From: Chad Perrin <perrin@...>
Date: 2007-07-26T07:08:07+09:00
Subject: Re: Ruby Editor

On Thu, Jul 26, 2007 at 06:55:10AM +0900, Brad Phelan wrote:
> Chad Perrin wrote:
> >On Wed, Jul 25, 2007 at 07:15:04PM +0900, Brad Phelan wrote:
> >>> In fact, copyright and physical property
> >>> rights are specifically in legally enforceable conflict with one
> >>> another.
> >>:)
> >>
> >>Try posting torrents of the latest Hollywood schmalz on your server. 
> >>When hauled into court try arguing that *But your honor copyright and 
> >>physical property rights are specifically in legally enforceable 
> >>conflict with one another* and see how far you get.
> >
> >Exactly my point -- your physical property rights are contradicted by
> >copyright law.
> >
> 
> I will agree with you with a small change.
> 
> *your physical property rights are _overidden_ by copyright law*
> 
> But this is not unique to copyright law.  Physical property rights are 
> commonly overridden by law's associated with fraud, murder,  drug 
> dealing, civil infractions, family breakups, national interest, traffic 
> violations and more. Observing these points shows the law rarely 
> considers any particular 'right' inviolate. I would tentatively suggest 
> that even the word 'rights' is a loaded term that should be generally 
> avoided as it suggests absolutism whereas reality is more complex.

My take is the opposite -- that cases where law contradicts rights are
violations, and the law should be changed.  I don't take legal violation
of rights to be a hint that rights aren't all that important.

-- 
CCD CopyWrite Chad Perrin [ http://ccd.apotheon.org ]
Thomas McCauley: "The measure of a man's real character is what he would do
if he knew he would never be found out."