Hackers
The issue of public information has always been a controversy in our world. One of our country's founding arguments was based on the necessity of free speech and free information. Many now believe that our government is being overly restrictive on information, blocking and controlling some aspects of free speech that first amendment advocates feel are necessary to maintain our American society. These advocates of free information have been using the nickname "hackers" for over twenty years, but improper use by the media has stretched the word to slanderous levels. Hackers are now stereotyped as mindless vandals and miscreants, although the word "hacker" has been used as a term for computer programmers and technicians since the late 1970s. Modern-day hackers refer to themselves as intelligent socio-political activists who want to raise social awareness of threatening problems. Governments worldwide are trying to persecute hackers when vandals, not hackers, are most often the ones breaking laws and causing damage. The conflict between hackers and the American public is a deeply rooted standoff, caused by misinformation and sensationalism from the media and the government. To evaluate and analyze this conflict objectively, both poi
Naturally, true hackers united in full force when news that this Decency Act passed hit their computer screens. By successfully getting this Act revoked, they proved by their actions that they are neither miscreants nor vandals. Many web sites including http://www.2600.com/ and http://www.eff.org/ launched major legal efforts, including petitions, to stop this bill. They also voted in massive numbers at the next elections. Such an action is not surprising, since, according to polls taken by numerous local, "underground" hacker computers systems in operation in 1996, approximately 70% of hackers vote at presidential elections. This definitely outweighs the percentages of the general populous: On average from 1980 to 1996, 45.71 percent of Floridians vote in presidential elections, according to CNN. This goes to show that real hackers are not the kind of people that many believe them to be. Fundamentally, much of our society has proven that they are intent on being a populace of ignorant non-voters, struck with fear of the unknown. This part of our society has proven that it is unable to accept other individuals and groups who are more intelligent and still believe in our Nation's first amendment, out of fear that the rest of the world might evolve around them, without them. Rather than persecute and attack the hackers in our society and in our world, we need to embrace them. They are the people trying their hardest to make a difference in our government and society. They are the ones speaking out as we all should about atrocities, such as the East Timor Massacre in Indonesia seven years ago. True hackers are not out to destroy things. They want to learn and make a difference in our world. Our society should stop limiting their potential as human beings and citizens by slandering them. Our society should stop blindly believing stories about them without hearing both sides, as our Government, which is run by "We, the People" must become educated before creating and enforcing laws. Otherwise, we, as a society, are burying ourselves in ignorant beliefs, disrupting learning and the growth of knowledge. After all, no one can honestly say that they want to live in an ignorant society. The most amazing set of opinions comes from the Government. Our Government is broken down into two parts: the technically-advanced (such
Some common words found in the essay are:
Provider Tampa, Decency Act, , Tsutomu Shimomura, George Orwell, Massacre Indonesia, Congress Protection, American Democratic, United Sates, Subtitle Section, technically oriented, free speech, true hackers, technically oriented society, internet service, computer security, vote presidential, hardware specialists, act passed, american people, society stop, vote presidential elections,
Approximate Word count = 1573
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
