[p2p-research] ASCAP Declares War on Free Culture

[Samuel Rose]

On Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 4:31 AM, Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com> wrote:
> when the enemy is taking you seriously, you know you're doing something
> right ...
>
> thanks for the update!!
>
> On Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 3:23 PM, Lazaro Vigoa <q93149 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hello P2P!
>>
>> The free culture movement is abuzz today over news that ASCAP has
>> requested their members to fight organizations like Creative Commons, Public
>> Knowledge
>>
>> ASCAP declares war on free culture . So the folk at ASCAP (the US society
>> of composer, authors and publishers) are currently soliciting funds to
>> combat those naughty people at Creative Commons, the Electronic Freedom
>> Foundation and other supporters of the free culture movement. ..


Amazing. What is there for ASCAP to "fight" in regards to Creative Commons?


Here's a quote from the alleged letter:

“At this moment,” the letter says, “we are facing our biggest
challenge ever. Many forces including Creative Commons, Public
Knowledge, Electronic Frontier Foundation and technology companies
with deep pockets are mobilizing to promote “Copyleft” in order to
undermine our “Copyright.” They say they are advocates of consumer
rights, but the truth in these groups simply do not want to pay for
the use of our music. Their mission is to spread the word that our
music should be free.”


WHAT?!?!?!?!?!


Whoever wrote this letter and sent it out to ASCAP members IS
COMPLETELY CLUELESS ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE F*&^%$# TALKING ABOUT.
Creative Commons, Public Knowledge, and EFF are promoting "copyleft"
as an alternative for people to voluntarily choose. "Copyleft"
absolutely *does not undermine copyright*. ASCAP, YOU ARE WASTING
LIKELY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR NOTHING. There are probably
some starving children, or dying people somewhere who might benefit
from this money that you've basically pissed into the wind on
absolutely nothing.

Let me help you with this, ASCAP:


If *I* write some text, create and record music or a movie, etc  IT IS
MY RIGHT TO RELEASE IT UNDER ****ANY CONDITION I CHOOSE****  Read that
carefully, ASCAP people. I may *voluntarily* place ANY conditions
(within the bounds of the law) on my creations. "Copyleft" are
conditions placed on content by THE CREATOR OF THE CONTENT. The
creator is the PERSON WITH THE RIGHTS.  The creator CHOOSES, NOT
ASCAP.

So, let's pretend that every content creator in the whole wide world
decided to copyleft their work, except one lone guy who still decided
to copyright his work, all rights reserved, etc. Does this mean that
the copyrighting guy's work is in danger? Emphatic NO. Under our
existing laws, the guy who chose copyright is STILL PROTECTED UNDER
CURRENT LAWS.

So, basically, ASCAP, you want your members to pay to help you take
away my RIGHT to choose how I release software, content, etc?  ASCAP,
do you realize this is what you are proposing?

Laughable,


-- 
-- 
Sam Rose
Future Forward Institute and Forward Foundation
Tel:+1(517) 639-1552
Cel: +1-(517)-974-6451
skype: samuelrose
email: samuel.rose at gmail.com
http://forwardfound.org
http://socialsynergyweb.org/culturing
http://flowsbook.panarchy.com/
http://socialmediaclassroom.com
http://localfoodsystems.org
http://notanemployee.net
http://communitywiki.org
http://p2pfoundation.net

"The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human
ambition." - Carl Sagan