Letters to the Editor
Issue date: 3/12/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
Students react to Chancellor's RIAA e-mail with anger
O'KEEFE SHOULDN'T CAVE
I urge Chancellor Sean O'Keefe to follow Purdue University's response to the latest RIAA shakedown. Giving in to RIAA demands is inappropriate, wrong and will only lead to more of the same.
Today, O'Keefe broadcast his intention to cooperate with a new RIAA crackdown on file-sharing. He wrote, "Students who illegally possess or share copyrighted materials may be denied access to computing
resources, be subject to disciplinary actions and possibly face civil and/or criminal legal proceedings and sanctions."
Purdue's response to RIAA demands was that the investigation and enforcement of copyrights was not their job. They don't bother to pass notifications on to their students, much less virtually expel accused students by denying them computing resources.
There are other good reasons not to trust and help the accusers. RIAA methods in the past have been shoddy, trapping innocent victims between the choice of paying fees or years of litigation. LSU should not
participate in or aid that kind of work.
Peer-to-peer networking and competition are the real targets of these lawsuits. Few people seriously advocate copyright violation, especially myself. With free music and movies available from places like archive.org and Creative Commons participants, I have more than enough entertainment.
A new world of free entertainment, software and knowledge is emerging to replace the old monopoly providers. That new world depends on free networks and end user participation.
Changes to University networks that make them less free can slow down this transition, but it won't stop it. The Internet routes around damage and all the good times are happening away from the old bully boys.
Lawsuits and threats are not fun.
Universities can hang together with Purdue or hang separately. If enough universities stand up to this extortion attempt, the RIAA won't be able to do anything about it. If universities give in, there will be new demands and new threats.
Will Hill
graduate student, medical physics
PRIVACY IS AT RISK
I was stricken with fear after receiving the e-mail regarding the RIAA from Chancellor O'Keefe. I do not fear the RIAA.
In fact, this makes me want to download even more music on campus to try to receive one of these prelitigation letters. What I fear is the loss of privacy of students.
The Chancellor mentions that our privacy is important but fails to deliver a promise that our names and addresses will not be provided to the RIAA. The RIAA is sending out these "get out of jail … for a nominal fee" cards to students because too many of their lawsuits have failed. And don't forget about the hundreds of people the RIAA has mistakenly identified and sued - like the 83-old grandmother accused, a month after her death, of downloading over 700 hip-hop and rap songs.
With this new method, they get the names and addresses of students free from the University without a court order. Why bother with that legal system of ours when they can send a mean-looking letter and get all the details they want? I would hope that the Chancellor would verify his commitment to not releasing personal details to a corporation attempting nothing short of espionage. Finally, for anyone who may receive a letter or subpoena - contact the Electronic Frontier Foundation immediately. I'm off to download the latest episode of House now - too bad the MPAA hasn't resorted to this tactic yet.
Ed Ireson
sophomore, business administration
Women's role in society needs to be clearly defined
I completely support what Emily Byers wrote about the Presidency not being a job for women.
Once upon a time, a handsome prince fell in love with a servant girl named Cinderella. When the prince came to rescue her from her life of hardship and make her his princess, Cinderella was quite offended. "No thanks, Charming," she said. "I can make it to the palace all on my own!"
Why is this story so disturbing and unnatural to us? Because a character we've all grown up with who embodies femininity, loveliness and grace is acting exactly how a female candidate for the Presidency would have to in order to be respected. It's just not right.
Men and women are equal in dignity in the eyes of God, but they have different roles. They are placed in these roles not by themselves or members of the opposite sex, but by the NATURAL strengths and weaknesses they are born with. The emotional detachment and decisiveness that men are born with makes them great leaders, especially during crises. Emotional vulnerability effeminates men just as emotional detachment emasculates women. Why would any parent try to "nurture" their child into being something they're not? Women who harden their hearts and sacrifice their femininity for a political career and "wear the pants" in the White House gradually lose something very precious that was given to them by God as a gift, not a curse.
Ladies, if your dream is to make a difference in the world, don't look to Hillary as your example - look to women like Mother Theresa, who made an impact on the world that Hillary could never compete with, political ruthlessness and all. She did it by being a mother to the world. After winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she was asked how we could all promote world peace. Her answer was simply, "Go home and love your family." So be the best daughters, sisters, wives and mothers you can be. The family is where our strengths as women matter the most, and the family is where we truly make a difference in the world.
Katie Chauvin
Junior, history
O'KEEFE SHOULDN'T CAVE
I urge Chancellor Sean O'Keefe to follow Purdue University's response to the latest RIAA shakedown. Giving in to RIAA demands is inappropriate, wrong and will only lead to more of the same.
Today, O'Keefe broadcast his intention to cooperate with a new RIAA crackdown on file-sharing. He wrote, "Students who illegally possess or share copyrighted materials may be denied access to computing
resources, be subject to disciplinary actions and possibly face civil and/or criminal legal proceedings and sanctions."
Purdue's response to RIAA demands was that the investigation and enforcement of copyrights was not their job. They don't bother to pass notifications on to their students, much less virtually expel accused students by denying them computing resources.
There are other good reasons not to trust and help the accusers. RIAA methods in the past have been shoddy, trapping innocent victims between the choice of paying fees or years of litigation. LSU should not
participate in or aid that kind of work.
Peer-to-peer networking and competition are the real targets of these lawsuits. Few people seriously advocate copyright violation, especially myself. With free music and movies available from places like archive.org and Creative Commons participants, I have more than enough entertainment.
A new world of free entertainment, software and knowledge is emerging to replace the old monopoly providers. That new world depends on free networks and end user participation.
Changes to University networks that make them less free can slow down this transition, but it won't stop it. The Internet routes around damage and all the good times are happening away from the old bully boys.
Lawsuits and threats are not fun.
Universities can hang together with Purdue or hang separately. If enough universities stand up to this extortion attempt, the RIAA won't be able to do anything about it. If universities give in, there will be new demands and new threats.
Will Hill
graduate student, medical physics
PRIVACY IS AT RISK
I was stricken with fear after receiving the e-mail regarding the RIAA from Chancellor O'Keefe. I do not fear the RIAA.
In fact, this makes me want to download even more music on campus to try to receive one of these prelitigation letters. What I fear is the loss of privacy of students.
The Chancellor mentions that our privacy is important but fails to deliver a promise that our names and addresses will not be provided to the RIAA. The RIAA is sending out these "get out of jail … for a nominal fee" cards to students because too many of their lawsuits have failed. And don't forget about the hundreds of people the RIAA has mistakenly identified and sued - like the 83-old grandmother accused, a month after her death, of downloading over 700 hip-hop and rap songs.
With this new method, they get the names and addresses of students free from the University without a court order. Why bother with that legal system of ours when they can send a mean-looking letter and get all the details they want? I would hope that the Chancellor would verify his commitment to not releasing personal details to a corporation attempting nothing short of espionage. Finally, for anyone who may receive a letter or subpoena - contact the Electronic Frontier Foundation immediately. I'm off to download the latest episode of House now - too bad the MPAA hasn't resorted to this tactic yet.
Ed Ireson
sophomore, business administration
Women's role in society needs to be clearly defined
I completely support what Emily Byers wrote about the Presidency not being a job for women.
Once upon a time, a handsome prince fell in love with a servant girl named Cinderella. When the prince came to rescue her from her life of hardship and make her his princess, Cinderella was quite offended. "No thanks, Charming," she said. "I can make it to the palace all on my own!"
Why is this story so disturbing and unnatural to us? Because a character we've all grown up with who embodies femininity, loveliness and grace is acting exactly how a female candidate for the Presidency would have to in order to be respected. It's just not right.
Men and women are equal in dignity in the eyes of God, but they have different roles. They are placed in these roles not by themselves or members of the opposite sex, but by the NATURAL strengths and weaknesses they are born with. The emotional detachment and decisiveness that men are born with makes them great leaders, especially during crises. Emotional vulnerability effeminates men just as emotional detachment emasculates women. Why would any parent try to "nurture" their child into being something they're not? Women who harden their hearts and sacrifice their femininity for a political career and "wear the pants" in the White House gradually lose something very precious that was given to them by God as a gift, not a curse.
Ladies, if your dream is to make a difference in the world, don't look to Hillary as your example - look to women like Mother Theresa, who made an impact on the world that Hillary could never compete with, political ruthlessness and all. She did it by being a mother to the world. After winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she was asked how we could all promote world peace. Her answer was simply, "Go home and love your family." So be the best daughters, sisters, wives and mothers you can be. The family is where our strengths as women matter the most, and the family is where we truly make a difference in the world.
Katie Chauvin
Junior, history
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Blake
posted 3/12/07 @ 7:47 PM MST
Great job Katie!!!
Paige Raschke
posted 3/12/07 @ 10:17 PM MST
In Response to Katie Chauvin:
According to your religion, as you state, God has a place for men and a separate place for women. But what about others' religions? Not all religions put women in such a subordinate state. (Continued…)
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