March on Verizon for Net Neutrality

The Raging Grannies Action League mobilized for two causes on December 7, drawing over 100 people to Palo Alto's downtown Lytton Plaza.

First cause: The egg-shaped sculpture covered with recycled printed circuit boards, Digital DNA, has stood in the plaza for more than 12 years. It was installed back in the days when people questioned the consequences of the unfolding digital revolution. The sculpture, by artist Adriana Varella, questions whether technology empowers or enslaves us. Is it used for good...can it be used to alter climate change? Isn't it used for warfare, spying on citizens, and in other harmful ways?

The Raging Grannies see that the issues of the impending removal of the sculpture, as it has been given a death sentence by the Palo Alto Art Commission, and net neutrality are intertwined issues. Both are matters of censorship.

In the waning sunlight and dark of December 7, the Grannies, with support from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Friends of Digital DNA, led a march through downtown Palo Alto starting at the Digital DNA sculpture and making stops at Verizon and AT&T retail stores. With chants including "Verizon, Comcast, ATT...We want net neutrality!" they woke up the city where most of the marchers live. Members of the Raging Grannies are mostly long time residents of Palo Alto, some of them having lived here since the 50's, and have witnessed a steep decline into gentrification.