Thank you America

[kenshi]

i don't remember having a european DMCA... or a missile defense system for that matter

Think more general than that. Europeans are passing more and more laws every day, just like us, going in the same dictatorship direction. Now they may be a pretty good distance from it right now but people tend not to notice until it's too late. There seems to be a cycle. First a land is liberated from dictatorship or harsh government, like we were in 1776. Then everyone is happy but over a large period of time, more and more laws are passed and the country eventually turns into a dictatorship again. And the cycle goes on. The United States hasn't been here long enough to go through 2 complete cycles yet, but Japan has. First they were under the rule of an emperor, which was actually pretty fair for the people. Then, in the 1300's, the Muramachi shogunate slowly came to power. It lasted for a while and then somehow (can't remember how) the emperialists came to power again. Then, in the 1600's I believe, the Tokugawa shogunate obtained rule. In the late 1800's, they had their revolution and the Meiji government came into existence. It's a cycle that might never end. I thought that in these times, we had overcome that cycle, but I'm beginning to think otherwise. Never turn your back on the government.

Most people who tend to think like that are labeled as "Paranoid". I tend to think that just because your paranoid, DOESN'T mean that they are NOT out to get you. I hate big government. That is one of the reasons why I chose Mountainman as my name. If I had it my way, I would be a friggin hermit living by myself somewhere in the middle of no where. (as long as I had an internet connection). We need to keep our noses out of other countries crap and get on with our own country. I think we should be just shy of Isolationism.

[creedon]

Paranoia: You think people are out to get you.
Schizophrenia: You KNOW they are.
However, sometimes paranoia is just good thinking. ;D

[kenshi]

It is true that I'm not a very trusting person, but with governments I think there's good reason. I'm being screwed by the government right now. I'm an adult yet I can't buy alcohol for 3 more months. (Not that I really care much about alcohol but it's the oppression that matters.)

[creedon]

When I was 18, I could (and often did!!) buy enough alchohol to float a battleship. I could also be drafted (read: forced without choice) into the military, and sent to a place where I could kill (or br killed by) people I had no argument with. I could NOT, however, vote in any election of government officials (you had to be 21). Now I can vote, but with the corporate cadres running the country, it doesn't make a damned bit of difference anyway

[middleclass]

i don't remember having a european DMCA... or a missile defense system for that matter

The DMCA is our attempt to comply with an international treaty.

[cybergal]

i don't remember having a european DMCA... or a missile defense system for that matter

The last paragraph of an article in the November 2001 issue of "Linuxuser" called "Linux to be Made Ilegal in US" reads:

'The UK-based Campaign for Digital Rights noted that the EU's Council of Ministers has passed the European Copyright Directive, which will be enacted in the UK within 16 months. This directive bears striking similarities to the USA' s controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which now appears to be a precursor of the SSSCA.'

It is true that I'm not a very trusting person, but with governments I think there's good reason. I'm being screwed by the government right now. I'm an adult yet I can't buy alcohol for 3 more months. (Not that I really care much about alcohol but it's the oppression that matters.)

hell i could legally buy alcohol since i was about 15
since i refuse to drink alcohol i don't do it, but i've always been able to if i wanted to

The last paragraph of an article in the November 2001 issue of "Linuxuser" called "Linux to be Made Ilegal in US" reads:

'The UK-based Campaign for Digital Rights noted that the EU's Council of Ministers has passed the European Copyright Directive, which will be enacted in the UK within 16 months. This directive bears striking similarities to the USA' s controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which now appears to be a precursor of the SSSCA.'

i find that very interesting, especially since more european governments are moving to linux