"The price of justice is eternal publicity." Arnold Bennett
| Battle of Intel and Ken Hamidi over freedom of speech on Internet. |
This is what Supreme Justices said in case of Hustler Magazine and Larry Flynt Vs. Jerry Falwell:
"At the heart of first amendment is the recognition of the fundamental importance of free flow of the ideas. Freedom to speak one's mind is not only an aspect of individuals liberty but essential to the quest for truth and vitality of society as a whole. In the world of public debate about public affairs many things are done with motives that are less than admirable and nonetheless are protected by first amendment."
"David and Goliath"
No copyright, reproduction is okay.
On November 24, 1998 Judge John R. Lewis of the Superior Court of California for the County of Sacramento granted the wish of Intel corporation by placing a preliminary injunction on Ken Hamidi. Judge Lewis decreed an injunction which favors Intel’s monopolizing communication on Internet but deprives Ken Hamidi of his Freedom of Speech on Internet.
While Intel is sending and receiving hundreds of thousands of e-mails through Internet, Judge Lewis has ordered Hamidi not to send even one e-mail via Internet to Intel employees until final judgment after trial.
Intel complains that Ken Hamidi trespassed on their proprietary computer system by sending e-mails to its employees.
Hamidi argues that Intel's complaint is baseless and misleading. He explains that his e-mail messages were not sent to Intel employees directly, but rather through the public medium called Internet. The key is that Internet is the "interface." Internet is indisputably a public domain.
Hamidi adds that Intel freely has opened their entire computer network to millions of internationally-networked computers when they decided to be on the public domain of Internet.
"If Intel stayed within their proprietary computer system which is called Intranet, they would never receive my e-mail messages," says Hamidi. Therefore, as long as Intel is on this public domain of Internet, they are a NETIZEN (a citizen on Internet) like any of the other millions of worldwide NETIZENs who equally enjoy and utilize the privileges, rights, and powers of mass communication capability enjoyed through this technological marvel of our time.
Intel is taking full advantage of Internet's massive instantaneous communication power by exchanging enormous numbers of e-mail messages daily. But, according to Hamidi, "Intel does not like the content of my messages, so they decided to manipulate the government to deprive me of my constitutional rights."
This is an obvious move by Intel to monopolize the communication capabilities of Internet. If Intel wins this case, every American will lose their Freedom of Speech on Internet. This action will alter the purpose of Internet and what it was meant for will be redefined by Intel.
This is the first free speech, precedent-setting case in the history of Internet. Ken Hamidi states, "I am a simple citizen with a pioneer's passion for freedom. As an American citizen, I am determined to make further sacrifice at any cost to protect and preserve my Freedom of Speech in this new, developing frontier, Internet!"
Ken Hamidi will prevail in the battle with Intel over the exercise of Freedom of Speech on Internet. Then Intel's most feared nightmare will come true a mass free-flow of information on Internet, which will eradicate Intel’s present isolated, fascistic, dictatorial, mind controlling, and psychological manipulative system.
It is apparent that Intel is extremely unhappy about the gigantic raw mass communication power that Internet puts at the disposal of a common man like Ken Hamidi. That is why they are trying to forcefully intercept and monopolize the natural progress of the evolution of mass and instantaneous information communication on Internet.
Intel's absurd move in the wrong direction is useless. Intel will eventually learn to adapt to work with a more informed, sophisticated, and free work force rather than its present uninformed, naïve, and submissive workers. Intel's current abusive, exploitative, and predatory human relations policies and practices, which are based on a win-lose philosophy, will be substituted with one that is more humane and employee-oriented.
Employment policies should be based on a win-win philosophy. Then and only then will Intel employees be happy and productive to their ultimate potential. As a result, Intel will be more prosperous and its shareholders will benefit further from its maximum prosperity.
Hamidi's Message
