A WebMail to Senator Hatch

By chrisbrown

June 19 2004

As a concerned Utah citizen, I posted a comment through Senator Hatch's website [ http://hatch.senate.gov/ ]. This method, while not as good as snailmail, is better than email. For Senator's Hatch's comments on this form of feedback, see here [ http://hatch.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=Offices.ThankYou ]. The letter is "off the cuff" & I expect I will write a better one for postal mail. In any case, I will post any reply I get as I did last time [ http://home1.vpxp.com/HatchonSCO.jpeg ].
Senator Orrin Hatch,

   While I have long been supportive of your positions and proud to have voted for you, I find myself troubled by some of your recent actions. What compels me to write is your "Protecting Intellectual Rights Against Theft and Expropriation Act of 2004".

   While on the surface this act appears to help provide relief to aggreived copyright holders, such as the entertainment and software industries, I am concerned about several aspects of it.

   First I believe the Attorney General should have no business, or standing, to persue civil enforcement against copyright infringers. Doing so puts alleged infringers at significant disadvantage in defending themselves, significantly increases the likelyhood of intimidation by malicious individuals and corporations with tenous claims, and places an unfair burden on taxpayers.

   Secondly, is the matter of appearances. Your son Brent Hatch is representing The SCO Group in high-profile, copyright-related, civil cases with several companies. Despite statements to the contrary by The SCO Group, they are fast using up their funds in persuing these meritless cases. A bill such as this one would likely be used by this unscrupulous company to further their aims of intimidating law-abiding companies and citizens to pay "protection" money to The SCO Group for their usage of the Linux operating system. Further, US taxpayers would be funding their actions. This would provide substantial benefit to your son. This raises suspicions about your motivations.

   Senator Hatch, I ask you to abandon your support for this bill, and actively work to stop it. This bill, while being presented as a way of providing assistance to legitimately harmed copyright holders, will actually hurt innocent American businesses and individuals. Further, it will damage your credibility and integrity.

   VOTE AGAINST SENATE BILL 2237, if you will not do that, please hold it to allow public debate.

Chris Brown

12:43 AM EDT

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