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| From: | Kevin Marks |
| Subject: | [DMCA-Activists] Re: Winer: Democrats Should Pledge Open Internet |
| Date: | Tue, 18 Nov 2003 05:06:52 -0800 |
http://epeus.blogspot.com/ 2003_11_01_epeus_archive.html#106915986397149904
Those older posts in full:
Do you know why the RIAA call copying files without their permission 'piracy'?Back in the 1960s, radio in the UK was completely run by the BBC, the state-licensed monopoly broadcaster. The way round this was to broadcast from outside the UK, after the fashion of Radio Luxembourg.Radio stations on boats, of which Radio Caroline was the most famous and longest lasting, were called 'pirate radio' because they were operating in international waters, beyond the reach of national laws.This history of Radio Caroline contains this interesting incident, which may prove inspiring to those currently labelled pirates.After an earlier incident where Prime Minister Harold Wilson had raged at [Radio Caroline owner] O'Rahilly telling him that he was 'finished', Ronan nursed a healthy hatred of the man. As The Mebo 2 countered its jammed signal a General Election was looming that Labour and Wilson were expected to win easily. O'Rahilly convinced the Swiss that public sympathy for them would be greatly enhanced by renaming the station Radio Caroline and this done he set about blatant on air campaigning against Labour, targeting marginal seats where control could change if only a few hundred voters switched allegiance. Breaking every law in the book concerning politics and the representation of the people, Ronan likened Wilson to Chairman Mao while Caroline battle buses toured marginal wards and thousands of rapidly recruited supporters fly posted millions of posters suggesting that a vote for Labour was akin to voting for a Marxist state. He instigated a rolling phone call campaign where each supporter would recruit by phone, three more supporters and so forth. He arranged for the phone lines into Labour HQ to be jammed by hoax calls.The government had forgotten or failed to consider that this election was the first in which 18 to 21 year olds could vote and that these people had been impressionable teenagers when Caroline was at the peak of its influence. It was not difficult to motivate them to strike back at the politicians who had so arrogantly ruined their enjoyment.On the day after the election as the votes were counted, shell shocked Labour politicians found that against all predictions they had lost. For Ronan while the score was not settled, the loss of his station had been partially avenged. Soon after on a London street O'Rahilly was baulked by a careless pedestrian. The two men stared at each other, Ronan recognising Ted Short, a senior Labour politician. Short recognised Ronan and said simply 'It's you. Why did you do it?'. 'Listen baby' replied Ronan using his trademark opening phrase, 'if you hurt Caroline, I hurt you'.I believe there are a few elections coming up in the US.
And, on the 20th:
Aux armes, citoyens!I wrote on Sunday about Radio Caroline (the origin of the music industry's term piracy) and its owner's foray into politics in 1970, where he is credited with helping turn the UK General Election.In the US, this is harder (all those checks and balances) but still possible. In the next 3 months, all the representatives of the people will be in their home districts, campaigning, holding public meetings, trekking from one place to another to meet their constituents.What if there was a 'smart mob' waiting for them at each one?Local constituents concerned and informed about the CBDTPA, Coble/Berman, the DMCA and the rest.Lets set up a tree of weblogs - a top-level campaign one, giving the overview and highlights, then state and regional ones for each election. Brainstorm and hone a set of questions to ask each representative, and publish their responses, and an endorsement/rejection. Get the meeting attendees to bring video cameras and tape recorders and post the Q&A sessions in video and audio too. Sign up flyposters and canvassers. If there isn't an endorsable candidate, come up with a write-in candidate instead.Instead of arguing about whether programmers or lawyers are doing more, or the details of which licence you release your software under, sign up to the broad principles we all can agree on - that the CBDTPA and Coble-Berman bills are an attempt to overturn the constitution by narrow interests.Are we likely to win any seats? Probably not. But at the end of it, every representative will be aware of a big constituency who don't want the entertainment industry to have veto rights over the constitution. The DMCA was passed unanimously. Coble-Berman mustn't > be.So, why am I telling you to do this instead of doing it myself? I am a resident alien, and not supposed to get involved in politics - taxation without representation is my lot. You citizens need to do this - they are YOUR representatives.Go out there and remind them. AOTC could be a starting point BlogTheVote2002USA
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