[Upd-discuss] Re: Piracy and the Courts

[Graham Seaman]

On Thu, Nov 24, 2005 at 03:30:04PM +0000, Adam Moran wrote:
>
> Stallman's experiences with rfid during wsis (Modified by Geert Lovink)
> : Quoting Richard Stallman [2]. ( Cf. [3] )
>
>   "... So this is something so dangerous to democracy,
>   that it must be stamped out at all costs.
>
>   And I believe that it should be a crime
>   For a business to even hint
>   To a government
>   That it would move an operation
>   For any reasons other than
>   The direct economic profit of that operation
>

If I knew every unscripted word I said was liable to be recorded and played
back at me I would probably just become mute... Everyone does not have to
justify every word they have ever said, and there are degrees of liability
for words varying from off-the-cuff lines to emails to quick articles to
formally published material..

And while I can (just) imagine a large business hinting that it might move
an operation to provide work for the unemployed, or to lessen ecological
damage, etc, I can also (just) imagine pigs flying. The truly likely reasons
are all abuses of power.

> I am reminded of one of Antonio's lines in the Tempest ...
>
>   "The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning"
>

And on Adam's side, maybe it is possible to treat a juridical person like a
company differently from a real human being without bringing democracy to an
end?

Cheers
Graham