Two excellent essays on how Hollywood has completely put our legal system out of whack through years of twisting our legislative process to their ends, or as Shirky put it “imagine the possibility of a longer jail term for streaming a Michael Jackson video than Jackson’s own doctor got for killing actual Michael Jackson?”
Andrew Bridges on PandoDaily: Forget SOPA, Hollywood Already Had a Field Day with the Justice System.
Clay Shirky on his blog: Pick up the pitchforks: David Pogue underestimates Hollywood.
Great to see ‘Hollywood and the Justice System’ on my WordPress admin page. Let’s hope Hollywood and other coporate powers don’t get their hands on our internet and the Freedom of Speech it allows.
The arrests in Auckland this week of the MegaUpload bosses is also very alarming. New Zealand police have acted on FBI instructions and these men have not been given the rights of New Zealanders who are arrested under our jurisdiction. NZ media has portrayed them as being guilty. But what of the maxim ‘Innocent until proven guilty?
They are excellent. Very well-reasoned.
I have been fascinated by the failure of our judiciary to work in the public interest. Here is the second of two essays I have penned on the subject. The first is available on my blog.
[redacted – a bit long for a comment but people can check it out on your blog]
Thanks for the articles, Matt. Hollywood behaves like the French aristocrats on the eve of the Revolution.
And thank you for the opportunity for us in Europe to take part in the protest at wp.com and .org.
“The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is its inefficiency.”
Eugene J. McCarthy
(as seen in Civ V 😉 )