're going to need a little resilience, because good changes don't come easily.

I spent two years in the United States when I was a young child, and half of my family lives up there with you (they left Cuba during the Revolution). It saddens me to see a decent society getting trashed by its wealthy and powerful, and I'm honestly scared.

If Egyptians and Tunisians with far less resources than you could expel dictators, who knows what your still relatively privileged selves are capable of? Have a group hug, and stay strong.