[free-sklyarov] Re: The American Association of Publishers issues a press release (Derek Balling)

[Derek Balling]

At 7:34 PM -0500 7/22/01, Tony Hursh wrote:
>At 05:14 PM 7/22/01 -0700, Derek Balling <dredd at megacity.org> wrote:
>
>>At 4:22 PM -0700 7/22/01, Seth David Schoen wrote:
>>>I wrote to Dr. Barbara Simons, who has been ACM President and a
>>>long-time DMCA opponent, to let her know and ask her to spread the
>>>word.
>>>
>>>It is _abundantly_ clear that the ACM oppose the DMCA, and has been
>>>working hard against it.
>>>
>>>http://www.acm.org/usacm/copyright/
>>>
>>
>>I agree that they appear to be against it, but so long as they remain
>>a member of an organization that lauds it, they are hypocrites
>>unworthy of my dues money. :)
>
>Maybe we should tone down the rhetoric here just a tad? This AAP
>press release came out just a couple of days ago, and I seriously
>doubt if the AAP bothered to run it by their members (including
>ACM) before releasing it.

Undoubtedly they didn't.

>It is inconceivable to me that the ACM
>would have approved this.

Also, agreed that it is inconceivable.

>  Before we start bandying about words
>like "hypocrites" it seems to me that we should let the ACM issue
>an official response. I have every confidence that the ACM will
>repudiate the AAP's stance.

"press releases" are not enough. If I continued to pay my dues to the 
KKK while condemning racism, you'd call me a hypocrite, and 
rightfully so. If the ACM continues to be a member of an organization 
whose position is so orthogonal to its goals, then its members have 
the right to call it a "hypocrite" until it resigns its membership.

>Let's not forget that one letter to Congress from an organization
>like the ACM probably carries more clout than a dozen
>demonstrations.

You think Congress reads their mail? Only if there is currency or 
negotiable-bearer instruments enclosed within.

D

-- 
+---------------------+-----------------------------------------+
| dredd at megacity.org  | "Conan! What is best in life?"          |
|  Derek J. Balling   | "To crush your enemies, see them        |
|                     |    driven before you, and to hear the   |
|                     |    lamentation of their women!"         |
+---------------------+-----------------------------------------+