Intellectual Property

I really should have written about the SOPA protest yesterday, but I had to wish my blog a happy birthday and I really didn't feel like getting into it. 

I will quickly mention that as a writer, it's an understatement to say that I fear censorship, even if the censorship protects intellectual property.  I think that the whole thing is a slippery slope.  We have worked very hard as a country to preserve the right to speak freely, with the exception of yelling fire in a crowded theatre.  Whether or not you support Occupy Wall Street, I find it disturbing to see law enforcement spraying pepper spray in peaceful protestors' faces on the news.  What the hell is going on here?  Where am I?  And why are the officers in full militia get-up?  It's scary, if you ask me.  Occupy may be a nuisance, but they have the right to protest peacefully and they represent YOUR right to speak freely.  When I see them getting messed with, it makes me realize where I stand in the eyes of the people in power.  I know that this is a separate issue, but not fundamentally. 

I don't fully understand SOPA or PIPA, therefore I am not ready to contact my Senators or sign a petition, but I do get uncomfortable any time that the government talks about censorship and any time that the First Amendment is fondled.  I had to write a paper on the Patriot Act in my Communication Law class and at first, I thought "Well, I think I support it because it will keep us safe."  Honestly, by the time I had all of my research and was ready to write the paper, I was against it for the sheer fact that I don't trust people that much.  What price are we willing to pay for peace of mind?  I'll just move to North Korea if I want the government controlling everything.  No thanks.  Give me my mouth, my mind, my freedom....I don't need you telling me how to breathe.  And hey, government, if you are reading this.....no one listens to me anyway, so move on to a more popular blogger. 


One of my professors in Chicago, Les Brownlee, was a well-known reporter and a pioneer in many ways.  First of all, he was the first black on-air reporter in Chicago and he interviewed Martin Luther King, Jr.  I interviewed him about the civil rights movement, which was amazing.  Anyway, the first thing that he made us do in his class is memorize the First Amendment word for word, and he tested us on it.  He said that as journalists, if we didn't have that, we didn't have anything and that it was one of the most important things that we would learn in school.  He was right.  (He passed away a few years ago.) 

Back to SOPA and PIPA…..On one hand, I definitely feel like intellectual property needs to be respected and that artists need to be protected. I write every day and of course, I wish that every word I wrote could be protected.  I have a copyright at the bottom of my blog, but I know that anyone could steal anything that I write.  Who would want to steal anything I say, I have not a clue.  On the other hand, I feel like technology changes everything and we need to adapt without infringing on others' rights.  It seems that no matter what we do, someone is being hurt and I really just don't know what the answer is and I don't know yet where I stand on the whole deal. 

I know one thing.....the reason that we have so many problems is because people are just rotten.  People are selfish, immoral and arrogant and that's the real problem.  You know that Beatles song "All You Need is Love"?  It's true.  The Bible says that love is always the answer.  Look at any religion (which we fight about all of the time, which is the dumbest thing ever since God says to love each other) and love is the basis.  I know that when 80% of the resources belong to one person and everyone else is starving, there's something wrong fundamentally.  If we were all fair to each other then people wouldn't be so defensive, but that's why I look forward to Heaven. 

I guess this is where I stand.....I would rather have freedom and no censorship.  I think that when you start controlling one thing, it slides into another area.  They are all related, and as much as I feel this entry is all over the place, it isn't.  It's about freedom. 

If someone wants to steal my stuff, well, I guess they can answer to God.  I'm not wasting my life worrying about it.  I don't want the government having all of the power.  It's scary. Let artists get themselves out there and figure out how to protect themselves without big corporations being involved.  The big corporations are the reason that the laws are being made anyway, right?  It’s for their protection, not the artists, right?  Ok, not going there.  I am tired.  Feedback, anyone?

By the way, I realize that this is confusing, since I am fine with airport security being invasive.  I guess when I am getting on an airplane, I want more protection.  I'm not meaning to be a walking contradiction, but I am.  Ha ha.

Here's the First Amendment instead of a word. 

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.