I was reading Why Republicans Should Love Larry Lessig in the Wall Street Journal Review and it got me thinking. I can’t stand the way liberals jump on every chance to bash Lawrence Lessig and the Creative Commons. They just love the idea that all of the work that the People produce will be tied up in some fat cat government program that my tax dollars pay for. The last thing the democrats want to do is give power back to the people, whom they inherently distrust (just look at gun control).
Not only that, but he advocates Open Source software! Democrats hate this because it’s free (no pork barrel politics!) but it also reduces Big Government. In Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace Lessig argues that Open Source code prevents the government from forcing the People to run software that they don’t want to. That software could track you, your family, your guns – just the kind of software Big Government would love to force onto your desktop.
Just look at how the Clinton administration tried to force the Clipper chip on Americans. The democrats don’t trust the people’s money or privacy, so they wanted to be able to watch everything. People who know the Bill of Rights knew that Big Government went too far with that, and that’s why it isn’t around today.
And don’t get me started on security. You know those liberals can’t wait for a cyber-terrorist attack on America, they love any attack on America! That’s why they get Windows installed everywhere, because they know Open Source software is more secure.
Of course, the liberal media doesn’t want you to know about this because they’re so invested in it too. So let’s start a letter writing campaign to get the media to expose the threats of these liberal copyright laws like the DMCA (signed in by the Clinton administration, of course!) and copyright extension American culture!
Update: YHBT. YL. HAND.
11 responses to “Stupid Liberals”
George — maybe it’s just me, but I’m having a hard time discerning the tone of your message, especially since the only self-definition I’ve ever heard you give is that you’re “apolitical.” In your view, regarding copyright, copyleft, and OSS, what are the problems, and what might the solutions be? You rock.
News flash: The Republicans don’t want you to have personal freedoms either.
I’m extremely liberal, and I love both Lessig, and the creative commons, among other things. Perhaps you’ve been watching too much “fair and balanced” fox lately? Also, I would strongly warn against basing opinions of liberal and/or conservative people based on what their figureheads do. I didn’t agree with the clipper chip, I don’t agree with national ID, etc. I know alot of republicans that don’t agree with the DOMA amendment, patriot act, etc. And I have a very, very hard time believing that conservatives are more interested in perserving freedom in this country… From my point of view, they’ve taken away just as much if not more.
P.S. I’m kinda hoping this post is some kind of satirical work I’m just not getting right now.
Though the Democrats are known to be strongly supported by Hollywood, copyright protection is important to both parties. Intellectual property is the United States bread and butter, and one of our major exports. The fear, of course, is that intellectual property is easy to steal.
Enter strictly enforced copyright law.
Stephen – protecting IP from piracy is one thing, but that doesn’t deal with retroactive copyright extensions (big government) or with the way people are using the democrat’s DMCA to litigate away their competition. The DMCA is a set of very visible handcuffs on the invisible hand of the market.
These laws are preventing innovators from starting businesses, they’re bad for business and bad for America.
If you really think that the DMCA is partisan, check your history: The senate passed the DMCA with 99 yeas and 1 no vote. And if you don’t think Democrats are trying to fight the DMCA, check out Rich Boucher (D – VA).
Also, retroactive copyright extensions is more about big business than big government. If you want big government, lets talk Social Security, Medicare, and National Defense.
I can’t believe someone as smart as yourself has bought the myth of the “liberal” media. They may have biases but they are far from liberal. Incompetent, simplistic, sensationalistic, etc….but not liberal.
I’m also a smidge concerned with this bi-polar view of the American political landscape. I’m not sure this country is as black and white, liberal vs conservative as you paint it in this post.
Bush calls for universal broadband access but tries to stop communities from establishing their own telecom’s. Now that isn’t big government but it is big government usurping the powers of the people in favour of corporations. Which is worse? IMHO, they both suck. Neither are concerned with security or privacy. …and in light of this action, previous actions, and actions to come by both parties I think your argument – liberals bad/others good – falls apart.
Maybe George is just a little upset that Air America Radio is going to start broadcasting on Wednesday and he can’t stand the thought that there will be a REAL liberal media outlet to compete with the Rushs and the O’Reillys.
Spin. Counter-spin. It’s all spin in the end rather then real journalism. The real victims are the truth and the American population. On a personal note: I didn’t know George was that conservative…..oh well.
George, I’m a raging liberal and I hate MicroSoft, will only use Linux, and “free software.” I’m extremely fearful of MS’s NGSCB and will never buy a mother board that is TCPA compliant.
I can only believe your rant is a joke.
BamaTalker
Yeah, I think it’s just parody, or sarcasm, poorly framed.