As a creator of both fan and original manga doujinshi, I’ve kept quiet about this long enough. If you’re an American, then this pertains to you. If you’re not an American, if SOPA passes, it could very well pertain to you in the coming years if other countries deem America to be a proven example. Let it be known that I’m not here to talk or debate politics as I am highly unqualified. I also speak independently from those associated with EtherFuture and its beliefs. This is merely for education & sharing of an individual viewpoint. In any case, feel free to turn back now.

In case you have been tuning out the news or the internet (which is kind of hard to do in this day and age), you have heard about SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act). SOPA, at a glance, sounds great. However, In the U.S., this could hinder such open freedoms to share and could have the power to place ordinary people on trial (or in jail) at the sight of copyright infringement on potentially minor pretenses. This is something anime/manga/gaming fans cannot ignore. Regardless of it being a political matter, we cannot shrug this off and deny its existence.

There is a lot to this bill and could be a very huge turning-point in how the Internet companies and copyright holders handle works made to share user-generated content and foster creative communities if this bill goes unchecked & unbalanced by political leaders. This applies in many areas – not just for fan doujinshi, but, for example, in showing one’s appreciation for a popular musical artist by covering one of their hit songs The government has plenty of other things they should be focusing on – helping the nation not go bankrupt due to nearly half the population is “barely making it” or can’t get a job is one of them – but their attention is on good ol’ piracy. From what I’ve heard on the Keep The Web Open live stream, it doesn’t sound like advocates for the bill are going to ever relent until something passes.

Not as the co-founder of EF, but as a fan of manga, anime, and all-around creative advocate, I’m aware that pirating is a real problem that can and should be handled without harming the flow of creative energies within the internet because of actual criminals abusing it. There are people with highly destructive tendencies that are giving those with respect to an original creator’s a bad name. Various high-brow entertainment companies may think this could turn things around for them, but the overall detriment could be far worse. Personally, it’s difficult to trust in people who can’t seem to come together to connect history’s dots and pull up their fellow countrymen and women who are in such financial peril that the very foundation of this nation is becoming a joke (if it hasn’t become one already).

Whether this bill does or does not pass, I encourage you to at least be educated on the basics what is at stake. Decide for yourself what is right and wrong about this bill. Read what you can and share it with your friends if you wish. This isn’t just about doujinshi or our actual Amendment rights; what we all have come to know as “the Internet” might very well be altered forever.

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet (Quite possibly the most transparent video online regarding SOPA)
S.O.P.A. THREATENS INTERNET CENSORSHIP!! (If you prefer a more humorous take)

Cheers,
– ALEX Ninamori