US Senator Ted Kennedy lost his fight against brain cancer on Tuesday night, giving pause to Democrats and Republicans who have rallied to remember the Senator’s career. And, with his passing, the Net Neutrality movement loses one of its biggest supporters.
The illustrious Senator Kennedy accomplished much in his political career. His politics reach far beyond just Net Neutrality. But, as far as the fight to protect equal and uncensored access to the Internet is concerned, Sen. Ted Kennedy was a beacon. Early in the Net Neutrality debate, Sen. Kennedy took to YouTube to make the case for “neutrality.”
“It is our duty” to protect “the innovative, democratic spirit that has always characterized the internet,” said Kennedy. He pledged to try to ensure that every American has “unfettered access” to the Internet and access to highspeed connections. That same argument applies to the mobile phone, which is fast blurring the lines between the mobile web and the “real” web.
With Congress still working to hash out US healthcare reform, Net Neutrality has taken a bit of a political backseat. But, that doesn’t make it any less important than it was when the Senator came to support Net Neutrality in 2006. Free access to the web is becoming an increasing concern, and we should all keep Kennedy’s words in mind: