The full version with hyperlinked references is available at http://www.infowarrior.org/articles/2002-03.html, if you're interested.
Hollings, Valenti, and the American Techniban Richard Forno 25 March 2002 [EMAIL PROTECTED] (c) 2002 by Author. Permission is granted to quote, reprint or redistribute provided the text is not altered, and appropriate credit is given. Summary: Discussion of the latest (and controversial) piece of entertainment-industry legislation designed to screw the law-abiding citizens of the Net. The United States is engaged in a war against oppressive regimes run by ignorant fanatics barely able to comprehend the intricacies of modern society. Through actions favoring the ruling class, secret midnight deals, and restricting public distribution of information, citizens in these societies are unable to evolve and live as productive members of the international community. In Afghanistan, this was evidenced by the philosophy and practices of the now-defunct Taliban. Unfortunately, this fanaticism has spread to the United States and evidenced by the rise of the American Techniban. The American Techniban are led by Senator Ernest "Fritz" Hollings (D-SC) who serves as the duly-appointed Congressional mouthpiece and elected puppet of the entertainment industry cartels, having received nearly $300,000 in campaign funding from Hollywood since 1997. Known in some circles as the 'Senator From Disney,' Hollings also bears a striking resemblance to a younger Jack Valenti. (Valenti, for those unaware, is CEO of the movie industry's lobby group and the founder of America's Techniban movement.) Brainwashed by the Gospel of Valenti, the American Techniban's goal is simple. Under the guise of 'preserving America's intellectual capital' and supported by the funding of the entertainment industry cartels, they seek to sustain the entertainment industry's Industrial Age business model (and monopolies) in the modern Information Age - where such models are rendered obsolete by emerging technology. According to Techniban Leader Senator Hollings, the lack of 'ubiquitous protections' has led to a 'lack of [high-quality] digital content on the Internet - apparently he doesn't believe that consumers are interested in any 'high-quality digital content' outside of what is produced by the major entertainment industries. Forget the garage band in Miami or the two teenagers producing an hour-long movie describing adolescent depression shot with Dad's camcorder during Spring Break, or WashingtonPost.Com. Hollings' interpretation of the Gospel of Valenti is that if a digital content didn't come from an entity supporting the entertainment industry cartels it must not be a worthwhile product. Unfortunately, many folks are of the belief that since we don't require such 'security' measures for handguns (something that can kill people) so why have such measures on electronic media which educates and entertains them? <snip> via Politech
