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What the panel failed to address is that the issue is more than access depending on race or gender - it is blatantly socioeconomic.
According to the most recent PEW/Internet report, "Thirty-two percent of American adults, or about 65 million people, do not go online, and it is not always by choice." Sixty-five million people!
One-third of our population!
That number is nothing to sniff at when one is talking about democratic participation.
Sure, a grant can fill any U.S.
school with computers that have internet access, completely skewing those numbers, but that isn't the same as children and even adults having ready access to the community dialogue of the Internet.
There is a big difference between a student with a desktop at home and one that may only have internet access in school for one hour a week as part of a class.
Madison is a great example.
Take a look at blogs in town or at The Daily Page forums and you will often find intelligent and thoughtful discussions about the problems on the South Side of town.
That region is Madison's high crime zone and also where our most economically challenged citizens reside.
However, the individuals you never read taking part in those discussions are those that live on that side of town.
A mother with two jobs and two kids isn't going to have time to wa...
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