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For Immediate Release
January, 14 2010, 04:07pm EDT
Contact:
Liz Rose, Communications Director, 202-265-1490 x 32
More than 13,000 Americans File Comments Asking the FCC to Protect an Open Internet
Small businesses, women's groups, local civil rights leaders also declare support for Net Neutrality
WASHINGTON
With the approach of a midnight deadline tonight for comments on the
Federal Communications Commission's proposed rules to safeguard the
open Internet, thousands of individuals from all walks of life, as well
as small businesses, civil rights groups and women's groups, are
calling for a strong Net Neutrality rule.
"The public comments leave no doubt that Americans who care about
the future of the Internet want strong Net Neutrality rules," said Craig Aaron, senior program director of Free Press, which coordinates the SavetheInternet.com Coalition.
"It's inspiring to read the comments of entrepreneurs and bloggers,
ministers and teachers, who all agree that the FCC must keep the
Internet open and free from discrimination."
The FCC has received nearly 15,000 comments, the overwhelming
majority from those demanding that the FCC craft strong and enforceable
Net Neutrality rules without loopholes. To see highlights from these
comments, updated throughout the day, go to: https://fccdocket.posterous.com.
Among the filings today is a letter
signed by 100 small-business owners from across the country who agree
that Net Neutrality is "essential to the growth of America's
small-business sector and to the revitalization of the broader U.S.
economy." The letter adds that only clear and robust Net Neutrality
rules will allow small businesses to compete on a level playing field
in the growing global marketplace.
More than a dozen women's groups -- including the Feminist Majority,
the National Organization for Women, Women Who Tech and MomsRising --
submitted a letter
to the FCC supporting Net Neutrality and noting that "the Internet is
the only open platform where women can express their own views and post
their own material without permission from media gatekeepers."
More than 20 social justice and civil rights groups -- including the
National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Progressive
National Baptist Convention, National Association of Hispanic
Journalists and ColorofChange.org -- also submitted a letter
to the FCC. "For marginalized communities, the Internet offers a
transformative opportunity to build a more equitable media system," the
letter stated. "The Internet provides communities with the lowest
barrier of entry of any medium to establishing an online presence or
media company. It enables us to speak to the masses without first
seeking the approval of a gatekeeper. This will only continue to be
possible with strong Network Neutrality rules enforced by the Federal
Communications Commission."
"The overflowing FCC docket is testimony to the broad and growing
support for Net Neutrality," Aaron said. "Millions of Americans are
counting on the FCC to make clear rules that will protect everyone's
ability to innovate and communicate, close any loopholes, and safeguard
the Internet for future generations."
Free Press was created to give people a voice in the crucial decisions that shape our media. We believe that positive social change, racial justice and meaningful engagement in public life require equitable access to technology, diverse and independent ownership of media platforms, and journalism that holds leaders accountable and tells people what's actually happening in their communities.
(202) 265-1490LATEST NEWS
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"We got people that work and repair the water mains and can't afford their water bill," said union leader Greg Boulware last week. "I don't want to be rich. We just want comfort inside the city that we serve daily."
Jul 07, 2025
Philadelphia's largest municipal workers' strike in over 40 years is entering its second week after negotiations with the city broke down this weekend.
Over 9,000 sanitation workers, 911 dispatchers, water services workers, crossing guards, and other city employees walked off the job last week, demanding that the city increase their salary enough to meet the rising cost of living.
But even with trash piling up on the streets and other city services understaffed, Mayor Cherelle Parker (D) would not agree to the demands made by AFSCME District Council 33, Philadelphia's largest blue-collar union.
Parker has offered a pay increase of 8.75% over the next three years, which she described as historic.
But DC 33 president Greg Boulware said that's far too little for municipal workers, many of whom are among the city's "working poor," to survive.
"It's not like as if our members are making $80,000, $90,000 a year," Boulware said. "A 2% increase on those would be significantly higher than it would be on somebody making $40,000-$45,000 a year. So, her math truly is not mathing, and you're clearly not paying attention to the working people that are going on in this city."
The average municipal worker in Philadelphia makes around $46,000, which is $15,000 less than the median income in the city and less than half of what a single adult needs to live comfortably, according to a study by SmartAsset.
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The union initially asked for an 8% raise for the next four years, which the city dismissed. This weekend, they pared their proposal down to 5%, but the city still did not budge.
Parker has insisted that her smaller proposed increases are merely what is "fiscally responsible," and that the city cannot afford to offer more.
The union has disputed this, pointing out that Parker herself is budgeted to receive a 9% increase to her salary of more than $240,000. That increase alone is nearly half the current salary that the average DC 33 member makes in a year.
As of Monday, negotiations have stalled, with no clear end in sight. With a throng of picketers behind him, Boulware told NBC 10, a local affiliate, that the union was working on a third proposal, and that negotiations may resume Tuesday. But he seemed to expect more obstinacy from the city.
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Despite the city's refusal to budge, momentum around the strike has continued to grow. On Friday, rapper LL Cool J dropped out of a 4th of July festival in the city, saying, "There is absolutely no way I can perform across a picket line."
Other AFSCME councils around Pennsylvania have joined pickets in solidarity. This includes Philadelphia's Council 47, which represents thousands of "white collar" city workers.
With mounds of trash accumulating on streets, sometimes becoming as "tall as people," the environmental activists with the Sunrise Movement have also joined in the effort to pressure the city. On Monday, activists hauled bags of trash into the lobby of City Hall, labeled with the words "Meet DC 33 Demands" written in yellow tape.
AFSCME, meanwhile, has stated its resolve to fight on as the strike has gained national attention.
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Los Angeles-based news station KTLA reports that masked, heavily-armed federal agents were in the park as "part of an apparent immigration raid" although exact details about the operation are not known as of this writing. A video taken on the scene by Mel Buer, an independent labor journalist in the California city and posted on social media website Bluesky showed many agents riding through the park on horseback.
Border patrol walking McArthur park here in LA
[image or embed]
— Mel Buer (@melbuer.bsky.social) July 7, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) reacted angrily after seeing reports of the agents—some of whom had visible Border Protection patches—in the park and she went to the area to tell them to cease their operations.
"Minutes before, there were more than 20 kids playing—then, the MILITARY comes through," Bass wrote in a post on the social media website X. "The SECOND I heard about this, I went to the park to speak to the person in charge to tell them it needed to end NOW. Absolutely outrageous."
Additional videos posted on Bluesky by Buer showed angry Los Angeles residents following the agents as they drove slowly down the street away from the park while pelting them with verbal abuse.
"Get the fuck out of here!" one male resident can be heard shouting at the agents.
"You guys are a bunch of pussies!" yelled another.
Shortly after this, a woman can be heard scolding the agents: "You are not helping by snatching people!"
After Bass spoke with what I assume is a DHS rep, they packed shit up and headed out. The whole neighborhood turned out to chase them out of the park. Some fruit was thrown, alot of yelling
[image or embed]
— Mel Buer (@melbuer.bsky.social) July 7, 2025 at 2:29 PM
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, condemned the federal operations in Los Angeles shortly after they occurred.
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