WE ARE LOSING GROUND ON THE RHETORIC ISSUE
Some people don't think rhetoric and symbolism really matters. I assert that rhetoric and symbolism is extremely important, and often, perceived reality becomes more influential than "real reality".

The mass media has become, albeit occasionally unwittingly, the mouthpiece for the RIAA.
Every time you read a news article, or see a television program, in which they are using the term "piracy", when talking about "alleged copyright infringement", it becomes clear that that media is NOT an unbiased and fair news reporting system, but has added their voice to that of the RIAA, in spewing forth the message of the RIAA.

What is the message of the RIAA? Their message is that there are no people who are innocent til proven guilty. Any person who they allege to be guilty of downloading music belonging to the RIAA labels, is not listed as innocent til proven guilty, nor an "alleged copyright infringer", but instead, a law breaking pirate, and by calling them a pirate, conjuring up the legal definition of a person who robs and murders on the high seas. But, even if you reject that the "pirate" term is problematic, you must admit that the press releases never indicate that there is any question about the absolute guilt of those they charge with "piracy", and unfortunately, the mass media fails to point this out , preferring to follow suit in condemning those alleged to be infringers, by saying "Ms. X illegally downloaded copyrighted music".

How does the news media know whether the person actually did what they were accused of or not? The mass media does not do the same thing with people accused of murder or insider trading. In those instances, they are careful to use the words "charged" or "alleged" or "accused".

CONGRESSPEOPLE SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE NATURE OF THEIR STANCD
Many of you have written your congresspeople to alert them to your concerns on the issues we discuss here. Congratulations for being proactive and getting involved. But, many were also frustrated to find that the letter was either ignored or, when you got an answer, it was a non-commital letter with canned phrases, which obviously was boilerplate, perhaps borrowed from the response of another congressperson.

I've received those boilerplate responses, and I see the same assertion over and over and over...and that is this. "I am concerned with protecting intellectual property rights, and protecting the copyright rights of creative people...yada yada yada" and they usually want to stick in the word "balance" here and there, to imply they consider and listen to both sides of the issue. BULL!

That response says "I'm on the side of big corporations...to heck with you!"

So, I propose we use new terms which spell out both where WE are coming from, and alternatively, where people who support the RIAA, are coming from"

WE ARE PRO-CONSUMER,PRO-FREEDOM, PRO-VOTER, AND THE THE RIAA ARE ANTI-CONSUMER
It's very simple folks. We are the pro-consumer side. We are the pro-voter side.
We are the pro-freedom side. The BSA, RIAA, and MPAA are ANTI-VOTER, ANTI-CONSUMER,
ANTI-FREEDOM.

I assert we state this cleanly, openly, and simply. Is it possible that anyone in the RIAA actually votes? Yes, but they are not the majority. WE ARE.

So, it is my humble assertion that we should respond to those non-commital BS replies about respecting IP rights and copyright rights and all the other rhethoric and garbage with a simple question.

"SIR (OR MADAM), Why have you taken an anti-voter, anti-consumer, anti-freedom stand on this issue?"

One sentence, simple, clean and to the point. It lets them know that there is a growing idea that by taking this stand, we the people, we the voters, we the consumers, will now view them as anti-voter, anti-freedom, anti-consumer.

The RIAA is anti-consumer, anti-freedom, anti-voter, anti-Democratic (not in partisan sense, but in democracy sense).

The RIAA represent foreign intestests, corporate greed. In an era stressing patriotism, I think we should expose the RIAA members, the big 5, for the outsourcing, foreign pigopolies that they are!

It's time we quit mincing words.

It's time we quit beating about the bush (no pun intended).

It's time we said it LOUD and told it LIKE IT IS...

The other side are LIARS, the other side HATES FREEDOM, the other side are FOREIGN CORPORATIONS , FOREIGN LEECHES...., the other side HATES CONSUMERS and CONSUMER RIGHTS...

We cannot be quiet, mince words, or be afraid of telling the truth.

Speak truth to power, spread the word, confront the issues, confront the lies, and confront the media lies!