I’ve just been sitting here re-reading this article on Fred Thompson’s site and my mind is spinning. I like Fred Thompson, I’ll admit. He’s got a hard-line attitude on a lot of the issues that matter to me. There’s also quite a bit I disagree with, so I’m still on the fence. My opinions for our next president aside, this particular article is just another reason to make me nervous about the growing instability of the United Nations.

More than 1.4 billion people around the world seem to be emailing each other a lot, and those emails get delivered a lot faster and more reliably than “snail mail.” Lots of people are innovating around the Internet – voice calling over the Internet, e-commerce, blogs, education, employment, and healthcare services, music and video streaming and downloads, and such – and lots and lots of people are profiting from those innovations and the websites and companies that operate online.

So if things are going so well, why is it that some folks are seriously thinking about taking management of the Internet away from the United States and handing control to the United Nations?

Foreign government officials from around the world meeting at a U.N.-sponsored conference in Brazil actually discussed this notion last week. It didn’t get much attention, but as we all know, that’s how bad ideas get traction.

What the hell is with the government in giving things away? I’m still ticked off that Jimmy Carter gave the Panama Canal back to the Panamanians.

The internet is an American invention and innovation. It clearly symbolizes freedom in the way we can talk to just about anyone the world over. Users in countries that have parts of the internet banned or censored still find ways to get through and communicate. If the UN had control over the internet, you can bet that’s a significant freedom we will lose.

I’m not saying you should vote for Fred Thompson because he’ll save the internet. I am saying that you should make everyone who reads your blog aware of this insanity. The UN cannot have our internet!

Here are some more articles concerning this:
Norm Coleman
CNET