<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Free Software Foundation</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:info@fsf.org">info@fsf.org</a>></span><br>Date: 2011/2/11<br>
Subject: [FSF] Take action: tell the USTR to reject ACTA<br>To: <a href="mailto:info-fsf@fsf.org">info-fsf@fsf.org</a><br><br><br>The ACTA drafting process is finished, and countries are beginning to<br>
turn an eye toward signing it. Help us stand against it!<br>
<br>
ACTA aims to be an international agreement to establish even more<br>
imposing copyright and trademark laws throughout the world, with a<br>
minimum of scrutiny. Countries that sign the agreement commit to<br>
enacting DMCA-like anti-circumvention legislation, establishing<br>
criminal penalties for specific kinds of infringement, and maintaining<br>
several overbearing enforcement mechanisms.<br>
<br>
ACTA was largely drafted in secret between countries with the world's<br>
largest economies, with input from large copyright and trademark<br>
holders who stand to benefit from all this legislation at our expense.<br>
As more information about the terms of the agreement began to leak, we<br>
published Richard Stallman's "Firm, Simple Declaration Against ACTA":<br>
<br>
* <<a href="http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/acta/acta-declaration" target="_blank">http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/acta/acta-declaration</a>><br>
<br>
Since then, more than 4,700 of you have signed it. Thanks for your<br>
support!<br>
<br>
Now the drafting process is finished, and the countries who negotiated<br>
it are now looking to sign it. Some of the provisions in the final<br>
text are not as bad as earlier drafts -- but that doesn't mean the<br>
agreement is acceptable. We need to take this opportunity to demand<br>
the freedoms we deserve. As Stallman explained:<br>
<br>
> ... where there have been previous changes for the worse, lauding<br>
> the status quo tends to legitimize them. ... To confront a further<br>
> assault by presenting the status quo as ideal means we stop fighting<br>
> to reverse them. It means that our adversaries need only propose a<br>
> further affront to our rights to gain our acceptance of their last<br>
> affront.<br>
<br>
> Instead of making the status quo our ideal, we should demand<br>
> positive changes to recover freedoms already lost.<br>
<br>
The US Trade Representative is requesting comments from US citizens<br>
and organizations about signing ACTA. Now, we've added your voice to<br>
ours. The FSF has submitted a letter encouraging the US, and all<br>
countries, to reject the agreement and instead focus on repealing<br>
copyright and trademark laws that unfairly support large owners,<br>
citing the 4,700 signatures that Stallman's declaration received. You<br>
can read a copy online at:<br>
<br>
* <<a href="http://static.fsf.org/nosvn/2011-01-ustr-acta.pdf" target="_blank">http://static.fsf.org/nosvn/2011-01-ustr-acta.pdf</a>><br>
<br>
You can help out, too, by taking action:<br>
<br>
* If you haven't already, please sign Stallman's declaration. The<br>
USTR may check to verify the number of signatures we mentioned in<br>
our letter. It would be great if we have even more when that<br>
happens!<br>
<br>
* Share this call to action with your friends, and on social sites.<br>
We need all the help we can get.<br>
<br>
* If you're a US citizen, you can write to the USTR as well. Comments<br>
are due by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 15. Follow the USTR's<br>
instructions to submit your comments:<br>
<br>
* <<a href="http://www.regulations.gov/#%21documentDetail;D=USTR-2010-0014-0001" target="_blank">http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=USTR-2010-0014-0001</a>><br>
<br>
Please send a copy of your letter to us at <<a href="mailto:acta-comments@fsf.org">acta-comments@fsf.org</a>>,<br>
too, so we can keep track of the response.<br>
<br>
We've included a brief sample letter below to help you get started.<br>
Of course, it's best if you write your own letter: unique responses<br>
will receive more attention from the USTR. Use this sample as<br>
inspiration to help structure your own thoughts.<br>
<br>
ACTA threatens to create major legal obstacles to free software<br>
throughout the world. Please join us by expressing your opposition!<br>
<br>
### Sample Letter ###<br>
<br>
Stanford K. McCoy<br>
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Intellectual Property and Innovation<br>
Office of the United States Trade Representative<br>
600 17th St NW<br>
Washington, DC 20006<br>
<br>
Re: Comments on ACTA (Docket no. USTR-2010-0014)<br>
<br>
Dear Mr. McCoy:<br>
<br>
I am writing to urge the United States not to sign ACTA. The<br>
agreement would impose unethically strict extensions to copyright law<br>
in other countries, and increased criminal penalties for infringement<br>
here. It mandates a number of enforcement mechanisms that unjustly<br>
benefit copyright and trademark holders at the expense of individual<br>
liberties. It would also create new obstacles to repealing<br>
problematic US laws like the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).<br>
<br>
Now that computers are available to many, it's easier than ever for<br>
people to share information and cultural works with each other. Our<br>
laws should allow and encourage them to do so. We stand to benefit<br>
from less enforcement of copyright and trademark laws -- not more.<br>
ACTA is a step in the wrong direction. No country should sign it.<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
<br>
info-fsf mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:info-fsf@fsf.org">info-fsf@fsf.org</a><br>
Unsubscribe: <a href="http://lists.fsf.org/mailman/listinfo/info-fsf" target="_blank">http://lists.fsf.org/mailman/listinfo/info-fsf</a><br>
</div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Diego Saravia<br><a href="mailto:Diego.Saravia@gmail.com">Diego.Saravia@gmail.com</a><br>NO FUNCIONA-><a href="mailto:dsa@unsa.edu.ar">dsa@unsa.edu.ar</a><br>