SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) has been stopped, for now.
We win!
Right?
While my last post was decidedly balanced in the pros and cons of this act, I did see the threat to freedom of speech and freedom to share. I did sign a petition saying I was against the bill, and I am happy that it was stopped.
So why aren’t I celebrating?
What about the billions of dollars being made by pirates on the internet? Do we just let that slide?
What wording needs to be in these documents in order for it to work for Joe Public (you know, you and I who just want to copy a link to their blog, or post a video of their kids dancing to Willow Smith) and also have it hold people accountable for the theft of property?
Wait, are they one and the same?
Right now, if you were to take this post and repost it as your own, what could I do? I mean, other than call you names on Twitter? Not that I think anyone wants to repost this blog because most of you are mad that I am even looking at the other side of the coin, probably fuming thinking that I don’t understand the implications of SOPA.
I do! I get it! I petitioned it, remember?
Yes, I am playing Devil’s Advocate, but I want to know…is there a happy medium? Can there be legislature that will satisfy both sides, or does the internet need to be either lawless or bound and gagged?
Is this less about copyright and ownership and more about exorbitant prices? Would there be less piracy if goods were offered at fair prices?
I want to hear your arguments. I want to know where you stand and what makes you so convicted in your rights.
As someone who writes, shares and connects on the internet, the idea of not being allowed to share information on the internet scares me. On the other hand, as a writer who one day hopes to publish a novel, I embrace copyright laws. Even as a blogger, having once had my work reposted without any acknowledgement, I like the idea of owning my words.
I’ve been listening to CBC Radio a lot this week, and the topic of SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) has been prominent in most of the shows, as it has been on most of the social media sites I frequent. So, I have heard both sides, and I can see good and bad in both.
I even learned about a new religion in Sweden called Kopemism (Yes, that is a Wikipedia link—cheeky eh?). The basis of Kopemism is the act of sharing files and information. After all, how would we know about the ten commandments or spiritual rituals or even family traditions if someone hadn’t shared that information with us?
When listening to the anti-SOPA interviews, I understood their concerns about being able to share files, and not having to worry about posting video of your kids dancing to songs you don’t have the copyright for. I also heard a whole lot of entitlement from people who thought they should have the right to free music, movies and literature.
I am all for free music files if they are posted and offered by the artists who made them. I am being honest with you when I say my family BUYS all their music files from iTunes. There are no less than 5 iTunes cards on my kitchen counter at this moment. We have to remember that time, effort and money go into creating music, entertainment and literature.
On the pro-SOPA side, I heard a lot of political talk that sounded like a desperate need to control something that had escaped their red tape and legislature. Then, on the up side, was the idea that there would be more control over criminal activity and identity theft. They claim that they are not looking to shut down sites like Wikipedia, but are focused more on "real criminals"—that’s what they say.
I am certain that everyone who has purchased something online has had this thought cross their mind: “I hope my credit card information is secure.”
So, tell me, do you think it’s about freedom of speech or freedom to steal?
November 14th 2009. I was 3 months pregnant, and I was visiting The Burlington Humane Society. I was there strictly to gather information for a blog post I was writing. I even brought Tom, my husband, to be sure I didn’t go home with a dog.
Perhaps it would have been better to bring someone who didn’t like dogs because we ended up with Angus. Almost 100 lbs of drooling love.
We crate-trained Angus, and then 5 months after we got him, I was on mat leave. Angus no longer had to be crated, and he enjoyed having me home. He could come in and go out as he please...and he did. Some days I felt like opening that door was a full-time job, well, along with changing diapers, feedings, and trying to nap from time to time.
Angus really became part of our family.
Once the baby came, the time for walking the dog became less and less. I would take him every so often if it fit nicely in the baby’s routine, but she would fall asleep in the stroller and nap time was a great time to clean or try to nap myself.
Tom took him in the evening sometimes, but he wasn’t getting enough exercise. He was really good about it. He never chewed anything, he wasn’t hyper (unless someone came to the door), but he wasn’t as happy as he had been.
When I returned to work, poor Angus got less and less attention.
One busy weekend, we decided to send him up to Tom’s brother’s house for the weekend. Allan is one of Angus’ favourite people, and Allan loves dogs. At his house, Angus would have another dog to play with and 50 acres of land to run and exercise.
He was gone for two days, and we missed him. When he came back, Angus seemed even less happy. He started chewing things when we were out, which led to having to put him back in his crate. Then he started trying to escape from his crate; he cut his nose.
After Christmas, Angus went for another visit up north to Tom’s brothers, and when we got this picture, we knew what we had to do.
Angus lives full-time up north where he runs around on 50 forested acres with his best bud, Ace. He sleeps in their king bed (something he wasn’t allowed to do here), and he has someone home with him most days.
We have visitation rights.
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