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"Over the internet, from people in countries with sane copyright law, same as a lot of /.ers do now."

Right. And when the US uses the heavyhanded threats of (for example) trade sanctions (as, I believe, it already has in the past) to force those countries into line that aren't already lined up behind it champing at the bit, what then?

That attitude is just another example of "First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist..."

To quote "the dammed fools - I told them". This is the logical conclusion of a corporatist state, like yours, where the rights of an individual count for nothing compared to the rights and privileges of corporations. You are now, officially, corporate slaves.

This has nothing to do with Republican vs. Democrat, the rather pathetic shadow boxing which your owners use to confuse you and distract you from what's reallly going on. And as for liberal vs. conservative - I give up, by the standards of real politics you're all hard right conservatives.

The deepest issue is in whose interests is the state run? It's not run in the interests of the people anymore, and hasn't been for at least fifty years. The last president who wasn't a corporate shill was Jimmy Carter, and before him probably Eisenhower.

So. What's to be done? You can, and probably will, lie down under this, so, before you roll over on your couch read, mark, learn and inwardly digest Martin Niemöller's lines about moral failure in the face of the Holocaust:-

'First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then they came for the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.'

You've already locked up your communists, destroyed your social democrats, and gutted your trade unions. So, I'd say that you're stuffed anyway.

This is a pity, you're a great country, with a lot of really amazing people. But only you can fix it now.

I definitely agree with your comparison with the German public in the 1930's. Unfortunately, it seems, most "average" people are content to believe the FUD and too lazy to do their own research. I don't know how many times I've been in a discussion with somebody who just spouts out (30 sec. sound bite) propaganda, and cannot clarify, justify, or even provide real support for what they are saying.

In another 30's Germany comparison, take a look at Pastor Niemöller's story. I think that just about sums it up.

The thing that I wish would happen here (in the US), is that people would get off of their lazy a**es and do some research for themselves. Only then can they make intelligent, well informed decisions.

You remind me of a famous quote.

'First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.'

First They Came For The Terrorists.../a

Everbody loves to quote Martin Niemöller's lines about moral failure in the face of the Holocaust: ' First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.'

But interestingly, people use the quotation to imply different meanings - even altering it to suit their purpose. When Time magazine used the quotation, they moved the Jews to the first place and dropped both the communists and the social democrats. American Vice-President Al Gore likes the to quote the lines, but drops the trade unionists for good measure. Gore and Time also added Roman Catholics, who weren't on Niemöller's list at all. In the heavily Catholic city of Boston, Catholics were added to the quotation inscribed on its Holocaust memorial. The US Holocaust Museum drops the Communists but not the Social Democrats; other versions have added homosexuals.

Curious, but has anyone here, who is whining about how bad this is, been affected by the current implementation of the act?

Are Americans ignorant of history now, as well as geography?

I would apologise for being inflamatory but I don't feel that it's unjustified. Your statement ranks right up there with "if you have nothing to hide"

>cat niemoeller_speech

First they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
- Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the communists
And I did not speak out
- Because I was not a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
- Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for me
- And there was no-one left
To speak out for me.

>echo "We need a Regime Change in USA! People of USA, revolt against your tyrannical government!"

it normally starts

I know, it's lame to reply to my own post - I should have done my research before posting. Here's a reference to the original and historically correct words of Pastor Niemöller, who did indeed do four years in solitary when they came for him in 1937.

I see Google have been able to use a first amendment precedent in their defence - I never stop being amazed what 45 well-judged little words can do...

First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.