Comments on: Herb Block at the Library of Congress http://blog.copyrightalliance.org/2009/06/herblock-at-the-library-of-congress/ Copyright Information Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:02:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Meg the Intern http://blog.copyrightalliance.org/2009/06/herblock-at-the-library-of-congress/#comment-21526 Meg the Intern Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:46:48 +0000 http://blog.copyrightalliance.org/?p=459#comment-21526 John, Thanks for the clarification! John,

Thanks for the clarification!

]]> By: John Gordon http://blog.copyrightalliance.org/2009/06/herblock-at-the-library-of-congress/#comment-21338 John Gordon Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:25:26 +0000 http://blog.copyrightalliance.org/?p=459#comment-21338 Thanks, Meg. A thoughtful and well-reasoned response. I agree that the important issue is how strong copyright should be and what limitations it should have to make sure that it doesn't stifle the freedom of speech more than necessary. Just FYI, racist, sexist, and homophobic speech alone are not hate crimes. They are completely protected by the First Amendment unless they are likely to cause immediate violence. The First Amendment says you can't criminalize speech based on its content, even if that content is abhorrent to most people. Thanks, Meg. A thoughtful and well-reasoned response. I agree that the important issue is how strong copyright should be and what limitations it should have to make sure that it doesn’t stifle the freedom of speech more than necessary.

Just FYI, racist, sexist, and homophobic speech alone are not hate crimes. They are completely protected by the First Amendment unless they are likely to cause immediate violence. The First Amendment says you can’t criminalize speech based on its content, even if that content is abhorrent to most people.

]]> By: Meg the Intern http://blog.copyrightalliance.org/2009/06/herblock-at-the-library-of-congress/#comment-21241 Meg the Intern Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:25:32 +0000 http://blog.copyrightalliance.org/?p=459#comment-21241 Hi John, Thanks for the comment! Personally, I think that copyright "threatens" freedom of speech in a way that is comparable to legal restrictions against libel/slander or the categorization of racist/sexist/homophobic (etc.) speech as a hate crime. In these cases, one right (freedom of speech) is qualified in order to ensure the preservation of other rights. To me, the rights to own and distribute your work, which copyright helps protect, are extremely important. Of course, just like the First Amendment, I think that copyright laws should have appropriate restrictions as well - exactly what those restrictions should be is another issue altogether. I hope this response isn't too convoluted! I am new to this game and eager to read any feedback or views you would like to contribute. ~Meg Hi John,

Thanks for the comment! Personally, I think that copyright “threatens” freedom of speech in a way that is comparable to legal restrictions against libel/slander or the categorization of racist/sexist/homophobic (etc.) speech as a hate crime. In these cases, one right (freedom of speech) is qualified in order to ensure the preservation of other rights. To me, the rights to own and distribute your work, which copyright helps protect, are extremely important. Of course, just like the First Amendment, I think that copyright laws should have appropriate restrictions as well – exactly what those restrictions should be is another issue altogether.

I hope this response isn’t too convoluted! I am new to this game and eager to read any feedback or views you would like to contribute.

~Meg

]]> By: John Gordon http://blog.copyrightalliance.org/2009/06/herblock-at-the-library-of-congress/#comment-21239 John Gordon Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:45:18 +0000 http://blog.copyrightalliance.org/?p=459#comment-21239 Hi Meg the Intern, Would you say that copyright never threatens the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment? Or would you say that it sometimes does but that's a sacrifice we should make for the sake of artists? Regards, John Hi Meg the Intern,
Would you say that copyright never threatens the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment? Or would you say that it sometimes does but that’s a sacrifice we should make for the sake of artists?
Regards,
John

]]> By: The Copyright Alliance Blog » Blog Archive » Herblock at the … « Copyright http://blog.copyrightalliance.org/2009/06/herblock-at-the-library-of-congress/#comment-21164 The Copyright Alliance Blog » Blog Archive » Herblock at the … « Copyright Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:52:28 +0000 http://blog.copyrightalliance.org/?p=459#comment-21164 [...] Here is the o­rig­inal:  T­he Co­pyrig­ht­ A­llia­n­ce Blo­g­ » Blo­g&#173... [...] [...] Here is the o­rig­inal:  T­he Co­pyrig­ht­ A­llia­n­ce Blo­g­ » Blo­g&#173… [...]

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