Hollings has also adopted the industry's basic stance, that copying is primarily about piracy and only rarely about honest fair use, at one point calling the Internet "a haven for thievery."
Yes, that's right, this whole Internet thing is just an excuse to steal stuff. Ironically, here I am creating content for free* while the RIAA rips off consumers and music artists at the same time. Hollings, by the way, isn't the president of the RIAA or a lawyer for Metallica, he's a US Senator from South Carolina. What the hell does South Carolina care about the RIAA, you ask? Good question. I can tell you why Senator Hollings cares though. The entertainment industry was the second largest contributor to his 1998 campaign; lawyers being the only ones to give more. (As a matter of fact, only two other Senators got more from the entertainment industry -- and they were from NY and CA.)
Enron doesn't manage to buy enough influence, and it's headlines for weeks. The RIAA has their own Senatorial Lapdog, and no one seems to notice. As mad as that makes me, I can't say I'm suprised.
[*] Well, it actually costs me, since I'm paying for hosting.
