: Re: [Upd-discuss] a longer term strategy for promoting the public domain?

[Richard Stallman]

    > Can we develop our own materials, asking schools to refuse to hand out
    > the propaganda that the software companies give them?

    Doing something "anti-negative" is not nearly as productive as doing
    something positive with the same energy.

Maybe, but what is the way to present this point as positive?

The software companies are surely condescendingly teaching kids to
"obey the law".  This way they can sidestep entirely the question of
what is *right*.  They just invite schools to assume that legal might
makes right, and many schools are all too ready to do so.  It takes a
certain small amount of courage to say, "This law is wrong and has no
ethical validity."

In my speeches I use the spirit of good will towards your neighbor
as the force to oppose the prohibition of sharing.  But I am not
sure how to make that appeal to a school in the US.

All in all, I'd say by all means look for "positive" ways to present
this, but don't rule out negative ones out of hand.  Just saying to
the schools "They are sending you a self-serving promotion on a
controversial ethical question, and why should you take any side"
might work better, simply because it only asks them NOT to do something.