MAC WK 1 Blog Response to Debbie Patsel

Debra,

Your post was well done. I particularly like your comment about people expressing themselves through documentaries and improving our democracy. I remember the first time I watched Sicko by Michael Moore. It was outlandish that the United States has such a blockade and mark-up on prescription drugs and has such a conservative view on “illegal” drugs like marijuana. Seeing that documentary made me feel like moving to a different country that truly understands medication and health benefits. The saddest part was this woman who was a single mom and had to move out of New York City after helping clean up 911 because she could not afford her medicine. She went to Cuba with Michael and was able to get a full prescription for 5 cents when she had to pay over 300 dollars a month for the same medication here in the United States. I applaud your efforts in researching the DVD. Your research proves exactly what was portrayed in the course content. People are afraid of losing their property and because of technology we really have to stay ahead of the curve to protect intellectual property.

I am excited about this class and glad that we are covering copyright in depth. We have hit on this topic briefly in the program, but it was never truly defined resulting in mixed results with my cohorts’ projects. I have just tried to keep it simple and I limited myself with Microsoft Office clip art because that usage seemed clear to me. Having watched the videos, the fog has cleared and I have a much better grasp of the entire copyright issue.

What I find most interesting and potentially frightful is the cultural impact that Copyright and Fair Use might have on society. I was concerned and upset about the explanation of the use of the Martin Luther King Jr. documentary, “Eyes on the Prize”; that it has been prohibited to be shown or preserved because of copyright laws and some people want to make a profit off of it. I agree with the commentators that this eventually comes down to censorship of history by making it private property. Individuals that want to make a profit cannot bind history, the greater good and evolution of a society depends on freedom of expression and the writing of histories’ stories. I am glad that there are groups that are fighting to preserve the rights of people to express themselves and make documentaries, thus improving our democracy.

I went to YouTube and found out that the clip we watched is old and it is on DVD and has been aired on PBS. I know that I have two of the DVD’s that are pictured in the film. I also went to Amazon, but the price is about $400.00 for the DVD. The film is available, but still out of reach. The debate continues and people persevere fighting the fights for making history accessible.

ImagevSource: Microsoft Office Clip Art; MP900427695jpg
Eyes on the Fair Use of the Prize, YouTube, Uploaded by mediathatmatters on May 4, 2007