IP: Meta thoughts on Dave Farber's "pro RIAA" affidavit and Declan McCullagh's scolding of "rabid anti-DMCA" statements

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Robert J. Berger" <rberger () ibd com>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 21:36:01 -0700
To: Dave Farber IP <dave () farber net>
Subject: Meta thoughts on Dave Farber's "pro RIAA" affidavit and Declan
McCullagh's scolding of "rabid anti-DMCA" statements

Both Dave Farber and Declan McCullagh are two of the strongest defenders of
personal cyber-rights, privacy, fair access and appropriately limited
Intellectual Property laws. They have always worked hard to act against the
forces  who have been chipping away at our rights in cyberspace (and
physical space for that mater).

We have recent examples where they have also exercised the liberal tendency
(I mean that in a good way) to speak out for the cases where they thought
that the other side has been wronged even if it supported "the enemy's"
position.

This behavior should normally be applauded even if one doesn't agree with
them. It shows mature people who are more interested in what they see as
truth than in politics.

What concerns me is that we seem to no longer to live in such a civil world.
The people such as the RIAA, the fundamentalists and radical right all seem
to be willing to forgo such niceties and will probably use these well
meaning statements to only strengthen their position and will continue to
use the constant repetition of their lies and any other technique to win and
make others lose.

The right has been able to "stay on message" and set back the progressive
clock by a huge amount. Liberals are still fighting among themselves and
letting the right take the field without a real fight....

This is not good (IMHO)

My conclusion is that we should be really conscious of where we put our
energy in the public conversation and maybe not be so generous when we see a
legal point in favor of the people who have brought such a bad law to the
books or start arguments that end up being just friendly fire.

-- 
Robert J. Berger - Internet Bandwidth Development, LLC.
15550 Wildcat Ridge Saratoga, CA 95070
408-882-4755 Fax: 408-490-2868 rberger () ibd com http://www.ibd.com


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