Bare with me for a moment while I make a statement or two that I’m just throwing out there, but not really meaning to defend with any huge force, especially considering this is one of theonly times I can recall where I’ve defended politicians or Congress… (and before anyone exercises their right to be dumb and not understand what I’m saying, I oppose SOPA as well.)

Yesterday, many sites went black in protest of SOPA. In addition, many people are upset about such legislation even being proposed, citing corporate interests and corrupt Congress and technological idiots in Congress.

Personally, I love what happened yesterday, but not because the Internet swelled up and got seen on the front pages of every mainstream news outlet. Rather, I love that this is exactly how the process is supposed to happen.

Congress doesn’t jot down new legislation and throw it into the hopper to be perfect and the answer. It’s discussed, changed, challenged, sometimes approved, and sometimes stricken down through the checks and balances system as well as peer and public discourse.

Yes, “politics” does influence things, but the idea of throwing SOPA out there, discussing it, reacting to public opinion when it swells, and maybe even rejecting bad ideas, is part of our democratic process.

In other words, be sure to focus your wrath a bit. Don’t just assume Congress politicians are idiots (at least not based on this one issue; since I also think many of them are idiots). Even submitting idiotic laws and acts is part of the process which hopefully keeps them from doing more harm than good in the long run.