If Free Republic is not free to dissect the news our media report, the so-called "fair use" doctrine is dead. That makes the media the effective arbiters of our society's standards, unchecked in their monopoly of our information. Since information is power, concentrating the dissemination of that knowledge in media hands undermines one of the cornerstones of liberty. This isn't about Free Republic's "financial success." This is about the LAT/WP lawsuit, and their blatant attempt to crush dissent on this medium. How you can miss that "linkage" is beyond me.
How did he take a bullet for you? I really am curious.
The defendant in the LAT/WP lawsuit is Jim Robinson and Free Republic LLC. Jim Robinson IS Free Republic, LLC. The thousands of users of this site weren't named. There is no Board of Directors or Corporate Officers to share the liability. This whole thing fell on Jim Robinson's shoulders. Does Jim run this forum for himself? Does he enjoy the continual sniping and character smears spread by whiny malcontents? Or the thousands in bandwidth costs? Or the countless hours he spends shepherding this group? I don't think so. So this site exists for US, for ME. And yet, when the firing squad loaded up, they didn't sight in on me, or you, or Harry Callahan or Arator or some newbie who'd just gotten new batteries for his Timex Sinclair. They pasted the target over Jim's heart.
I don't owe the LAT/WP a million bucks. I still have a forum to use. I'm not caught up in an endless nightmare of appeals and motions and summary judgments. But Jim is.
Why?
AMEN IJ AMEN
This is a good argument to make about two years ago. As near as I can tell the issue is now settled. It is illegal to post an entire copywrited article on an independent internet site. Who knows, maybe the decision will be over turned, but I very much doubt it. Face it, there is a 1 million dollar judgement against free republic. Furthermore, the lawyers that represented Free Republic did a terrible job of representing Jim Robinson. A lawyer that was actually interested in his clients best interests would have recomended against being so hard nosed with the plantiffs, especially when his client does not have the money to pay the judgement. Furthermore, said counsel, if professional, WOULD NEVER EVER EVER EVER post messages to a public forum taunting his legal adversaries and basically saying "WE WILL BURY YOU!" Do you realize that Jim Rob's Legal Team was here doing that? I think that the Fair Usage doctrine was a legitimate question at the time. Jim chose an "in your face" approach of settling the issue and it turned out to be very very costly. Now the forum has been delivered an ultimatum "Pay up or else!" I think the issue could have been settled legally , by working with the plaintiffs throughout the proceedings at a small fraction of the $1 million dollars.
The defendant in the LAT/WP lawsuit is Jim Robinson and Free Republic LLC. Jim Robinson IS Free Republic, LLC. The thousands of users of this site weren't named. There is no Board of Directors or Corporate Officers to share the liability. This whole thing fell on Jim Robinson's shoulders. Does Jim run this forum for himself? Does he enjoy the continual sniping and character smears spread by whiny malcontents? Or the thousands in bandwidth costs? Or the countless hours he spends shepherding this group? I don't think so. So this site exists for US, for ME. And yet,
It exists to advance a political agenda ( Jim Robinson's)that I am not all that comfortable with anymore.
when the firing squad loaded up, they didn't sight in on me, or you, or Harry Callahan or Arator or some newbie who'd just gotten new batteries for his Timex Sinclair. They pasted the target over Jim's heart.
Yes, and by his choice. He did not consult me during his lawsuit. I do not feel compelled to pay for it.
I don't owe the LAT/WP a million bucks.
If you are willing to be a Super Patriot I am sure that JR will reluctantly transfer the debt into your name.
I still have a forum to use. I'm not caught up in an endless nightmare of appeals and motions and summary judgments.
Same Here.
But Jim is. Why?
Because of bad decisions that I do not feel compelled to pay for.