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People believe all kinds of things, but unless there’s more than a snowball’s chance in hell of changing the law to accommodate their beliefs, I spend my limite

People believe all kinds of things, but unless there’s more than a snowball’s chance in hell of changing the law to accommodate their beliefs, I spend my limited time considering other viewpoints. I don’t see any chance of these laws changing in favor of your beliefs, and I’m having this discussion in the world as it exists.

mirimir 8y ago
Hey, I bet that you violate Saudi anti-pornography laws every day. Perhaps alcohol-abuse laws, as well.
- toufiqbarhamov 8y ago
  Definitely, and as a result I wisely stay the hell out of Saudi Arabia. I’m also known to avoid North Korea while I’m at it. I certainly don’t try to change their legal system from my keyboard.
  - mirimir 8y ago
    Unfortunately, just staying out of the US doesn't protect you from them. You're just lucky that Saudi Arabia etc don't have the reach.
    - colejohnson66 8y ago
      Exactly. Can you imagine if Saudi Arabia tried to have you extradited for a crime that was illegal there, but legal here? On a side note, isn’t that what’s happening with Kim Dotcom?
      - toufiqbarhamov 8y ago
        Without a legal background or at least an understanding of the legal force of treaties, what you’re saying sounds both alarming and vile. In the context of treaties though, agreed upon by governments subject to recall, elections, and separation of powers is the foundation of modern diplomacy. As we’ve seen with Brexit, treaties and laws are both subject to oversight by the electorate, for better or worse. Beyond that the reason you can’t be extradited to Saudi Arabia is that few countries have such treaties with them. It’s true that the US uses it’s military and monetary power to shove unfavorable conditions where possible, but that’s a universal feature of powerful nations, see China for clarification. Such treaty obligations can lead to problems like the persecution of Kim Dotcom, but it also leads to confrontations over human rights and fairness of laws. Treaty obligations within Europe prevent them from extraditing someone for a capital crime in a other country. Being outside of binding web of treaties offers freedom, but it often offers the most freedom to dictators. So yes, US copyright law is a mess, and that mess spreads through treaties. That’s a problem with US law, not the concept of treaties. Most of all, such treaties offer avenues other than violence for countries to settle disputes, and that value can not be overstated.
Erlich_Bachman 8y ago
And yet you have taken from your limited time writing this message, even though there is no snowball chance of your post changing any law from your keyboard. Can you not see that there are more reasons for public discourse than just directly changing some law?

mirimir 8y ago

Hey, I bet that you violate Saudi anti-pornography laws every day. Perhaps alcohol-abuse laws, as well.

toufiqbarhamov 8y ago
Definitely, and as a result I wisely stay the hell out of Saudi Arabia. I’m also known to avoid North Korea while I’m at it. I certainly don’t try to change their legal system from my keyboard.
- mirimir 8y ago
  Unfortunately, just staying out of the US doesn't protect you from them. You're just lucky that Saudi Arabia etc don't have the reach.
  - colejohnson66 8y ago
    Exactly. Can you imagine if Saudi Arabia tried to have you extradited for a crime that was illegal there, but legal here? On a side note, isn’t that what’s happening with Kim Dotcom?
    - toufiqbarhamov 8y ago
      Without a legal background or at least an understanding of the legal force of treaties, what you’re saying sounds both alarming and vile. In the context of treaties though, agreed upon by governments subject to recall, elections, and separation of powers is the foundation of modern diplomacy. As we’ve seen with Brexit, treaties and laws are both subject to oversight by the electorate, for better or worse. Beyond that the reason you can’t be extradited to Saudi Arabia is that few countries have such treaties with them. It’s true that the US uses it’s military and monetary power to shove unfavorable conditions where possible, but that’s a universal feature of powerful nations, see China for clarification. Such treaty obligations can lead to problems like the persecution of Kim Dotcom, but it also leads to confrontations over human rights and fairness of laws. Treaty obligations within Europe prevent them from extraditing someone for a capital crime in a other country. Being outside of binding web of treaties offers freedom, but it often offers the most freedom to dictators. So yes, US copyright law is a mess, and that mess spreads through treaties. That’s a problem with US law, not the concept of treaties. Most of all, such treaties offer avenues other than violence for countries to settle disputes, and that value can not be overstated.

Erlich_Bachman 8y ago

And yet you have taken from your limited time writing this message, even though there is no snowball chance of your post changing any law from your keyboard. Can you not see that there are more reasons for public discourse than just directly changing some law?