Socialist Viewpoint

I may have the dubious honor of being the first person who has been attacked by the Bush administration for using the Internet to oppose the policies of the government.

I have been known to do that from time to time, and the Internet has been a huge liberating factor in freeing the public from the confines of the commercial media—news print—TV—radio—etc.

Now for the first time, demonstrations of heretofore unprecedented size can happen within weeks of a reactionary development. What I have been accused of is using the Internet and the web site of the Seattle/Cuba Friendship Committee to “organize and promote” a trip to Cuba without a license.

I regularly do publicize trips to Cuba, both licensed and unlicensed. I have had to engage attorneys on my behalf to represent me in this matter. I am concerned that this assault on the freedom of speech and expression—especially through the Internet—be stanched before it chills people’s free expression and their ability to respond to objectionable behavior by the government or other powers in authority. Failure on my part to respond in a timely manner to these accusations can result in a penalty of thousands of dollars.

As a first step in fighting against this undemocratic act by the Treasury Department, I would like to call a press conference and I would like to have you and the staff of your magazine present.

The press will be more attentive if there are concerned citizens such as yourself present. Could you attend such a press conference?

Could you write up an article about this assault on civil liberties and the Internet and computer usage? If you know of others in the progressive community or who have strong feelings for an unfettered Internet, have them contact me, please.

In solidarity,

—Thomas W. Warner (Secretary Seattle/Cuba Friendship Committee) 8923 2nd Ave. N.E. Seattle, WA, 98115 (206) 523-1720 warner@scn.org