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These posts are the creation of Doran L. Barton (AKA Fozziliny Moo). To learn more about Doran, check out his website at fozzilinymoo.org.

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Hatching a new era of stupidity

Posted: 18 June 2004 at 23:43:50

Utah gets a lot of attention for being different than the rest of the country and/or the world. We get attention for the Mormon religion. We get attention for the breathtaking scenery in the state. We got attention for the bizarre Elizabeth Smart story. Every once in a while, however, we get our faces rubbed in horsecrap because of something stupid our senior U.S. senator, Orrin G. Hatch says or does.

Mr. Hatch used to be a pretty sensible conservative worthy of having been elected by Utahns but anymore he’s a laughingstock.

What now? Sen. Hatch wants to rework copyright laws in an attempt to make it less legal to participate in child pornography production or distribution. Seems like a noble effort, right? Eh, the problem is that the wording is so broad-stroked that it boils down to making any producer or user of technology which might be used for child pornography distribution or production liable.

For example, if you create a new peer-to-peer file sharing system and someone uses it to peddle kiddie porn, you’re goin to jail.

It’s absurd.

Susan Crawford writes in her recent blog, “The Act amends the copyright law to say that anyone who ‘induces’ copyright infringement is himself/itself an infringer. ‘Induce’ means intentionally aids, abets, counsels, or procures. So you can't even hire a lawyer if you're doing something risky.”

CNET chimes in.

I’m not surprised, though. After all, Sen. Hatch is the same guy who said computer manufacturers should build in explosive detonation device into every computer so that illegal file-swappers could be shut down by remote control by law enforcement officials (i.e. RIAA and MPAA).

He’s just an idiot.

While we’re at it...

Utah has another congressman, Chris Cannon (R), and he’s up for reelection this year. Cannon is being challenged by Matthew Throckmorton in the republican primary coming up this next Tuesday and the two of these guys have been campaigning like crazy.

The big issue Cannon and Throckmorton disagree on is immigration policy. Cannon is in favor of the kinds of limited amnesty programs President Bush has talked about. Throckmorton says no way to any kind of amnesty and says we need to be more serious about reforming our stance toward illegal immigration. Cannon’s track record draws a very telling picture of his stand on immigration issues.

I hope Throckmorton wins the republican nomination.

It doesn’t help Cannon at all that his radio ads say really stupid-ass stuff like, “Chris Cannon wants to enact a ban on Internet pornography. I’m all for that!”

What’s next?! After cracking down on Internet pornography, maybe he can go after oxygen in the atmosphere!

I’m not saying that to insinuate that pornography is a crucial or substantial ingredient in the Internet melting pot. I say that to illustrate the absurdity of his desire. It’s as absurd to believe any U.S. legislation can effectively censor any kind of Internet content as it would be to legislate the end of oxygen in our atmosphere.

He’s just an idiot.