Yesterday, Leo Laporte named his episode of This Week in Google after this article title. (Great show, BTW.  See it here (8/11/10 Download Video (HighBandwidth) )

Update: Google defends its reversal, saying through a spokeswoman: “We have taken a backseat to no one in our support for an open internet. We offered this proposal in the spirit of compromise. Others might have done it differently, but we think locking in key enforceable protections for consumers is progress and preferable to no protection.”

And so how does this statement give any indication OTHER than Google has indeed taken a back seat in Net Neutrality to millions who actually defend  it. 

The article quotes from Google’s stance in 2007:

Compare Monday’s statement to this one, from a post on Google’s official blog in 2007: “The nation’s spectrum airwaves are not the birthright of any one company. They are a unique and valuable public resource that belong to all Americans. The FCC’s auction rules are designed to allow U.S. consumers — for the first time — to use their handsets with any network they desire, and and use the lawful software applications of their choice.”
Read More http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/08/why-google-became-a-carrier-humping-net-neutrality-surrender-monkey/comment-page-2/#ixzz0wP8jzJmK

Read More http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/08/why-google-became-a-carrier-humping-net-neutrality-surrender-monkey/comment-page-2/#ixzz0wP6mGNS7

Wired expresses just the kind of dismay and disgust that Jeff Jarvis does.   I loved it when,  on the show with Leo and Gina,  Jeff says this at about 9:40:

These guys (Google and Verizon) negotiated the future of the Internet without the owners of the Internet sitting there (and the owners of the Internet are US, damnit!) and we’ve got to yell and scream and have a fit becuase the Internet is NOT Google’s,  it’s not Verizon’s,  it’s not the FCC’s,  it’s ours,  and  I hate to plug this whole post that nobody cares about ,  but this is why I wrote the Bill of Rights in Cyberspace, because if WE THE PEOPLE don’t stand up on principle and say “Butt out , ass-wipes.  Get out of here.  This is not yours, this is ours!”

(that would have made a great subtitle or alternate “OR”  to the TWIT episode)  (“Carrier-Humping Net Neutrality Surrender Monkeys OR Butt-out ass-wipes”)

Why Google Became A Carrier-Humping, Net Neutrality Surrender Monkey (UPDATED) | Epicenter | Wired.com