I'm not arguing that copyright infringement is right any more than I'm arguing trespassing or operating a sewage treatment plant in a residential neighborhood a

I'm not arguing that copyright infringement is right any more than I'm arguing trespassing or operating a sewage treatment plant in a residential neighborhood are right, only that they're not automatically "theft" just because they're bad. We have distinctions between different crimes for good reason. Death penalty for speeding? I'm sure some who have lost their loved ones to reckless drivers might agree. But we as a society have pretty much decided that while there should be a punishment, it should not be that harsh.