I don’t get the chance to talk about politics on the blog. Probably because this isn’t the place to discuss it, unless it was (wait for it) related to the subject of the blog and it was so outrageous that it has to be discussed. Well, it has nothing to do with anime at all… and it’s IS outrageous enough to talk about it, so please hold your protests until you read this.

CEN.TAKU.ME is currently equipped with the Stop SOPA ribbon at the top right corner of the site. What’s SOPA? It’s a very dangerous bill that will destroy the way of life on the Internet for millions of us Americans. The Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act (PIPA) is intended to censor anything on the web that the government sees as “copyright infringement”. This means that anything used, including original text, such as this blog containing “copyrighted material” that’s used fairly to support the purchase of these products, is in danger of being wrongly shutdown. It’s supported by many mainstream companies, including networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX. It’s also important to note that none of the networks’ news programs has talked about the effects of SOPA, which is another problem: if no one knows about it, it will be too late if the bill is voted on January 24th.

This is what you will see if SOPA and PIPA is passed. Don't let this happen.

The SOPA bill, when dissected, will actually Stop Online Freedom. The bill is poorly written that thousands are protesting against the bill, mimicking the effects of what would happen if the bill is passed as of today (January 18th). It will also run social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, including free media organizations such as Wikipedia and Reddit, which have blacked out in protest, out of business. This also means your favorite websites operating in the US will disappear. Even CEN.TAKU.ME would cease to exist, including AniBroad which I’m trying so hard to make perfect before launch. If this bill is passed, it will never be launched this month. Or ever.

Look: I don’t want my Internet censored. You don’t want it censored. You’ve come along way to getting what you want. I’ve come along way to contribute to the choices. Before I started this blog, I’ve been censored because of something helpful I said years ago on a forum because some fanboy with 10,000 posts decided to become a moderator through quantity over quality. Then I found this blog, only to be rejected unfairly because of “not having enough content” to appease them, though there are other blogs like this right in front of their faces. This blog has been a way for me to express my thoughts and share it with others when I couldn’t or can’t even now due to the possibility of an unscrupulous user having their way, even if the rules require someone to help out with their unique knowledge. Even though there are those that don’t appreciate what I write, I try not to let elitism get the best of me and keep going. I’m not going to let a group of people who don’t know how the Internet works, including those that know very damn well how it works–and think they’re the only one online, TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN’T SHARE!!!

The SOPA bill is designed to stop piracy. That I understand. Piracy needs to be curbed, but there are better ways to stop it instead of silencing others. There are better ways instead of putting legitimate outlets at risk of going out of business–losing thousands of jobs that this bill promises to save. If you’ve read this, even if you don’t relate to it, then you know how important the Internet is to you… everyone.

If you want to continue reading what you see–not just this site, but millions of other sites operated in the US, please visit Stop American Censorship to voice your concerns. If you’re not in the US, you can petition the US state department against the bill. I suggest reading the site for a better explanation of what would happen, which includes tools to fight against SOPA. Don’t let SOPA pass!