Today after work, I went to the Comcast Center to protest for free internet.
See, the School District of Philadelphia recently announced that they will be starting this school year with online learning. That’s great! Stop the spread of Covid. Yay!
Except, not-yay for all the families below the poverty line who can’t afford internet. Like most of the United States, internet isn’t treated as a public utility in Philadelphia. What that means is there are a lot of children who will be effectively barred from going to school next month if something doesn’t change immediately.
The premise is this: Philadelphia has invested heavily in Comcast since the 1960s. We’ve given them tax breaks like you wouldn’t believe in order to keep them around to “make jobs” or whatever. Oh, and the city said “y’all don’t have to pay property taxes on the middle finger building until 2027!” Comcast has made billions off of these tax breaks, and the taxpayers who carried Comcast to such great success would like something back for their investments: Free internet for all students for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Without that internet access, thousands of Philly children are stuck without an education, widening the already-huge wealth gap in this city.
So, we protest.
Protester: Y’all from the Free Library?
Me and Coworker: That’s right, yes we are.
Protester: Oh, we’re so happy you’re here. You know, one of the points we want to make today is about how the WiFi in the libraries is just-
Coworker: So bad.
Me: It’s shit.
Protester: Right! And libraries are just so critical for young people. You know, libraries saved my life. When I was young, I would go there and the experiences were so enriching that it completely shaped my future!
Me: You know, I think we’ve met before. The way you told that story just then- do you ever speak at library events?
Protester: I have in the past, yeah. Mostly it’s at protests like this, though. Were you at [event at a library I’ve never been to]?
Me: uhhhh no
Protester: How about [this protest]?
Me: nah
Protester: [That protest]?
Me: I… don’t think so?
Coworker: I definitely saw you at that one, Matt.
Me: Yeah, I guess that’s it, then.
Protester: Well, great! In any event, I’m sure you’ve seen me around. I am City Councilmember Kendra Brooks. I’m all over the place!
I think we were not making eye contact at that exact moment, for which I am extremely grateful because my horror and shame was readily visible right through my mask.
Coworker, after Councilmember Brooks walked away: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Me: Fuck me
Me: I’m such an idiot
Coworker: Yeah you are
Me: I was thinking of someone else.
Coworker: Of course you were! Half of this city has that exact same story
Me: Christ, that’s so embarrassing
Coworker: It’s not THAT bad
Me: I VOTED FOR HER