I just finished a letter to my senator for my political science class. I started it at about 4pm, and it is now almost midnight, although I did take a 2 1/2 hour break to go help an old teacher of mine with powerpoint because she doesn't know how to run it, and asked me to help her. :) Anything for her...

Anyways, I'm gonna post my rough draft in here for the night and I'll do final editing in the morning. If you read this before I leave for school, please let me know what you think of it, if it's good or if it's crap. Personally, I kind of think it's crap. I kind of skirt around the issue I think. I could never be as great as Jes for writing things like this... I just don't have the mental capacity. Thanks Jes, by the way, for the inspiration for this topic. I couldn't figure out what the hell I was going to write about, and then you had written that article on the RIAA, and it got me thinking. :) I give you tons and tons of hugs, because you have given me so many!

Sooo.... heres the letter. Enjoy, I guess? :)

Dear Honorable Senator Coleman:

I am a high school senior in Owatonna, MN. I am writing to you regarding the issue of peer-to-peer file sharing of music. I know you’ve spoken on the issue of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the lawsuits they’ve brought against users of peer-to-peer networks, and I would like to explain to you why I think these file sharing programs are a good thing.

I believe that file sharing is a harmless practice, and may actually encourage music sales. It gives groups just starting out a chance to be heard. Though some may abuse this privilege (being able to download music), if it is used properly, it is a good thing. File sharing is no different than listening to the radio, and downloading those files is like making a mixed tape (if just downloading one or two files at a time). When recording songs off the radio was happening, no one made a big deal of that, but as it has evolved to cds, the privilege (of downloading) has been abused, and now has controversy surrounding it. Because of those abusing the privilege, the RIAA had a major crackdown and started making lawsuits against those who were known to download shared files. They handled that situation in an unjust way, as you would agree. I do understand that with file sharing, there are copyright infringements, but I again say it is no different than listening to the radio, or even borrowing a cd from a friend. You’re not paying for that music when you borrow a cd, but you are listening to it. I feel copying an entire album from one particular artist for personal use or resale is wrong. If a person likes an artist enough to download their entire album and burn it onto a disc, then they obviously deserve the money for the music they have made. But why waste money on a cd if you aren’t going to listen to the whole thing? I have a set rule for myself when it comes to downloading music that if I download more than 3 songs from a single artist that is on one album, then I will go out and buy that cd. I then use those albums to create mixed cds, if I am able to, and then I share my playlists with friends, which sparks interest with them if they haven’t heard of a certain artist or song before, again encouraging sales if they do like that certain artist or song. File sharing is somewhat like free advertising. The Internet is a major provider of communication, and because of that it is becoming increasingly easier to discover new bands and share your personal favorites with another person, possibly half a world away.

I have been looking over your website, and I am wondering what has recently happened with this issue, being the last thing I had found on it was released on January 21st, 2004, and what your feelings are on this issue, more in depth. Also, I was wondering if there’s a chance that file sharing could possibly become legal in the future? I believe if there were safeguards in place to protect the artist’s involved, as well as protect the privacy of the people using these programs, that we could help raise record sales. I thank you for taking time to read this letter and hear what my thoughts are on the issue, and I hope to hear back on what your thoughts are. Thank you.

Regards,

Jess