Above photo: Michael Stipe, Tom Morello and Graham Nash are among the 150 musicians, actors and artists who penned an open letter in support of net neutrality. Ollie Millington/WireImage, Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images, Bobby Bank/Getty Images
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Tom Morello, Incubus, Evangeline Lilly, Bassnectar, Against Me!, Alyssa Milano, Michael Stipe (REM), Wil Wheaton, Talib Kweli, Gramatik, Graham Nash, The Glitch Mob, Downtown Boys, Speedy Ortiz, Anti-Flag among signers
More than 150 prominent artists, musicians, and actors have signed a letter endorsing the hundreds of protests planned for tomorrow at Verizon stores and Congressional offices nationwide. The artists echoed the protests call for Congress to take action to stop the FCC’s planned vote to kill net neutrality protections on December 14.
REM singer Michael Stipe, Star Trek actor Wil Wheaton, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, EDM legend Bassnectar, actress Evangeline Lilly (Lost, The Hobbit, Ant Man), rock band Incubus, punk stars Against Me!, hip hop icon Talib Kweli, Dresden Dolls songwriter Amanda Palmer, EDM favorites The Glitch Mob, classic rock hero Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), Colin Hay (Men At Work), actress Alyssa Milano, and Ian Alexander (Netflix series The OA), are among the signers, along with Downtown Boys, Speedy Ortiz, STS9, Anti-Flag, Atmosphere, Priests, Trackstar the DJ (Run the Jewels), Kimya Dawson, author Cory Doctorow, Algiers, and dozens of others.
“If the FCC votes to gut these protections it will explicitly allow Internet providers to charge extra fees that amount to a tax on the entire creative economy,” the letter reads. “A few corporations will have control over what you see and hear, while independent and up-and-coming artists’ ability to make a living will be devastated. Without net neutrality there will be less awesome art. Period.”
The letter goes on: “We support the people from across the political spectrum protesting across the country on December 7, and we echo their call for our members of Congress to do their jobs and take action to stop the FCC vote that’s planned for December 14.”
Actions are planned at the FCC in Washington, DC on December 13 and 14. Click here to receive more information.
“A free and open Internet, adhering to the foundational principles of Network Neutrality, has allowed business to flourish, revitalized industries, and given voice to marginalized people not only in America, but around the world. There is no reason to change this standard now, except for corporate greed,” said actor Wil Wheaton (Star Trek, Big Bang Theory), “Allowing ISPs to engage in pay-for-play traffic prioritization will stifle innovation, silence voices, and lead to censorship online. I call on all Americans to support Network Neutrality.”
“Net neutrality is what keeps the Internet weird and awesome,” said Evan Greer, campaign director of Fight for the Future, who is also a touring musician, “Without it, a few giant corporations will have unprecedented control over the culture we create and consume, and independent and alternative artists will be silenced. That’s why we’re fighting back.”
See the letter and a full list of signers here.
Prominent artists that would like to add their names to the letter are encouraged to email evan@fightforthefuture.org