You expect people in positions of power, that are saddled with the responsibility to make decisions, to make the best decisions they can, right? And part of making the best decision possible is to be as informed as possible on the topic, right? There’s nothing good that comes from decisions made out of ignorance, is there?

Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA, is getting railroaded through the US Congress.

I haven’t looked to follow the money trail yet, but I’m sure there are folks in Congress that are benefitting from this, else they wouldn’t be trying to hammer this horrible piece of legislation through.

What’s worse is that the legislation is being driven by people who have no idea what they’re talking about — and are content in their refusal to become educated. See this article from Vice (h/t Slashdot).

When the security issue was brought up, Rep. Mel Watt of North Carolina seemed particularly comfortable about his own lack of understanding. Grinningly admitting “I’m not a nerd” before the committee, he nevertheless went on to dismiss without facts or justification the very evidence he didn’t understand and then downplay the need for a panel of experts. Rep. Maxine Waters of California followed up by saying that any discussion of security concerns is “wasting time” and that the bill should move forward without question, busted internets be damned.

[…]

So it was as proponents of the Hollywood-funded bill curmudgeonly shot down all but two amendments proposed by its opponents, who fought to dramatically alter the document to preserve security and free speech on the net. But the chilling takeaway of this whole debacle was the irrefutable air of anti-intellectualism; that inescapable absurdity that we have members of Congress voting on a technical bill who do not posses any technical knowledge on the subject and do not find it imperative to recognize those who do.

This used to be funny, but now it’s really just terrifying. We’re dealing with legislation that will completely change the face of the internet and free speech for years to come. Yet here we are, still at the mercy of underachieving Congressional know-nothings that have more in common with the slacker students sitting in the back of math class than elected representatives. The fact that some of the people charged with representing us must be dragged kicking and screaming out of their complacency on such matters is no longer endearing — it’s just pathetic and sad.

It doesn’t matter what the particular piece of legislation is (tho this particular one is terrible, and the only people coming out in support of it are the dinosaurs in Hollywood that still don’t get it). We don’t need decision-makers and law-makers who take pride in their ignorance and wish to make laws based upon their ignorance (like the “shoulder thing that goes up”). It will only lead to bad things.

But it seems not all is lost… it appears further debate will be delayed until after the holiday recess.

Regardless, witness the way things have proceeded. Pride in their ignorance, a desire to railroad things through, no original desire to hear all sides of the story especially from those that might actually have a clue about the impact of this… what does that tell you?

If you’re not disgusted… well, why aren’t you?