When the content industries started describing piracy as 'theft', it was quite clear what interests they had in doing so. By falsely equating quasi-public goods (such as online music) with finite forms of property (such as CDs), they were performing an Orwellian trick aimed at ramping up the social unacceptability of a practice that they believed harmed their bottom line.
When John Reid says "it is unfair that foreigners come to this country illegitimately and steal our benefits, steal our services like the NHS" what precise benefit is he hoping to extract, given that once these activities start to become represented as 'theft', it is him who will cop even more flack when they continue, as they inevitably will?
I just can't believe John Reid doesn't remember the 1970s. Bloody immigrants, they come over here, take our jobs, take our houses... It's pure I'm Not A Racist But.
Posted by: Phil | March 09, 2007 at 09:41 AM