Recent Emails...

I recently received an email that heavily advised I stop spouting my moral judgements on my blog.  It said in no uncertain terms that even if I don't LIKE intellectual property rights laws they need to exist as they are and I can't change that.

Perhaps I'm to harsh. I know the individual was trying to look out for my well being.  However, I find that quite infuriating to hear.

I completely understand that IP exists in a certain way right now.  I also understand that it took a lot of decisions and arguing before court rooms to get it to this point.  But our country was founded on people speaking out against injustice. Legally condoned injustice has become the norm with intellectual property laws.  We live in a society that allows corporations, groups of people to have more rights than individuals.  That's not right.

Many of those rights corporations have spring not from the truth of the law but from an individuals in ability to defend themselves.  Through a mixture of ignorance and legal dancing corporations convince people they have no right to defend themselves.  As an individual I have the right to speak my mind.  As a moral individual I have both the right and obligation to speak out against what I see as injustice.  When one man oppresses another we call that injustice so why is it not injustice that a corporation oppresses other individuals?

Have I been beaten, exploited, or extorted? Perhaps not, but there are people who are being bullied by corporations. Entire countries that are being raped of their natural resources because corporations "have the right".  People are being exploited by corporations. Children used as labor, artists making a pittance off their own creations, and more.  And other people who are being extorted by corporations.  Individuals who have their hard earned cash or personal creations taken from them by unfair business practices.

Is it wrong for me to speak my mind that these things are wrong?

The United States is in the middle of a class war.  People don't admit it but it is.  There are two ways to be heard in Washington in the united states today.  You can be born part of the "Upper class" born into the 2% that own 98% of everything.  Or you can be a corporation the next largest income bracket.  And of course everyone glosses over the fact that corporations with their free speech only speak the message that the rich people that own them want.  Effectively giving the rich two votes to our one. And of course if you are an employee of the corporations your free speech extends only so far as you can afford to go before you lose your job.

I understand that legally my opinion has little wait. That my morals aren't heard over the reality of legal precedent.  But that is no reason not to speak.

I think people telling me my opinion doesn't matter depress me more than Games Workshop's legal threats.

The presidential elections are coming up.

Shouldn't this be the time for debates like this?

Shouldn't now be a time for a voice to be heard?

I can't change the past but our nation is built on the idea that good men can change the future.

I respect that people are entitled to their opinion.  that they don't have to listen to mine.  But telling me or you not to speak is beyond the pale.  The law can't silence me only embolden me to change it.  I threaten no one, I harm no one, but I won't be silent.

And you shouldn't either.