Dear Friend, This feels like a bit of a Wizard of Oz moment: You’ve heard a lot about a mysterious Free Press donor who’s willing to triple your gift to help win the fight for Net Neutrality. Well, let me pull back the curtain. My name is Mike Apgar, and I want to share with you why I care so much about protecting the free and open internet — and why I’m so invested in the amazing work of Free Press. But first, know this: I’ll triple any tax-deductible donation you make today (and tomorrow!), up to a total of $100,000. In 1994, I founded Speakeasy, which was the world’s first full-fledged internet café. From the very start, I wanted to give people an affordable way to access all of the amazing things the internet had to offer — free from gatekeepers, discrimination and exploitation. That began my 20-plus-year journey that’s gone from opening the café to launching the country’s first independent broadband network to developing software that promotes transparency in advertising. But my work isn’t done yet — I’m still fighting for a free and open internet that serves people like you. And I need you to join me in this fight with your tax-deductible gift today. We need Net Neutrality to stop corporations from playing fast and loose with our data and information. Can you imagine what it would be like if your internet service provider interfered with everything you write, read, see, hear or download? That’s why I support what my friends at Free Press do every day: Sound the alarm when our rights are threatened, challenge the lies of Washington lobbyists, and give all of us a voice in decisions that will determine the internet’s future. Please make a tax-deductible donation today, and I will triple it up to $100,000. Together, we can save Net Neutrality. Please join with me in this crucial fight. I believe we can win, but only if we fight together. Thanks so much, Mike freepress.net |