Online p2p file sharing will be a felony throughout the Western Hemisphere in 2005 unless the second proposed clause to Article 4.1 from the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Treaty is deleted, says an IP Justice white paper released today.

Called FTAA: A Threat to Freedom and Free Trade and published by the international civil liberties group IP Justice, it analyzes key sections of the FTAA Treaty which will govern the lives of 800 million Americans in the Western Hemisphere in 2005.

Similar to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the FTAA Treaty seeks to bind the 34 democracies in the Western Hemisphere (including the US) to a single trade agreement. It'll require all countries to change their domestic laws on a wide range of topics, including intellectual property rights.

"The draft intellectual property rights chapter in the FTAA Agreement vastly expands criminal procedures and penalties against intellectual property infringements throughout the Americas." states the report. "One clause would require countries to send non-commercial infringers such as Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharers to prison. It is estimated that 60 million Americans use file-sharing software in the US alone.

The proposed agreement forbids consumers from bypassing technical restrictions on their own CDs, DVDs and other property, similar to the odious US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

"Even though bills are pending in the US Congress to repeal the DMCA, FTAA proposes to outlaw even more speech and legitimate conduct," states IP Justice going on:

"Mislabeled as a 'free trade' agreement, the FTAA Agreement would actually make it illegal to bypass trade barriers such as DVD region code restrictions and it would enable price discrimination against consumers in the Americas.

"The draft treaty also imposes new definitions for 'fair use' and 'personal use,' curtailing traditional fair use and personal use rights to a single copy and only under limited circumstances. This prevents consumers from backing-up their media collections, using their media in new and innovative ways, and accessing media for educational and non-commercial purposes."

Another clause would require all countries to amend their copyright laws to extend copyright's term to at least 70 years after the life of the author, essentially forcing the new US standard on all other 33 countries in the hemisphere, says IP JUstice. Although forbidden by the US Constitution, FTAA's copyright section would allow companies to copyright facts and scientific data.

And yet another provision calls for all domain name trademark disputes to be decided by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a private and unaccountable organization that's in now way equipped to determine the limits of freedom of expression rights or the scope of intellectual property rights. Americans would no longer have access to their local public courts to adjudicate rights over their Internet domain names.

"The FTAA Treaty's IP chapter reads like a 'wish list' for RIAA, MPAA, and Microsoft lobbyists," says IP Justice executive director Robin Gross. "Rather than promote competition and creativity, it is bloated with provisions that create monopolies over information and media devices," stated the intellectual property attorney.

IP Justice has also published an online petition calling on FTAA Trade Ministers to delete the entire chapter on intellectual property rights from the trade agreement.

FTAA Treaty negotiators, including the Office of the US Trade Representative who negotiates on behalf of US government, will meet in Miami from November 16-21, 2003. Debate over the text of the FTAA Treaty will conclude by January 2005 and the treaty is due to take effect by December 2005.

IP Justice White Paper on FTAA IP Chapter
IP Justice FTAA Educational Campaign
IP Justice's Top 10 Reasons to Delete FTAA's IP Chapter
IP Justice Petition to Delete FTAA's IP Chapter
Official FTAA Website
Draft chapter on intellectual property rights in FTAA Agreement

Gee, what would they think of next ?

owch, yuck. At this moment I'm grimacing. Let's nip this thing in the bud!

Have a super day!

Paul

I will not support anyone who approves of such a treaty.

Gee I wonder who had a hand in writing this.

Totally unacceptable.

me either hid....i have a question for anyone out there, what is the blackcat mp3 blocker site, i seem to have lost it on my computer somewhere? thanks for any info

-mlhed

Better hold on to all your old PC stuff. It will be the only stuff to work the way you want it to.

No treaty can trump the U.S. Constitution - and a solid argument can be made for First Amendment protection of 'fair use' exercises such as sampling and parody.

this could be the economic revival we need. see if you have to jail even 10% of consumers for P2P use, that's 6 million people. we'd have to build new prisons for them which means money for contractors, they'd be put to work. then Prison guards, cooks administrators would be hired.

Also since most of the inmates would be hard working family people there would be a huge glut in the job maket (since they would be in jail) which means unemployment would drop considerably not to mention more jobs and money going into day care centers (there'll be more one parent households).

corporate earnings would increase since people would be too afraid to download they'd actually have to buy music. Then all the supporting industries like hotel and resort chains would see an increase from all the corporate fat cats living it up. the airline industry would come out of it's slump. Not to mention many other benifits. my goodness this is a master stroke.....

"Thoughts from Carey Sue Sherman and the Hollywood crowd"

Unacceptable is putting it mildly. This it totally insane! They're gonna keep pushing stuff like this unless something "drastic" happens, something in the vicinity of 173 grains @ 3200 fps.

So who controls what the US Trade Representative is and isn't allowed to agree to?

Isn't there some kind of public referendum ability on a law that will put 30 million children in jail (based on yesterday's Orrin Hatch comments stating that half of P2P users are minors)? Because Brazil buys into it?

The executive branch can negotiate and sign the treaties but it still has to be ratified by congress. If there's enough pressure put on congress that may not happen. awareness is the key

Three fat men run through the door and slam down into their big wooden benches, excited about the meal in front of them.

"Belly up boys! There's a lot to eat and this'n here's the Clean Plate Club. Now don't go a-worrying about leftovers, we's a-got plenty of more vittles where these came from!"

Lickin' their lips, they harpooned the long endless line of small folk in front of them, dippin' 'em in gravy and shucking them down like beer boiled shrimp at Mardi Gras.

And they grew fatter and fatter, and they took more and more...

With laws like this, you may as well just outlaw the internet. By 2005, it will probably become rather difficult to define exactly what 'P2P' really is, as it is most certain that by that time many apps which we now call P2P will have metamorphosed to some degree.

Seems Jack and Carey Sue has had their hands in this.

it is only a matter of time before this type of legislation creates a "black market" internet. It would be a slow process, but think: An internet free of corporations and government regulation. Wow that sounds like utopia an internet created by and for not-for-profit organizations wanted to share ideas, thoughts, and other forms of communication. Oh wait! thats what the internet was 15-18 years ago. It's like a burned out inner city.

Good point bufo, the definitions keep getting fuzzyer and fuzzyer, eventually everything will be outlawed.

"FTAA's copyright section would allow companies to copyright facts and scientific data." This is sick. There is no denying the regressive nature of doing such a thing. How can someone own a fact or scientific data? Thats obsured. Its like walking around the planet and saying oh I own that and that and that. Why? Because I saw it first... It's bad enough we have to do that with territory.... Who will own the pattent to the speed of light constant? I hope its me I'de like to change it.

Compmore I see your main point, that no one will benefit except big business. I hate to be a flamer but I must disagree on some points.
"money going into day care centers (there'll be more one parent households). "
"they'd actually have to buy music."
Where will people get money to pay for day care and entertainment? Many famillies would, like you say be down to one income. Taxes would go up for everyone. We all know the MPAA and RIAA will not step foreward and offer to subsidize any of the expenses we would incure buy imprisoning all those people. The fines would be more money out of the public's hands, and that money would go back to the RIAA and MPAA because in actuallity even though it would be a felony it would actually be a tort and the RIAA and MPAA would be the ones to recover not the government. As far as un-employment goes. Yes people would be highly motivated to work, and many jobs would be available. But would corporations be able to sustain themselves with such a drastically diminished employee market? Probably not. Think about it. If there is 10 jobs available to every person who is going to fill the remainer 9 positions? How would a firm sustain itself if it had 9 out of 10 of it's tasks not being done because of a lack of people to complete the tasks. The only ones that would sustain would be the established monopolies. This would further stiffle competition. Now how are people supposed to work when they can't even afford to eat let alone buy nice business clothes to work in. This would be all around bad for the economy in every sector. It would be national suicide to sign such a treaty.

Purfus. You're right and I absolutly agree. I was attempting to create a satire out of the minds of the hollywood elite, not necessarily reality. guess I didn't get that across very well. explains why I don't make movies.

"Online p2p file sharing will be a felony throughout the Western Hemisphere..."

This is not necessarily significant, as we all know Bill Clinton committed a felony in draft dodging, admitted to it, and then became president.

As an equal citizen in this nation under God, I do not expect to be held to different standards.

Back to reality - What can you say about stuff like this, other than when our file-sharing generation begins entering office, we're going to flip this garbage upside down?

Babyboomers are retiring soon. Eventually they'll all be dead. Along with stupid hippies.

I have grown up on computers and do not know anybody anywhere close to my age that would ever enter office and elect to crush things like P2P.

Gen Y even moreso. These damn kids have everyone in their high school on their instant messenger list. Listen to me.. "these damn kids.." What's happening to me?

I'll be damned if I'm going to let some old farts from another era dictate what I do in a society that thrives on rapidly growing technology and communication. Especially when the old farts are trying to limit the technology for their benefit and detriment of the citizens.

I have a feeling that the further we push this, the more things will begin to fall into place (assuming it goes somewhat as planned). You can't very well have copyright reform, and then start jailing P2P users. So.. keep on pushin'.

{Does escape from NY mean anything to anyone}, this has to be one of the most repressive means to controling society and or the world.

Spot on TheSherminator!

I'd like to see them start to see them throwing people whose only crime was to be creative into jail - bloody absurd.

(damn went and f**ked that sentence up)

If this law is passed, I will be the first of many who break it.

I got dibbs on second. Yarrr!

hippies got you out of the war back in the sixties, bush is pushing all the children back in. war is hell for children and other living things. and this trade is another end around the Constitution to vote to vote as PR said dump the tea wake up america 1930's all over again will we let it happen again here we go around the mulberry bush to vote to vote count it again count it again to court to vote nah it was counted once

Sherminator - not all of us old farts are anti technology. One day you'll become one of those old farts who's kids don't think you'll understand. We need to bridge that gap because this involves all of us, young and old.

BTW I have a conversation with a young 25 year old lady who toted the RIAA's line all the way.

Compmore, satire or not, there is truth to what you are saying. Corporation used to have to serve the public to justify their existence until they won a now famous court case in 1886 to be treated as persons. However, this is a shame, the judges that presided over the case that gave the rights of persons to corporations did not rule at all (they do not teach you this civics class). A clerk wrote into the title of the case in fine print that corporations have the rights of persons. You can ask any lawyer that the “title” is only the description of the case and has no legal precedence, but we have allowed corporation to run roughshod over our lives every since because of what a court clerk wrote in fine print.

If we really want to stop this sick power that corporations (RIAA) have over laws and in tern our government, we need to have corporate personhood revoked. It is almost beyond belief that corporations should have the rights of and individual American, not to mention all the other laws that benefit corporation that I do not have access to. This whole situation sets up corporation like demigods and from their current action it would appear they believe they are demigods.

Corporations have more rights than you and I. We need to fix this now.

I am 33, is that old?

Sheminator, we learn by example and by what we see and hear. Who controls what we see and hear? Answer: the media monstrosities like the RIAA and MPAA. Do not be so sure that the next generation will not toe the bizarrely tyrannical line.

im 35, and I agree with the sherminator.
so do my retired parents.
the free love crowd got us into this mess, and now they are counting beans in malibu.
However, once again let me state that there are many political views represented here. we are here to set some wrongs right, together.
when this become the bash bush page?

~time flies~

compmore, I like the satire and now that i look at it as more than sarcasm it makes more sense, although I really didn't want to let anyone miss the next level of the affects the agreement would have on jobs. shermanator, I take offense to your hippy remark. You would probably be in the military if not for all those damn hippies. We would all be progressed far beyond the corporate control we have now if so many americans didn't stand up for their rights. Rebelling is essential to keep a government in line and if hippies like my parents didn't rebel back then we would be much worse off. This generation that is worried about freedom of speach and all the other facits of this corporate control. we are hippies with computers and healthier habbits.

The baby boomer generation was really nothing more than an indication of business trends. The focus went from making money legally to finding way to commit atrosities legally and make more money because of it. Hence the enhanced corruption. This corruption is what you probably hate. I know I do. But it wasn't the fault of hippies. It wasn't the fault of an entire generation. It is the fault of human nature and its apparent ability to overcome the protections our nation has worked so hard to put in place. We need to curb this curroption its going to kill us all.

zeitgheist, I agree with regard to the bashing. We should try to keep this civil. The focus should be on the insane corporate power and those politicians that are complicit in the creation of wacko laws that protect corporate interests at the expense of your average citizen. Whether they are Democrats or Republicans does not matter to me; vote them out.

This article is of great significance. The FTAA is nothing more than legitimizing a global power grab under the morality of law. Just remember that not all laws are correct or good. Segregation was written into law, but was later found to be unjust and revoked.

"the free love crowd got us into this mess, and now they are counting beans in malibu."

counting beans in malibu? Are you crazy. I don't know many people from the hippy movements that are rich, or even middle income for that matter.
The only thing the hippies won and a fraction of their children that were sent to a suicide of a war. As far as baby boomers go. Making money is making money. It's something business people do. Some make more because they sacrifice their ethics. The "hippies" didn't take over the government and change things for their own needs. Hippies are still on bottem and always will be. Along with the rest of the good in this society. You should all be thankful someone stood up for the rights of this country. Our government certainly wasn't. And if you think we would have been better off not protesting and allowing our government to do what it deems right, than why do you disagree with copyright reform? Anyway, like I said hippies smoking pot on the grass did not change this society very much at all. The rich people that had coke partties back in the 20's and 30's started that shit, actually it drugs go back much further than that. The real hippies saved a lot of good solders lives from having some foreigner gut em for invading their land.

Pointing fingures at any demographic and saying they are what caused corruption is obsured. The problems we face are caused by a lot of diverse people out for themselves with no thought for others. I seriously doubt hippies make up much of those evil individuals. If nothing else the arguement that they are too stoned to do anything could be made. I prefer the reason that well their all still broke and fallowing concerts. They are not deciding laws thats for sure.

This is sick beyond redemption. That whole document is so out of touch with reality it boggles the mind.

Every prison in the U.S. is overcrowded already. Violent felons are being paroled back into society every day because of this. In one fell swoop, they want to throw millions more in prison for violating CORPORATE INTERESTS. This has nothing to do with any reasonable law.

I guess we need to shove all the Murderers, Rapist and Pedophiles back on the streets to make room for all these terroristic file sharers.

I need to go polish my Mini-14 and count my ammo.

If I ever go to jail, I want to go for life, so I just stay there and dont have to deal with the outside.

Which means: If this law is passed and there exists a chance of me getting busted, then I am taking a shotgun and killing RIAA people, as many of them as I can.

It is a great incentive to finally snap and go on a rampage. I hope that is what authorities really want.

Remember: life after imprisonment is worse than no life at all. So if they threaten you, just KILL THEM, KILL THEM ALL, AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND ANYONE WHO KNEW THEM CLOSELY ENOUGH TO REMEMBER.

Tis true, life after prison is pretty much life on the streets. But killing people might not be enough to keep you in there. In fact we should just stop arresting people for murder. We wont have enough room for file swappers if those rapest, murdurers, and theives are taking up all the room.

Spica

Violence will not win you any points with anyone. Punch a ballet and not another person. If you need to vent, shave your face and punch the ballet again, then color your hair and punch it again. If you are not registered to vote, surely you can use that violent energy to bike your but down to the local post office and get registered.

a bit off topic but check this out

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031020/ap_en_mo/film_critics_screeners_6

blackorchid I like your style

I am just going to argue with one thing right now, and I'll send in my complete rebuttal to IP Justice's Top 10 Reasons to Delete the IP Chapter of the FTAA Agreement if I ever get around to finishing it. I plan to show you people that this Treaty does not threaten anything. It IS actually there to help free trade. It IS actually fair to everyone. It's also in response to the RIAA being able to just get info and go after file-sharers without absolute proof of any real wrong-doing or evidence that it's hurting their business.

----------------------
IP Justice:

9. Threatens Privacy and Due Process Rights

If customs agents suspect a copyright violation, the proposed FTAA IP chapter would empower them to provide the rightsholder with the name of address of the suspected infringer. This violates the due process and privacy rights of suspected infringers by removing the discretion of a judge who has made a finding of infringement before a person's information is handed over to the entertainment industry for prosecution. Another proposed clause would send infringers to jail simply for refusing to turn over the identity of others involved in an infringement, no matter how small or insignificant of an infringement."


undeath & FTAA Agreement:

No, it doesn't threaten due process. In Article 9, it clearly states:

"Article 9: Guaranteed Hearing, Legality and Due Process]

[9.1. Each Party confirms the guarantees of hearings, legality and due process provided for in their respective legislations.]"
------------------------

I am disappointed that you would post an article that had even one wrong statement within it. I thought you'd be able to see that they were wrong. But obviously, I was wrong in assuming this. I have found nothing in the entire treaty that backs up what IP Justice is saying.

I am going to send in my rebuttal to their Top 10 Reasons if and when I finish it. I hope that you will not be biased enough to refuse to post it. I am also going to send in a copy to IP Justice as well as posting a link here for everyone to see. I hope to let people decide for themselves whether or not it's bad. I doubt most people even read the Second Draft FTAA Agreement (that's the latest one, if I'm not mistaken). They are probably just going on IP Justice's claims in this totally biased article without even knowing what the treaty says.

It's time for a party in Miami! The FTAA is having a meeting in Miami, and the anti-FTAA demonstrators are going to shut it down! Stop getting mad on web boards, and start getting mad into their faces.

http://www.ftaaimc.org/en/index.shtml

This thing is the most stupid idea I've ever heard. To criminalize most of your own populace is sheer stupidity.

Okay, so we know what they're saying, "We're only suing around 300 just now."

How many people does it take, before people realise these people are wrong? One thousand? Fifty thousand? One million?

How many people does it take?

undeath I welcome an attempt at un-bias. It is however imposible to achieve. But the closer the better. As far as the FTAA I have defently not read it considering I now reason to suspect. I don't see how offering suspects information to the MPAA or the RIAA is helpful. We have seen what they do with the information it certainly does not help to stop copyright infringement.

"Article 9: Guaranteed Hearing, Legality and Due Process]

[9.1. Each Party confirms the guarantees of hearings, legality and due process provided for in their respective legislations.]"

I do not see anywhere in their that says corporations have the right to conduct these trials. In theory the case needs to go to court. In reality the majority of the people they threaten do not have the education to object. Maybe it's because of our crappy education system or the hordes of mindless entertainment these very same corps raise our nation on. The fact is when a person recieves a notice from the RIAA it is scary for these people. Scary enough that whether or not they have actually done anything wrong they will conform. Our legal system is not supposed to operate on duress. That is what happens when corps use scare tactics to get information and out of court settlements. The facts need to be weighed before the judgement is made. If facts never make it to court how are we supposed to provide a fair judicial process? You said it yourself when you used the word suspect to describe those that would have their information taken from them. They are suspect not convicted. If my house is robbed and I suspect someone of being the perpetrator I can't go to anyone and get their personal information. If I'm lucky the police would go talk to him/her and get lucky enough to trip them up into admitting involvement. At which point it would go to trial and I would be lucky to not be sued for him/her stubbing their toe while they were in my house. Information is power and if we hand over our information to others we give up that power.

Undeath

I appreciate a post from someone who is for the FTAA. We need both sides of this. The problem is that most laws are wordy, convoluted and hard for people to understand, thus the articles interpretation.

I looked over the second draft and then looked for perspectives on both sides. I still side with those who are concerned about the lack of "fair use" wording included in the second draft. Additionally, why are we allowing private companies to preside over domain names disputes (this is still in the second draft)? ISPs can still be held accountable for the actions of customers in the second draft; does that sound fair to you? Maybe FTAA could be spiffy, but not without some serious overhauling.

To be fair, I need to read the second draft several more times, but from what I have read this needs serious work. Laws should never be taken lightly, because it is hell to get them corrected once they have been put in place. This is serious business and everyone should been given a voice in this.

In light of the errors, and dire need for revision, even if it isn't the devil incarnate, the IP chapter should be protested as it stands. Sign the petition to show it's not acceptable as written.

what petition? post a link plz.

Sorry.

http://www.petitiononline.com/noftaaip/petition.html

thx

I think it is important to place emphasis on the (ulterior) motive behind the 2005 "effect date" for what amounts to a non-violent, bloodless coup, for a few wealthy multinational corporations to be able to hog EVERYTHING for themselves and not even leave the smallest crumbs for the proverbial "unwashed masses." That year is the year AFTER the Presidential election (and election contests for key Congressional and Senate seats). It is for similar reasons that 2005 was given as the effect date for the Israeli / Palestinian "road map" calling for a Palestinian state. Some critics have called this a "road map" to Auschwitz for the Jews living in Israel and around the world. (I know, I digress.)

But given this background, to make all our voices loud and clear against this radical Imperial Copyright Junta's sinister agenda, and to engage in NON-VIOLENT PROTEST on the streets, is ALL THE MORE SO. Because by 2005, IT WILL BE TOO LATE.

they cannot do this. its impossible and many ppl would either refuse 2 pay their taxes or might not b able 2 afford them.

man would sum rich & lawsuit happy ppl just luv 2 sue those sons of bitches asses off!!!!

kinda, feels like facism. or something not democratic to me.

Has anybody here seen the movie, "Brazil?" Kinda speaks to this issue, if ya ask me.. besides, it is ALL political..

ARE YOU REGISTERED AND READY?

"counting beans in malibu? Are you crazy. I don't know many people from the hippy movements that are rich, or even middle income for that matter."

No, but babyboomers are. Hippies aren't that far behind agewise. But it's those damn hippies that keep pushing this politically correct, culture destroying crap through our culture. "Nobody should ever feel pain.. man.. whoa...."

Babyboomers are counting their beans. And there's a billion of them.

Certainly no offense to any of the good babyboomers. But as a whole, they are the worst thing to ever happen to this country.

I know I'll eventually be an old far too. I already hate kids, and all their damn music. Whippersnappers always wearing their hats sideways and their mismatched shoe colors. =)

However, I do blame the:

Hippies for helping to destroy culture and apply unrealistic ideals to society. Screw political correctness right in the ear. They are responsible for it.

Babyboomers for being the most powerful, spoiled, and stubborn SOB's to ever exist on this planet. And the great majority of them are flat out idiots. Idiots who run the RIAA. Growing up in the golden age, they got whatever they wanted. How many of them lived in families in which both parents, and all the kids had jobs?

Babyboomers get what they want, and will not take no for an answer. PS - check out divorce statistics and compare them to the age span of baby boomers for each year. When does it spike?

Culture destroying, selfish, stubborn, worthless spoiled babyboomers, and hippies with their heads in the ozone layer who are now in ... guess.. hollywood. (See: any stupid movie star making stupid comments). Maybe not 100%, just like 100% of babyboomers aren't bad.. but you get my drift. And I'm not wrong.

HAHAHAHAHA

Stubborn eh'

so what are you anyway?

Generation what....

Sherminator,

I can not say who is to blame nor do I have any idea how you are coming to your conclusions. I think we can logically agree on one thing; each generation pays for the sins of its fathers and mothers. If we do not wipe ourselves out of existence, there will be someone on a forum in the near future blaming your generation for not doing something about the insane laws that corporation are pushing through our legal system. That generation will shout, how could they have been so stupid as to let corporation go from an existence of providing products or services to controlling every aspect of our daily lives!?

As veteran, 3rd generation at that, purfus i will stop short of saying your comments offend me.
Perhaps if you read more of my posts, youll see that i try to INCLUSIVE, as I was in the post in question.
As to your views regarding the veitnam war, you are entitled to them. But blanket generalizations make you sound like the very folks we are sposed to be united against.
The radical, unrelated political bent of some of the posts I have been seeing disturb me, for one.
Sorry, if you take offense at my differing political beliefs. Perhaps you can outlaw them.

~time flies~

You know, its a shame.
Lately, if we all got together someplace,it would turn into a brawl instead of a meeting of the minds that share at LEAST one common interest.

the Veitnam War ended 30 years ago.
its relevance to this is nil. And before the whole board calls me disrespectful, my father served VOLUNTARILY, as did
I, later, as the troops serving now are doing.

Ill watch and see, but if this place is going to remain unfocused and intolerant, im sure I find a more tolerant, focused group elsewhere. One more concerned with stopping this computerjacking, than bashing each other over differing political views.

~time flies~

Well I certainly have no desire to argue about political views. As I said earlier;
"Pointing fingures at any demographic and saying they are what caused corruption is obsured. The problems we face are caused by a lot of diverse people out for themselves with no thought for others."
I would never have opened my mouth if serminator hadn't started claiming hippies were the root of all evil. Like it or not they are a part of our nation.

all i gotta say

thank god for the right to bear arms.... can we say revolution part 2?

I signed the petition. #405. Very depressing. These people are nuts. How can you legitimately copyright a fact. That alone should be enough to want this treaty stopped. It would make copyright infringers out of everybody from teachers and students to people making barroom bets.

I can just picture the whole world being controlled by a totalitarian if this passes!!!!!!!!!!! I think HELL on Earth may become a reality!!!!!!!!!! I can just see a DARK society in the near future in which we have violent protests on the streets, people firing guns, law enforcement RAIDING innocent people's homes!!!! The whole western hemisphere will have an internal bloody war with itself if we the people don't stand up to the FASCIST/DICTATOR MPAA/RIAA/Microsoft who not only want to make laws in the U.S. that best fit their FUCKEN GREEDY interests, but for the WHOLE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad I'm not "out there" anymore. I see a lot of welcome company in the thread.

to Prideful-Chr...,

What is the worst that can happen, they lock us all up together, sounds like a party. Even Paul was in jail.

I signed the petition by the way.

I hope I get spica in my cell, we will have so much to debate.

FIRST RULE OF TAKING OVER A COUNTRY:

GAIN CONTROL OF ALL FORMS OF COMMUNICATION.

FIRST RULE OF TAKING OVER A COUNTRY:

GAIN CONTROL OF ALL FORMS OF COMMUNICATION.