thanks On 2002.09.27 19:27 Bon sy wrote: > Hi Ruben, > > Just took a quick look of the letter. I came across very minor > typo and grammer things. You may want to consider (if not already sent > out) to run through a spell/grammar check. Just a suggestion, not > criticism. I think it is a shame if the intended message does not get the > right attention because of the small things. > > Also, I am not familiar enough with the issue on the table. But we > so happen to receive not too long ago about specific guideline on the > fair use of copyrighted materials for teaching in our University. I do not > know whether the guideline could be of any use/interest to the > community. But if so, I can try to dig out the hardcopy (which is what I > have) and fax it over to whoever is willing to voluntneer scanning and > putting it up in a web server for one to reference and discuss. > > Bon > > > On Fri, 27 Sep 2002, Ruben I Safir wrote: > > > Dear Congressman Weiner: > > > > I'd like to implore you to re-access your position in regards to the > > Berman Bill and general digital rights issues which were presented > > to the Sub-Committee to the house on Intellectual Property. The issue > > of digital information on computer privacy and security, and individual > > rights wieghs heavely on our. > > > > The leader of the House Sub-committee has asked if all the peer > > to peer downloading of copyrighted files is not larceny. This is a > > loaded question which clearly showed the gentleman from North Carolina, > > House representative Conner, is bias and uninformed about the issues of > > copyright and computer communications in the 21st century. > > > > The peer to peer transfer of information is not larceny, theft or > > stealing. It might be, under very narrow circumstances, a copyright > > violation, which is a civil matter under jurisdiction of the Federal > > Government, and robbery, which is a criminal matter which falls under > > the states jurisdiction as part of their sovereign rights to police their > > their states. > > > > Larceny is as follows: > > > > Larceny Lar"ce*ny, n.; pl. Larcenies. F. larcin, OE. > > larrecin, L. latrocinium, fr. latro robber, mercenary, hired > > servant; cf. Gr. (?) hired servant. Cf. Latrociny. (Law) > > The unlawful taking and carrying away of things personal with > > intent to deprive the right owner of the same; theft. Cf. > > Embezzlement. > > > > Peer to Peer tranfer of files can never be larceny even of copyrighted > > material. Copyright violation never deprives the owner. Peer to Peer > > transfer of files never prevents the marketing of Music by the recording > > industry. > > > > Furthermore, since files on computers are owned by the individual who owns > > the system, larceny can never be propery invoked in this discussion. > > > > As Congressman Berman admitted during the hearings which took place on > > September 26th, 2002, the copying of a copyrighted file from one person > > to another is not inherently illegal. Furthermore, it is clearly not > > immoral. It is both proper, normal and expected that individual citizens > > will copy information under copyright, from one individual to another. In > > fact, it's nearly impossible for citizens to participate in normal social > > interaction and not involve copyrighted material, because under US Law, > > every message, graphic, movie, or other work is copyrighted by default. > > In fact, the entire 20th Century, every news reel, cartoon, article, > > movie, writing, sculpture and work of art is under strict copyright. > > Therefor, it's unimaginable to expect the public to not share copyrighted > > works without infringement under a strict interpretation of Copyright Law. > > > > We therefore are offended at the assertion that peer to peer file sharing > > is theft. And we insist that you represent the publics interest in > > matters of copyright and private property. > > > > It was stated in the hearings that when someone makes files available > > for sharing, that they have violated their own privacy. This can > > not be the case. Individuals right to privacy includes the right to > > decide individually exactly how much of their private information > > they wish to share. This is not a violation of their own privacy, > > but a conscious exercising of our privacy and make a decision how > > much of their personal information they wish to expose to the public. > > These rights are protected under the 4th amendment. > > > > Our computers, the information on them, the media and information > > we acquire are all personal property in our homes. We expect full > > protection of our property from Congress and reject the very premise > > of the Berman Bill, that anyone, government, individual, or business, > > should be allowed to take any action which violates our home, our > > computers or our use of materials protected by Copyright or Patent law > > without a Court Ordered Warrent and due evidence of a crime. > > > > The public reserves real property rights of our media and our computers. > > We accept nothing less. We reject in the strongest terms possible that > > our systems, which are our press, our newspapers, our communications > > portal, our radios, our video systems, and our television receivers. > > They should be never be hacked, wire tapped, or filtered in any way in > > order to sustain any copyright protection. Our real property rights > > under the 4th amendment trumps any copyright issues. > > > > > > -- > > __________________________ > > > > Brooklyn Linux Solutions > > __________________________ > > DRM is THEFT - We are the STAKEHOLDERS http://www.nyfairuse.org > > > > http://www.mrbrklyn.com - Consulting > > http://www.nylxs.com/radio - Free Software Radio Show and Archives > > http://www.brooklynonline.com - For the love of Brooklyn > > http://www.nylxs.com - Leadership Development in Free Software > > http://www.nyfairuse.org - The foundation of Democracy > > http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/resources - Unpublished Archive or stories and articles >from around the net > > http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/mp3/dr.mp3 - Imagine my surprise when I saw you... > > http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/downtown.html - See the New Downtown Brooklyn.... > > > > 1-718-382-5752 > > > > > > > > > > -- > > NYCwireless - http://www.nycwireless.net/ > > Un/Subscribe: http://lists.nycwireless.net/mailman/listinfo/nycwireless/ > > Archives: http://lists.nycwireless.net/pipermail/nycwireless/ > > > > -- > NYCwireless - http://www.nycwireless.net/ > Un/Subscribe: http://lists.nycwireless.net/mailman/listinfo/nycwireless/ > Archives: http://lists.nycwireless.net/pipermail/nycwireless/ > -- __________________________
Brooklyn Linux Solutions __________________________ DRM is THEFT - We are the STAKEHOLDERS http://www.nyfairuse.org http://www.mrbrklyn.com - Consulting http://www.nylxs.com/radio - Free Software Radio Show and Archives http://www.brooklynonline.com - For the love of Brooklyn http://www.nylxs.com - Leadership Development in Free Software http://www.nyfairuse.org - The foundation of Democracy http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/resources - Unpublished Archive or stories and articles from around the net http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/mp3/dr.mp3 - Imagine my surprise when I saw you... http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/downtown.html - See the New Downtown Brooklyn.... 1-718-382-5752 -- NYCwireless - http://www.nycwireless.net/ Un/Subscribe: http://lists.nycwireless.net/mailman/listinfo/nycwireless/ Archives: http://lists.nycwireless.net/pipermail/nycwireless/
