Sergey Mironov vs. John Lennon

In a move to improve morale in the Internet, on 23 September, Mr. Sergei Mironov, the Speaker of the Upper Chamber of the Russian Parliament called for an urgent action to counter “antisocial” and “criminal” activities in the Web.

As my skills surely fall short of debating so complex an issue with a prominent policy maker, I have gladly given the floor to the late John Lennon with his quite illuminating comments laid out in the immortal ‘Revolution’ back in 1968. The translation of Mr. Speaker’s notes is of course mine….

Sergey Mironov: The blogospehere’s engagement in the politico-informational wars will simply kill it…If all bloggers are divided by hues of their political sympathies, whom will they be interesting to? I believe it is high time the leading groups of bloggers adopted a single Internet tolerance behavior code, which would exclude the virtual confrontation….

John Lennon: You say want a revolution,

Well, you know

We all want to change the world…

S.M.: …. but <the Code> should not contain any hint towards political censorship…

J.L. You tell me that’s an evolution,

Well, you know

We all want to change the world….

S.M.: Drafting such a Code is not simple, but a much-needed thing….

J.L.: You say you got a real solution

Well, you know, we’d all love to see the plan….

S.M. : …pornosites, Web-sites of drug addicts, sadists, pedophiles. Web-sites of totalitarian sects. Those of extremist, racist, nationalistic organizations…. Gambling sites… All these people must sense a tough hand of the net censorship upon them…..

J.L. You say you’ll change the constitution,

Well, you  know

We all want to change your head…..

S.M. But one should act cautiously in this respect. No spontaneous actions by censors. No “Great Chinese Firewalls” closing Runet from other national sectors of the Web…

J.L. But when you want money

For people with minds that hate

All I can tell is brother you have to wait.

Don’t’ you know it’s gonna be all right?