Broadband Is A Human Right – In Kentucky
from the don't-everyone-move-at-once... dept
According to this article, broadband internet access has been added to the list of “inalienable rights” for residents of the state of Kentucky. Basically, this just means that all new low-income housing built in the state needs to include a high speed internet connection along side the other basic utilities.
Comments on “Broadband Is A Human Right – In Kentucky”
No Subject Given
While I certainly wouldn’t want to cheapen such human rights as life, liberty, persuit of happiness, due process etc., I think I approve of this.
There will come a time, probably sooner than we think, when being cut off from the network will be a major, possibly constitutionally unacceptable, hardship.
Unalienable rights?!?
This is ridiculous. An unalienable right is something that you are born with. If someone else has to pay for it, it is not unalienable.
Calling anything else a “right” is basically a way for politicians to buy votes by giving away something for “free”. Of course, someone has to pay for it somewhere.
So does this mean....
that prisoners should have broadabnd as well…
No Subject Given
“This is ridiculous. An unalienable right is something that you are born with. If someone else has to pay for it, it is not unalienable.”
While strictly speaking that’s true, the meanings of things are constantly evolving.
We aren’t born with electricity or running water, however they are considered “inalienable rights” so far as they are being interpreted in this situation for the practical purposes of ensuring that low income housing meets acceptable standards.
Hence – I agree with this ruling.
Re: No Subject Given
Anyone who agrees with this ruling is a socialist, pure and simple. Inalienable (it isn’t UNalienable) rights have nothing to do with even electricity and water. I am all for helping someone out, giving them a hand up and sheltering them when they cannot shelter themselves and this should include water/electrical and heat. But BROADBAND?!?!? Come on. What next? Satellite TV because it isn’t fair that they can’t watch CNN like the rest of us? If you can’t afford it, you have to do what I did, GO TO THE LIBRARY!! Get educated, get a job support yourself and pay for your extravagances yourself.
Re: No Subject Given
Electricity and running water are “rights”? What planet are you from?
What about broadband access via POTS, as in DSL?
I don’t know what services are availible in Kentucky, but many people elsewhere get online using DSL, which can be run over POTS (plain ole’ telephone service). Hence, (assuming DSL service in the area) this requirement should be met by ordinary telephone wiring.
Re: What about broadband access via POTS, as in DS
I am from KY and as far as I know, the article is a bunch of bull. I have to pay for DSL just like everyone else and it’s a lot higher price than most have to pay for it. I pay roughly $69 a month for DSL serverice because the phone co that I am forced to use has a monopoly on the area. It’s a co-op and they own the lines. They can say who can and who can’t use their equipment which keeps any chance of competition out of the picture. Go gripe somewhere else.
Broadband
It will be only a matter of time before it will become a right to have the government provide a computer and printer to each and every homeowner, or I guess street person.
I suspect upon recieving this “right” there will more than a couple of people that will demand a P4 with512 ram and of course 120 Gig Hard drive and all the ink they possibly can use.
This will of course make it really easy for me to get a good computer. I will only have to goto the pawn shop to buy one that just so happens to match the one the government is providing.
Re: Technology for the Poor
I’m reminded of a Paul Harvey rant a few years ago about the poor. He was going on about the nice things that “poor people” now have and said, “They even have *Color TV*”.
Harvey was reminding his older audience of the days when a color TV cost $1,000 dollars in 1954 and giving the impression that the “poor” were rich enough to afford an expensive TV today. I was offended by the comparison, since I got my last TV from the dumpster, and one could find 19″ TV’s of the kind Harvey was whining about at Walgreens for about $100.
Computer technology is no different. I know people on disability with computers. Most of these are $500 computers with Ethernet. I’ve been paying $33 for dialup and am getting DSL service for $40 and there’s every indication that absolute costs will continue to trend downwards.
Beneath Kentucky’s rhetoric of “inalienable rights” is the fact that Ethernet residence wiring is *very* inexpensive when done as new construction. It’s good planning and no less necessary in public housing.
It’s a good thing.
Take care,
Dave
P.S. Homeless people only need to scour the dumpsters to find computers. I know, I’ve been asked many times to get junkers working for low-income people.
Re: Broadband
Well if the government needs to buy computers for the “people” we can help!
Using Zoomtown right now..I am looking for something less expensive and faster. 3mb/s speed for $50 a month seems to be popular around the country. I’m only getting 1.5mb/s for about $100 with phone services.
Broadband Is A Human Right - In Kentucky
Didn’t Lois McMaster Bujold write this into THE WARRIOR’S APPRNTICE?