An Open Letter to Dan Glickman

The times they are a-changin’.

This post seems to be older than 18 years—a long time on the internet. It might be outdated.

In response to a statement made by MPAA President Dan Glickman (.doc format) regarding the appearance of Revenge of the Sith on BitTorrent:

Dear Mr. Glickman,

You are a bastard. How dare you lodge such complaints against the public without first realizing your own fallacies and the crimes you have committed against the public. You are a menace to society and America and should be tried for treason.

First, you need to realize that BitTorrent is an absolutely ingenious way of transmitting files, no matter what the size or content. You yourself state that piracy will “undermine legitimate businesses that strive to unite technology and content in innovative and legal ways.”

What are you doing to BitTorrent then? BitTorrent is a legitimate business that has strived to unite technology and content in innovative and legal ways. Just because people choose to use a legal and legitimate product for illegal and illegitimate purposes is no reason to ban it or make it illegal. This has been upheld in 1984’s Sony Corp. v. Universal City Studios. Where would the movie industry be if the video tape industry never thrived? No where. You, good sir, would be dead.

Your knee-jerk reaction and failure to analyze the long term effect of what you are doing will undoubtedly lead you to your own end. If you wish to be able to make movie content available online, you will need a method of transporting it. Using current methods (BitTorrent-type technology not included), it will literally take days to download just ONE movie. If you embrace the clever ways of BitTorrent, you stand to actually make progress with the general population with regards to providing movies online because such methods will be far faster — an essential requirement in today’s fast paced society.

Second, the MPAA and members of the MPAA are conducting a regime similar to that of Cuba. In fact, you are no better than Fidel Castro himself! Companies such as Disney have used and continue to use their financial strong-arm to gain unlimited control of their content for an unlimited time.
For example, Disney’s Mickey Mouse copyright “was due to expire in 2003.” The obvious implication of this, at least for Disney, was lost revenue. Furthermore, a majority of Mickey’s gang was also due to retire, so to speak, a few years down the road. Even more lost revenue for Disney. But why let this happen? Disney lobbied congress, holding over $6 million in annual Congressional donations over their heads, and the Sonny Bono Term Extension Act was born. This completely rips to shreds existing regulations and was even challenged to be unconstitutional in the Supreme Court, although that attempt failed. Never-the-less, companies that belong the MPAA, RIAA, and organizations of the such are fearing for their lives as they slowly lose control of their product to the public domain. And don’t think people don’t hear about this either. As I see it, “illegally” downloading movies and music is really just a fair trade for what you have done to the public domain. I would have no moral quarrels doing it, if that were what I chose to do. Did I mention you are a cunt, too? Because you are.

Now let me point out something reallyinteresting. What is the original source of the Revenge of the Sith files? What? I can’t hear you! Oh that’s right. Someone from WITHIN the studio leaked them. How ironic. You can’t control your own people so you decided to cry fowl on everyone else. That just makes me sick.
So, let’s recap real quick here. Dan Glickman is both a bastard and a cunt. The MPAA (and RIAA for that matter) like to shoot themselves constantly, and if it weren’t for our court system, they would be dead. The MPAA (and RIAA) have an anxiety separation disorder (can someone prescribe some Paxil for them?) with their beloved content. Then the MPAA can’t find the culprit from within their own organization, they point the finger at everyone else and complain that they started it. And Dan Glickman is a cunt and a bastard…opps, I already said that. Well, I guess it couldn’t hurt to say it again. Feel free to respond to this letter in what ever way you feel best, including ignoring me, your client. However, I reserve the right to take your silence as a legally binding confession of guilt. (You like changing the rules, so I thought I might change a few too…kind of annoying isn’t it?) I think I’ll also reserve the right to take your silence as a legally binding confirmation that you are Lucifer as well (see attached picture).

Best Wishes,

Andrew Ferguson

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