Now if he'd just cut the EFF a nice, big check ...

July 22, 2003 2:15 AM

MJ pro-tech, anti-jail:"I am speechless about the idea of putting music fans -- mostly teenagers -- in jail for downloading music," he said in a statement from his Neverland Ranch in the western state of California. "It is wrong to illegally download, but the answer cannot be jail. Here in America we create new opportunities out of adversity, not punitive laws, and we should look to new technologies ... for solutions. This way, innovation continues to be the hallmark of America. It is the fans that drive the success of the music."
posted by allaboutgeorge (23 comments total)

"A pedophile and a good man." Now there's one I never though I'd think.
posted by Ryvar at 2:43 AM on July 22, 2003

"It is wrong to illegally download, but the answer cannot be jail."

It won't be: just huge, unreasonable fines.
posted by Blue Stone at 3:10 AM on July 22, 2003

It's a sad sign of the times that the voice of reason and sanity comes from Michael Jackson.
posted by spazzm at 3:35 AM on July 22, 2003

I think he is being controlled by Bubbles the Chimp.
posted by davidmsc at 4:00 AM on July 22, 2003

Bubbles the Chimp has a 100 gig mp3 collection.
posted by spazzm at 4:30 AM on July 22, 2003

This would be amusing:

Publicly entreat 3every major singer to sign a statement saying they don't want people to be sent to jail for downloading their music.

Then anybody who doesn't sign it (Metallica) can be known as the child-hating evil greedy fucks they are. (even moreso)
posted by Space Coyote at 4:43 AM on July 22, 2003

Apart from how we might feel about MJ, I just wonder how many CDs the lawyers and execs of the RIAA actually buy each year. I would expect that they are all too busy thinking up ways to discourage fans than to actually listen to music -- or are they already on the comp lists of their major employers?
posted by donfactor at 5:46 AM on July 22, 2003

This from someone who wanted all the Beatles work and bought it....let me smile.
posted by Sijeka at 5:53 AM on July 22, 2003

OMG, did that sensible bit of dialogue really come from his plastic mouth? Could this maybe be the end of the bat-shit crazy MJ of old (hope of hopes)?
posted by jmgorman at 6:49 AM on July 22, 2003

"I am speechless about the idea of putting music fans -- mostly teenagers -- in jail..."

Well, yeah, he would be.
posted by Asparagirl at 7:02 AM on July 22, 2003

"Well, Timmy, you've been caught downloading illegal MP3s!"

"Yeah, so what are you gonna do? Send me to jail?"

"No, Timmy. We're sending you to Michael Jackson's house."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" (sets computer on fire)
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 7:45 AM on July 22, 2003

It's easy for MJ to say this. How many copies were actually sold of his last release? ;)
posted by pmurray63 at 7:45 AM on July 22, 2003

And people make fun of me because I like MJ...

In these days, I 'd rather support MJ than Metallica any damn day of the week.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:48 AM on July 22, 2003

... we should look to new technologies ... for solutions ...

So not jail, but DRM?
posted by Utilitaritron at 7:53 AM on July 22, 2003

I'm shocked, but delighted.

Probably like the Caulken brothers. ba-dum-bum
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 8:20 AM on July 22, 2003

MJ tired of bubbles the chimp, who now sits atop the shoulder of an organ grinder in new orleans, violating copyright on daily basis as cranks out RIAA 0wz0red tunage and collects the nickels and dimes pitched in his genral direction.
posted by quonsar at 8:53 AM on July 22, 2003

or are they already on the comp lists of their major employers

need you ask?

i know sony employees, for instance, who work (or used to) at a distribution and packing plant in NJ. they got to buy CDs at cost. so many not comped, but certainly cheaply. what is cost, like, $2.50?
posted by taumeson at 10:09 AM on July 22, 2003

And, as usual, another MeFi thread deteriorates into the usual Farkesque asides. Why does this thread even exist? So that we can place currency on a celebrity's half-baked thoughts about file sharing? It would be one thing if Jackson had prepared something along the lines of Courtney Love Does the Math, whereby specific points were presented and backed up by argument. But this seems to me another desperate attempt by Jackson to court the public. He's still as irrelevant as ever, and I'm mystified why you're all encouraging this.

I can just see the next series of threads:

Ben Affleck rallies against sweatshops: "Yeah, cause they're like wrong and stuff."

Gwyneth Paltrow stands up for women: "See, I'm a chick. And I play chicks in films. And that's wrong. Because inside all of us is something beyond a chick waiting to get out."

Henry Thomas declares green to be best color for Reese's Pieces: "And I should know. Because I had so many comp packages sent to me after E.T."
posted by ed at 10:10 AM on July 22, 2003

And, as usual, another MeFi thread deteriorates into the usual 'why is this thread here' asides. Why does this comment even exist? So that we can place currency on a member's half-baked thoughts about mefi propriety? It would be one thing if ed had prepared something along the lines of metafilter does the math, whereby specific points were presented and then ridiculed mercilessly. But this seems to me a desperate attempt by ed to court the adoration of the malcontents. It's still as annoying as ever, and I'm mystified why you're all still reading this.
posted by quonsar at 12:32 PM on July 22, 2003

If you don't like it, Ed, don't click the link. How much damage did those two wasted inches of front page space cause you? (Anyway, Michael Jackson isn't just a celebrity, he's in the music industry, which makes his comments more relevant. Plus, he's completely insane, which is entertaining.) On preview: what Quonsar said
posted by Tlogmer at 12:53 PM on July 22, 2003

If you don't like it, Quonsar, don't post a comment. How much spare time did replicating those five sentences cause you? (Anyway, quonsar isn't just a cad, he's derailing this thread almost as effectively as I am, which makes his comment just as irrelevant as this one. Plus, he's completely humorless, which is entertaining.) On preview: [insert MeFi cliche here].
posted by ed at 1:18 PM on July 22, 2003

you worry about your spare time, i'll worry (heh) about mine.
posted by quonsar at 3:43 PM on July 22, 2003

Calling quonsar completely humorless is a flat-out lie.

Maybe you have a defective humor gland or something. You should get it checked out.
posted by beth at 10:11 AM on July 23, 2003