Inducing Ignorance
30-Jun-04
When legislators step into unfamiliar arenas, the results can be ludricrous and tragic. We elect trustworthy men and women to offices of influence and we expect them to do their best. If a bill crosses their desk, we want them to vote in the best interests of their constituency. If they confront a piece of legislation that is new and not within their pervue, we hope that they do the research necessary to make an informed decision.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen as often as it should.
Recently, Senator Orrin Hatch introduced S. 2560 to the 108th Congress. This is the “Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act of 2004″ or “The INDUCE Act.” The acronym is based on an earlier title: Inducement Devolves into Unlawful Child Exploitation. In short, Hatch believes that peer-to-peer networking clients (i.e., Kazaa) can and will corrupt the youth of America. Furthermore, devices that might encourage children to seek out the fruits of a peer-to-peer network (i.e., an IPod or some other mp3 player) are essentially telling them that stealing is okay. If left unchecked, he claims, this could lead them to a life of crime. In a rather dramatic touch, he invokes the ghost of Bill Sykes (from Great Expectations).
Preposterous, you might say. But several elected officials on both sides of the party line are supporting this measure. I believe that they are doing so out of a misplaced fear and, perhaps moreso, out of a misunderstanding of new technology. And so, I wish to induce actions of my own.
First, read this brilliantly annotated version of Hatch’s introductory speech. Then, go to Save The Ipod. Use the convenient form to send a fax to your Congressman and inform them. There is a portion of the form that can be filled with your own thoughts, and here is what I said:
“Look at it another way. If we decide that my mp3 player is illegal because it might encourage me to download digital music, then what does that say about my automobile? I might be tempted to steal gasoline to fill my car, so should the car be illegal? And what of my own body? If I am hungry, I might be forced to steal food, so should a law be passed against my own stomach? The analogies are ridiculous, but so is ‘The INDUCE Act.’”
Feel free to borrow. Or not. Either way, please step up and let your voice be heard. I know there are so many other problems out there and that the plight of digital media is nothing in light of terrorism and poverty, but these are your rights. Embrace them and guard them.