[ Thanks to Kelly
McNeill for this link. ]
“Taschek, whether voluntarily or not, has become the head
bootlicking lapdog for the MPAA. His latest article left me
indignant. At times it’s so misleading and disingenuous that I
couldn’t remain passive. Indeed, he needs a newspaper swat on the
muzzle.”
“Contrary to his dismissive opinion, the free speech argument
isn’t all that far-fetched; hell, even Michael Miller, in his
latest PC Mag editorial decries the DVD ruling as an attack on free
speech. I was surprised at the contradiction within ZDNET, I guess
PC Mag is having an attack of conscience as the MPAA is just too
egregious, in its zeal to stamp out DVD technology dissemination
that it doesn’t control, for the magazine to parrot acritically the
corporate propaganda.”
“In any case, the free speech argument isn’t that far-fetched,
the 2600’s lawyers’ error was to use it as the principal argument;
my colleague, Paul Merrell cogently argues that defense should’ve
centered on restraint of trade. However, I pointed out to Paul that
the free speech argument is still valid if you introduce an unusual
source with more far reaching ramifications: the Universal
Declaration of human rights.”