Poole takes Lessig's challenge

The Lessig Challenge

In August 2002, Lawrence Lessig spoke at the O'reilly Open Source Convention in San Diego, just before Richard Stallman. Both Lessig and Stallman suprised the audience by suggesting that the technical crowd should become more active in politics. Lessig stated "If you don't fight for your rights, you don't deserve them!". It was a humbling experience for many in the audience, who are more comfortable changing the world through keystrokes committed to CVS than keystrokes submitted to Congress.

Lessig announced that he would no longer be taking his time to try to inspire us to act through his public speaking appearances. He went on to challenge us in person, one last time, to make a stand. He asked the audience:

There's a handful, we can name them, of people you could be supporting, you could be taking. Let's put this in perspective: How many people have given to EFF? OK. How many people have given to EFF more money than they have given to their local telecom to give them shitty DSL service? See? Four. How many people have given more money to EFF than they give each year to support the monopoly--to support the other side? How many people have given anything to these people, Boucher, Canon. . . .

I was riveted and emotionally let down. The audience of hundreds and hundreds of leaders in open source weren't acting on their knowledge of these assaults by the corporate media titans of last century. Every persons rights are at stake and of any people I know, I thought that these people should know enough to speak out and tell their friends and reach down in their pockets to make a contribution. Considering the business that I had embarked upon over a year ago...it was even more depressing.

Well, after a few months, it seems that many people have not forgotten that moment in San Diego. Slashdot took the initative to cover Lukes response to the Lessig Challenge, and several others have since followed suit with their public declarations of donations to worthy causes. This is my page that lists what I have personally contributed, and what my words and actions have inspired in others.

-Henri Poole
Thanksgiving day, 2002

P.S. If this message or my work has inspired you in any way, please take a moment to share your feedback and help these worthy causes! Doing so here will enable you to set up an Affero account where you can also show your support.

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