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No, by my reasoning, if you create something, it's as much your property as anything you purchase or work for. Some people make money with a computer, some make money with a hammer, musicians make money (not a whole lot, but sometimes we actually do get paid) with a guitar, a piano, or other instrument. When we make money for the music we create, it's no different than someone getting paid for selling insurance or mortgages...it's just a lot more fun.

The songs I've written, and for which I've registered the copyright, are my property, as much as my truck, my house, my guns and my guitars. It's up to me to determine how much and how often I get paid for them, who has the right to use them, in what manner, etc. Anyone who uses my songs without (my) permission, illegally downloads them, or steals the lyrics and/or music is violating my rights.

BMI and ASCAP used to, and presumably still do, collect a fee from the sale of all blank music media -- cassettes, reel-to-reel tapes, CD and DVD-RWs, etc. This money was split evenly between members, to compensate for those people who made copies of albums to share. I don't know what they're doing about illegal file sharing, if there's anything that can be done. But make no mistake, pirating music is stealing, as much as if I stole your car and took it for a joy ride, or broke into your house while you were on vacation and squatted there for a week.

Those who steal music online are no better than muggers, shoplifters, or anyone else who takes stuff that isn't theirs.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

Have you ever told a joke that you heard or read someplace? Did you pay the person who originally wrote it?

BMI and ASCAP used to, and presumably still do, collect a fee from the sale of all blank music media -- cassettes, reel-to-reel tapes, CD and DVD-RWs, etc. This money was split evenly between members, to compensate for those people who made copies of albums to share

I happen to use "all blank music media" that you list to record my own music, text, photo and film. Why am I paying this fee? Who's being robbed here?