SSSCA renamed and introduced in Senate!

I think that we should sign a single letter as the members of the Phoenix
Linux Users Group. Other people, of course, are free to send their own
letters as well, but we can magnify our voices by sending a single
statement to the Senator from our entire group. We can post an initial
draft here, make modifications, and get everyone from the group who would
like their name on it.

julian

On 2002.03.22 10:15 alandd@mindspring.com wrote:
> This is not a bad idea as far as having a sample letter for everyone but
> it should not be sent "as is." When a senator's office gets letters, the
> same set of staffers open and read them. They will discount the
> sincerity of the letters if they are all the same, thereby blunting the
> message.
>
> I will work on letters this weekend and will be happy to post the text of
> one to be used as a sample ONLY. Each of us must take the time to write
> our own from stratch or re-word any sample letters so that they are each
> unique. (And just re-rranging the paragraphs does not count as
> re-wording.)
>
> REFERENCE MATERIALS:
>
> The text of the act and some press releases:
> http://politechbot.com/docs/cbdtpa/
>
> Sample letter (change to read CBDTPA instead of SSSCA):
> http://www.eff.org/alerts/20010921_eff_sssca_alert.html
>
> Some points for a letter (taken from slashdot discussion):
> by Kwil on Thursday March 21, @09:52PM (#3205211)
> (User #53679 Info)
> 1. It is the CBDTPA, not the SSSCA. Make sure you reference the correct
> legislation. It may be the same to us, but there's a world of difference
> to the congresscritter.
> 2. This legislation will create nearly insurmountable challenges and
> cause serious harm to the computer hardware industry for the benefit of
> the copyright control industry which is only one-tenth the size.
> 3. This legislation eliminates the need for the copyright control
> industry to create partnerships with the hardware industry to achieve
> their goals, thus robbing the economy of that growth as well.
> 4. Do not insult your congresscritter. Do not accuse them of taking
> bribes or being stupid. Do not accuse them of being bought off. They may
> be any or all of these things, but don't accuse them of it.
> 5. Tell them you support them, think their ideas and ideals are
> worthwhile, and voted for them in the last election because of this. (If
> you do not and don't feel comfortable lying, don't say anything about how
> you voted or who you support)
> 5. Your vote in the next election rides primarily on this particular
> issue - larger than any individual candidate's ideas or ideals.
> 6. The copyright control industry has refused to use the legislation
> already in existance to prosecute copyright infringers - only those who
> would provide the means. How serious can the problem be if they do not
> even make cursory attempts bring actual offenders to justice?
> 7. Stay calm and very courteous. Write your letter, leave it for two
> hours or more, then look over it again.
> 8. The issues of audio cassettes and VCRs, both of which were supposedly
> going to kill the industry - have not. This is certainly an equivalent
> over-reaction
> 9. The legislation assumes that you and the congresscritter are criminals
> already, and cannot hold yourself in check without some sort of technical
> provisions. Feel free to say how the legislation insults the
> congresscritter.
> 10. The software industry has been dealing with this problem since its
> inception, but has not required legislation forcing another industry to
> change their business, why is the copyright control industry different?
> 11. If your congresscritter is Democrat:
> This legislation unfairly impacts the less fortunate who are not able to
> afford the new DRM equipped devices and may in future be unable to access
> content.
> 12. If your congresscritter is Republican:
> This legislation will work as an unfair tax on hardware makers who will
> have to research and develop this technology. This will wind up most
> affecting those who make the majority of computer hardware purchases -
> the successful American businessman.
>
> ALSO: Look at the tech company comments and send email and paper letters
> to the heads of companies or organizations that are standing against this
> law. THANK THEM for their position.
>
> Alan
>
> On Fri, 22 Mar 2002 09:09:53 -0700 Mark Phillips <phillips@usa.net>
> wrote:
> I
> suggest that someone in PLUG who is well versed in this topic compose a
> letter
> and distribute it to the rest of it. We can then choose to send it as is,
> or
> modify it as needed.
>  
> In my
> experience on public issues such as this, you can get a much higher
> participation if you provide the letter than asking everyone to write a
> letter
> from scratch.
>  
> Just
> my opinion.
>  
> Mark
>
> Phillips Marketing, Inc.
> e-business and new ventures
> 480.945.0798
> 480.945.9197 fax
> phillips@usa.net
> <A href="http://www.phillipsmarketing.biz/"
> target=_blank>http://www.phillipsmarketing.biz</A>
> Helping Build the Tech Oasis - <A href="http://www.techoasis.org/"
> target=_blank>http://www.techoasis.org</A>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> plug-discuss-admin@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> [mailto:plug-discuss-admin@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us]On Behalf Of Joel
> Dudley
> Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 8:20 AM
> To:
> 'plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us'
> Subject: RE: SSSCA renamed
> and introduced in Senate!
>
>
>
>
> Arizona residents are in a unique position in regards to
> speaking out against this bill. Arizona Senator John McCain is on the
> Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee with, you guessed it,
> Senator
> Hollings who is the chairman of the committee. Please send as many
> well-written, anti-sssca letters as you can to Senator McCain.
>
>
> - Joel
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alan
> Dayley [<A
> href="mailto:alandd@mindspring.com">mailto:alandd@mindspring.com</A>]
>
> Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2002 10:48 PM
> To: plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> Subject: SSSCA renamed and introduced in Senate!
>
>
>
> Go here for all the details.
>
>
> <A
> href="http://slashdot.org/articles/02/03/21/2344228.shtml?tid=103"
>
> target=_blank>http://slashdot.org/articles/02/03/21/2344228.shtml?tid=103</A>
>
>
>
>
> IMO, we MUST fight this!  Do the online petitions and
> email all you want
> because it does some good. 
> But if you really want your voice heard, send a
> written letter.  Written letters are more effective because your
> email will
> get lost in the flood of data.
>
>
> Don't rant and rave.  Write reasoned, well though
> ideas.  One page, maybe two
> at the most.  To
> your own state senators and to the any others you feel like.
>
>
> Study it and decide for yourself but open source software will
> be hampered,
> if not destroyed if this becomes
> law.
>
>
> Alan
> ________________________________________________
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> doesn't post to the list quickly and you use Netscape to write
> mail.
>
>
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>
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>

-- 
mail : julian @ catchen.org         | ( topeka )
www  : http://catchen.org/topeka/   |  phx, az
sent : Fri Mar 22, 2002 10:34AM MST | 
  Whenever there is a conflict between human rights
  and property rights, human rights must prevail.
                                  --Abraham Lincoln