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Senator Wyden Asks DHS To Explain Domain Seizures
An anonymous reader writes "With Homeland Security continuing to seize domain names without warning and without giving site operators a chance to respond to charges, it appears that at least some people in the US government are quite concerned about this turn of events. Techdirt has a copy of the full letter Senator Wyden has sent to both Attorney General Eric Holder and ICE director John Morton, asking a series of pointed questions concerning the domain seizures and how they impact due process, free speech and sovereign rule in foreign countries."
He has my vote..
concerning the domain seizures and how they impact due process
Basically ICE assumes that since we are now dealing with the 'cyber' prefix, none of the old laws apply that don't specifically call out domain names. So your due process is largely non-existent and we just sorta make it up as we go along. I mean, a lot of the stuff gets reversed. You're actually guilty until proven innocent in our books! If you don't agree with that, it logically follows that you're a terrorist. That's your first warning.
free speech
Ah, yes, 'free speech.' Well, basically our domain seizing takes free speech, bends it over an arcade machine and violently rapes it in front of everyone. It's sort of funny because you'd think you wouldn't be able to rape anyone in public but, well, so far everyone's just been standing around and watching us so ... And I mean we're DHS so what're they gonna do anyway, right? Side note, this is your second warning for asking terrorist questions, Senator.
sovereign rule in foreign countries
Foreign countries? No no no, there are two countries in the world: United States and everybody else. Everybody else gets rules only after our rules are established. And that's strike three, mister.
That's an awful nice schedule you got there, Senator, be a shame if someone were to put you on the No Fly list! wyden.senate.gov will now redirect to DHS and ICE seals until the good Senator can prove he did not import unlicensed pandas in 1978. Terrorists like Wyden make me sick.
My work here is dung.
... the terrorists have already won? That seems the logic behind the DHS seizing domains at the RIAA's request.
I'm pretty sure even if there were never 9-11 hijackers or a DHS, the RIAA and MPAA would have found some other government agency to overstep its bounds and pull this kind of crap. Hooray for the good senator in trying to shed light on it.
The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
Weird Al described exactly how dangerous illegal downloading was:
Once in a while maybe you will feel the urge
To break international copyright law
By downloading MP3s from file-sharing sites
Like Morpheus or Grokster or Limewire or KaZaA
But deep in your heart you know the guilt would drive you mad
And the shame would leave a permanent scar
'Cause you start out stealing songs and then you're robbing liquor stores
And sellin' crack and runnin' over school kids with your car
So really all this stuff is protecting the children and stopping drug crimes. Now, who could possibly be against that? Won't somebody please think of the children!
I am officially gone from
I wrote Senator Wyden even though he is not mine--- I live in orange county north, i.e. Idaho. Here is what I said:
I believe that your recent letter to John Morton and Eric Holder represents a "still small voice" of resistance in a dangerous slide to corporatism. When former President Eisenhower warned against the military-industrial complex no one listened--- and perhaps rightfully so since the attack on our rights comes not from Northrup and Boeing, but from Hollywood and Walt Disney. It is still an attack designed to eliminate precious rights that all citizens need preserved even if they don't clearly under stand them. I salute your efforts and would like to know how I might help in your efforts.
I don't particularly expect a response and have no idea of what I could do, other than to voice my support. Still as the events of the last month or so have shown, great change comes from critical mass and critical mass is acquired incrementally...
In an affidavit written by Special Agent Andrew Reynolds, he uses his ability to download four specific songs on the domain name dajaz1.com as justification for seizure of this domain name. According to press accounts, the songs in question were legally provided to the operator of the domain name for the purpose of distribution.
So it doesn't even matter if the distribution is legal or not anymore.
The best part is from TFA. From Wyden's Letter:
In an affidavit written by Special Agent Andrew Reynolds, he uses his ability to download four specific songs on the domain name dajaz1.com as justification for seizure of this domain name. According to press accounts, the songs in question were legally provided to the operator of the domain name for the purpose of distribution.
So it doesn't even matter if the distribution is legal or not anymore.
Of course not. Legally shared songs are an even bigger threat to the RIAA than pirated ones.
I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
I hate to point this out, But isn't "homeland security" going down the same path those guys in brown shirts tried some 80 years ago?
Even their names, "homeland security" and ICE sound Orwellian.
People from Oregon may be kooky ( I was born and lived there for 30 years ) but they believe in freedom, The real kind, not the plastic,
corporate centric mommy state the feds have crapped out since 911.
----
Every morning is a Smirnoff morning., but I'm having beer for breakfast.
Wyden and Merkley (Senators from Oregon) both deserve praise for their efforts to put the people back in control of our government and preserve our rights. Merkley (the freshman senator) particularly has shown a strength of character that is unexpected for a first-timer.
Let's hope they stand as an example to the bought-and-paid-for corporatist weasels that currently hold the seats from many other states.
Following links from TFA, we find this fascinating quote: "Law enforcement officials picked this week to shut down the sites for a reason. The Superbowl, the most-watched sporting event of the year, is this Sunday. ICE wants to make sure football fans who planned on going online to watch the big game turn to legitamate broadcasters instead."
Who needs due process? Just follow the money...
Enjoy life! This is not a dress rehearsal.