Re: [dvd-discuss] Re: Sen. Hollings plans tointroduceDMCAsequel : The SSSCA

[Tom <tom(at)lemuria.org>]

On Thu, Sep 13, 2001 at 09:37:05AM -0400, Dean Sanchez wrote:
> I had intended to sit out this discussion, but after reading tenor the
> last few posts, I felt that there had to be some rebuttals made. From
> your past posts, it appears as if you are a German citizen.  While I am
> one the first to rale at the faults of my government and its policies,
> for you to assume the pretext of the moral high ground is ludicrous.

I was born long after WW2. I find it pretty ridiculous that something
my GRANDfathers did is used as an argument against ME. as a matter of 
fact, one of them died fighting AGAINST the nazis. I don't call you a
slaver or make you responsible for the genocide on the native americans, 
do I?


> educated in US institutions with their tuition and expenses paid for by
> the American people.  It does nothing to foster goodwill - we are still
> hated and feared.  

you may not be aware of that, but many of your "goodwill" projects are
perceived very differently in the target countries. many of the
"developmental aid" is destroying the local economy, weak and primitive
as it may be. taking away someone's living, even if you replace it with
something that gives an overal benefit to all his neighbours, does not
tend to make him your friend.
one quite famous economist (I forgot his name, but he's american, in
case that makes a difference to anyone) wrote that financial aid was one
of the causes of the russian currency breakdown.
not to mention that education is a very difficult thing if you're
talking about different cultures. to YOU it may look like a well-meant
effort to give basic education, but to your target audience, it may
easily appear to be a very serious threat to their culture.


> Israelis and Arab nations have be killing each other over real and
> imagined offenses for thousands of years and I don't want the US
> involved in it.  The same goes for Pakistan and India.

I absolutely agree. moreover, my argument is that if you had stayed out
of that conflict, something like tuesday might not have happened.

I'm well aware that this argument is not exactly politically correct,
very much like saying that short skirts and stockings mean it was a
women's own fault if she gets raped. (and no, I'm not saying that)

but nevertheless the fact remains that your country has managed to make
itself a LOT of enemies. it would be extremely shortsighted to put all
the blame on them.


> As you have made clear in your other posts, the American citizens are
> responsible for the actions of their government.  I agree, but this is a
> two-sided coin.  The people of a terrorist state are responsible for the
> actions of their government.

if they live in a working democracy. most of them don't. neither do any
of us, which is exactly why I *do* consider the victims innocent.


and I absolutely do not support the argument that preventive killing is
a good means of self-defense. bombing a country into the stone age may
appear to be your only salvation. however, it'll also kill thousands of
innocent people. 
you can't seriously at the same time be shocked by tuesdays mass murder 
and request that the very same be done to someone else.




I'd like to close this topic. I've said all I have to say.