You May Not Claim What Belongs to Me--and the Whole Public 

I recently enjoyed Ken Burns' wonderful series on our national parks. As I read today about the question of net neutrality, I was reminded of a man in Ken Burns’ series named Ralph Cameron. Cameron pretty much decided that the Grand Canyon belonged to him. Why? Because he said so! One of his many outrageous offenses was the "toll road" he built at the head of Bright Angel Trail, where he charged visitors a large fee to walk on public land into the canyon.

The fight over net neutrality feels very much like that story. Here we have something that belongs to the public in general--cyberspace--in danger of being wrested from us by a relatively small group who decide it should belong to them. Why? Because they say so! Their claim is no more valid than was Ralph Cameron's.

The ultimate decision, for good or for bad, will have a monumental impact on this country for generations to come. We must make the right decision.