Slashdot Mirror
Europeans, Tweak Your Representatives On Patents
zoobab writes "The FFII is launching a call for
action to push European candidates to answer questions on Software
Patents. Alan Cox has also written a open letter in
which he points out that those European elections are an opportunity for
each citizen to have the choice and to make the politicians listen. Get the
questionnaire and send it to the candidates
of your country!"
If they want as many valid candidates to fill out the questionnairs as possible, then they should direct it at the people, with sensible people language.
Just a reminder to people that you can't believe a word that a politician says.
Actions speak louder than words and you can find out here how they voted:
http://www.ffii.org.uk/uk_meps.html
It would be nice to see something similar for the other countries.
Government of the people, by corporate executives, for corporate profits.
The only way to influence politicians is to get column inches and air time. The only sure way to do that is to do something dramatic (a la fuel protests, anti-war protests, anything that mildly annoys the French, etc.)
So, here's the Slashdot challenge: Come up with and implement a scheme to draw the media's attention to this issue. The winner is the first to make it to the BBC evening news...
BOF (Bits Of Freedom) has an document online [dutch] where they examined what our politicians voted on several "computer/internet related" laws, including software patents. (English version of BOF is here, but I couldn't find an english version of this document)
You're old school? I beta tested the motherf***ing abacus!
Here's what some of the Swedish candidates had to say about software patents http://mnemo.nu/publicerat/2004/may/candidates.php .
FFII Sweden also put together information brochure, which is perfect to print out and leave in strategic places around the office (coffee tables, lunch room etc.)
Electronic Frontier Finland ry has already send a questionnaire about software patents, spam, copyright etc. to the Finnish candidates. They have set up a page where you can compare your oppinions with those of the ones who answered.
The only way to guarantee failure here is not to try in the first place, yet that is exactly what your brand of pessimism encourages.
If we win this it will be no thanks to people like you.
I've written my national and regional MP of the department of Work and Economy, and she promissed me to make sure belgium would not vote yes to the proposal of the current Irish presidency. Belgium (my country) subsequently abstained from the vote, along with a few others. Germany, which was expected to at least abstain, and that had said it would vote no, in the end voted yes, which makes blocking the proposal a whole lot more difficult (but not impossible). I won't pretend my writing made the difference, but I would say that yes, it does pay off to make some noise.
The big problem here is that lawyers and rulemakers can be bought, and that the FFII does not represent the kapitalist industry that can apparently leverage any vote it wants, 'xcept for a few small stubborn but harmless ones.
So, open your eyes, ladies and gentlemen, because King Kapitalism, in this case, is ~BAD~. I'm not a commie nor a leftie, but I just wanted to say this loud and clear, so that some people at least for once get the message. And no, I'm not an Anti-globalist, but I very much *AM* a Different-globalist, who wants to bring the power back to the ones who need it (us, the people, in case you were wondering)
Write your MP today, and get your friends to write as well. It's not so difficult to write a well founded email, and at least they will be aware that some groups in society WILL have a problem and at least HAVE warned the EU of the consequences. It will make their case less convincing, and they will never be able to say "uh, we didn't know". Write today. Peace out.
With great power comes great electricity bills.
You have to challenge them to think about this, if they reply to you with the party line, phone them up, explain that you are familiar with the party position but that it is wrong - and politely ask for the opportunity to explain why.
I contacted my MEP, Avril Doyle (Ireland), and while she was previously unfamiliar with the issue, she actually became a strong opponent of software patents based on my and other's conversations with her.
Don't give up - if your political representatives don't listen, make them listen.
It won't. It will just move things around. Software automation didn't wipe out millions of jobs. It created new ones.
Free software will just end up with another bunch of jobs (it may actually create more jobs due to some decentralisation), but maybe consumers will get more bang for their buck.
If people don't spend money on software, they'll spend it on something else. Maybe some guy will go and buy some more beers because he doesn't have to pay for some software. Who knows.
It's all consumer led. If people perceive some piece of free software as cheaper or better, they will switch. All lobbyists can do is to delay what is natural and inevitable.
They may have more money, and more time, but on June 13th, it's us who'll be calling the shots. So don't give up too quickly!
Well I would be glad to help them out of their spot, free gratis (own a successful web design company), if they would respond to any of the efforts I have made to contact them!
I noticed that there was no Irish branch of the FFII on the last slashdot story about this issue (maybe thats changed since, I don't know), so I also tried to reach them regarding setting up a local branch over here.
No response whatsoever. I couldn't even get through on the phone lines! I don't know what sort of an operation they are running, but so far I have to say I am less than impressed. If they think they can divert the beaurocratic juggernaut that is the EU with anything less than cohesive organisation and directed efforts, they are sadly mistaken.
Beh, like most things, I'll just have to go ahead and do it myself...
What he can't kill, he has sex on. Trent.