FCC Hearing: Christian Coalition VP Michele Combs
Apr 17, 2008
So far, some of the loudest applause at today's FCC hearing has gone to Michele Combs of the Christian Coalition of America. Combs, who is the vice president of communications for the grassroots political organization, spoke out in favor of network neutrality and against cable and telephone companies.
Here's a paraphrased summary of her remarks:
Combs explained that the reason the Christian Coalition supports net neutrality is simple: it believes organizations such as its own should be able to continue to communicate with people without telephone or cable companies "snooping" on customers. The Christian Coalition and other faith-based groups are increasingly relying on the Internet to reach members and Combs feels net neutrality regulation is needed to protect organizations that can't afford to pay premium prices for better Net access.
She's heard cable companies argue that net neutrality regulations would prevent them from filtering illegal content like child pornography, but she finds that claim disingenuous and offensive. She added, "Let's remember: it was the King James Bible that Comcast blocked that caused the current controversy."
She suggested that the porn industry does not support net neutrality because it would be able to pay higher prices for better Internet service and said it is organizations like the Christian Coalition that do not have the "deep pockets" to compete who will be harmed without net neutrality.
Her talk took particular aim at the cable industry, which she said was using the same technologies that the Chinese government uses to block content and erode free speech in that country.
Tags:
broadband, FCC, network management, network neutrality, Stanford
