I have written previously about my skepticism regarding copyright laws, which is not entirely due to my being a lifelong computer pirate. As I have pointed out before, one cannot steal a loaf of bread that is still there after one has “stolen” it.
What shards of an argument remain to the IP apologists have now been trampled upon by that bastion of evil, the RIAA. I always knew their tears for the poor artist were crocodilian, now that is eminently clear to everyone:
In publicly defending its strong arm tactics and stated desire to scare consumers into absolute compliance, the RIAA has long cited the negative repercussions of piracy and lost revenue upon the recording artists that pour their talent into making the music that people like to hear. It’s a sympathetic defense, yet in the past week the RIAA has made it quite clear whose profits the group is truly out to defend, and it’s certainly not the artists who actually make the music.
On December 1 The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the RIAA is currently petitioning the panel of federal government Copyright Royalty Judges to lower the rates paid to publishers and songwriters for use of lyrics and melodies in applications like cell phone ring tones and other digital recordings. The last time the American government set the rate was in 1981, but since that time, the RIAA argues in its petition, a lot has changed.
Download an MP3 or rip a DVD in the RIAA’s honor today. What utter scum!