Political activism for Linux users/advocates

[ddm at pizzashack.org (Derek Martin)]

Before I get started, I should mention that much of the information I
present here is culled from an e-mail sent to me by Kenny Lussier.
Thanks Ken.  I would also ask that if you care about Linux, Free
software, and the free exchange of ideas, please take the time to read
this e-mail thouroughly.  Thanks in advance.

We who hang out in Linux users groups presumably have at least one
thing in common: an interest in Linux, and (perhaps in many cases)
more broadly in free/open source software.  The reasons for that
interest are varied, but often include such advantages as being able
to modify code that does not do what you want it to, and that it is
simply better than what else is available for the home user, having
been reviewed by thousands of geeks who care about writing quality
software.  We tend to also share an interest in all (or at least many)
things technological.  We also tend to be "power users" -- not just of
our computers and our operating system, but of all kinds of
technologies that we are offered.  It comes with the curiosity about
how things work and about how to make things better and use them more
efficiently, which makes us who we are, and which makes us a value to
our society.  We also tend to have a strong sense of our civil rights,
and value them dearly.

Well, big business and the Federal Government have repeatedly in the
past and continue to presently issue a challenge to us, the advocates
of free/open source software, and the power users of technology, and
lovers of civil rights.  That challenge is essentially to keep that
which we love free and available to those who wish to use it, and to
live in a truly free society.  The motivation for big business is
obvious; they can't make money off of technologies and information
that someone else is giving away for free.  The motivation for
government is equally obvious; businesses pay politicians to get their
way, in the form of various kinds of donations, which include but are
not limited to PAC money.

As the challenge from these groups is relentless, and will be so long
as owners of Intellectual Property can make money by selling
information, now is the time that we all begin to take this challenge
seriously, in order that we may protect our civil rights and right to
fair use, and our continued priviledge of sharing information freely
and reaping the benefits of such sharing, such as the use of
free/open-source software.  If we do not do so now, our interests,
hobbies, and in many cases even our livelihood, may be in jeapordy.

Please note: it is not the selling of IP that I am against; it is
instead the avarice and overwhelming lack of ethics and concern for
our fellow human beings with which it is being done in today's
society.

The challenge has come in many forms in the recent past, which have
included the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, the Communications
Descency Act (which was stricken down, thankfully), and now in a new
form, the SSSCA.  The "Security Systems Standards and Certification
Act" will make the DMCA look like a *GOOD* law. The text of the draft
proposal can be read online here:

  http://cryptome.org/sssca.htm

A summary of the bill can be seen here:

  http://www.politechbot.com/docs/hollings.090701.html. 

This proposal requires that all interactive digital products (TV's,
VCRs, computers, PDA's, stereos, game consoles, etc.) "utilize
certified security technologies that adhere to the security system
standards" for the purpose of protecting intellectual property and
copyrights. It makes it illegal to build, buy, import, export, or
obtain by any means, a digital device that does not utilize said
security technologies, as well as outlawing the removal or alteration
of security technologies. This proposal additionally makes no
allowance for the fact that many such devices do not need any such
protections, nor the eventuality that industry-imposed security
standards will be proven to be weak, flawed, and inadequate.

Aside from the blatant infringement on our rights under the Fair Use
Act [Ken, have a link for this?  Anyone?], this potentially may have
some fairly broad repercussions. Depending on how the standards are
defined by the relevant industries (yes, that's right folks, you don't
get to decide, the people with profit motive do), it may effectively
outlaw building your own computer or changing the operating system
that your pre-installed, store bought computer came with. It also will
likely give Hollywood the power to decide what you can tape off of TV,
the music industry the power to decide what is fair use (no more mixed
CD's), and software vendors the power to decide whose hardware their
products will run on. Free Software could effectively become illegal
because it can be tampered with, and the security measures would have
to be built into the OS itself. There is no more freedom to choose,
since the companies will dictate every choice to you. You will have to
have a certain brand of computer to run that program, and if you want
to listen to a CD, it has to be in an approved CD player.

As if the idea of this law weren't offensive enough, the penalties
imposed on violators are even worse. The sentences include a maximum
of five years in jail and a $500,000.00 fine for the first
offense. Ten years in jail and $1,000,000.00 for a second offense.
These are substantially more severe penalties than someone would be
likely to receive if they stole your brand new Lexus out of your
driveway (a misdemeanor offense in Massachussetts BTW), or broke into
your home and stole your stereo system.

Please join me in defeating this bill when it comes up, and getting
the DMCA torn down as well. I plan on both e-mailing and snail-mailing
every member of congress. I also plan on actively campaigning against
this legislation and any similar legislation that comes down the pipe,
as evidenced by this e-mail message to all of you.  Our government
used to be "Of the people, For the People, and By the people". Now it
would seem that it has become "Of the bureaucrats, For the money, and
Buy the politicians".  It's time that we, the geeks of America, unite
and begin to take our country back.

BTW, Big Business is counting on all of you to stay home and not make
a stink about this legislation.  They pay you well enough to keep you
content, and work you many hours to keep you interested in spending
your free time doing other, more relaxing and entertaining things --
preferably things that will make them money, like watching movies and
listening to music.  Show them that you really do care about what
they're doing to our civil rights, and get out and vote.  Tell your
representatives that you will vote against anyone who votes in favor
of this legislation, and back up your words.  Boycott the products of
companies who market and sell "digital devices" and restrictive
licenses to use their IP.  I've no doubt we can all find more
productive ways to entertain ourselves; and we make up a large
percentage of the market for their mid- and high-end products, so we
have the ability to hit them where it hurts, and show them that
they're wrong...  But we will only make a difference if enough of us
participate.  So please join us.

Thank you all for listening.  And thanks to Ken for giving me a lot of
great material to steal.  With permission of course -- I wouldn't want
to violate anyone's copyrights...


-- 
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Derek Martin          |   Unix/Linux geek
ddm at pizzashack.org    |   GnuPG Key ID: 0x81CFE75D
Retrieve my public key at http://pgp.mit.edu

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