Firestorm

Bloggers aren’t the only ones upset with Orrin Hatch’s remarks the other day. Reader Clifford Grout was kind enough to forward this letter he sent to the Republican National Committee:

To the Chairman of the RNC:

I am a 44-year old architect in Louisiana, and have proudly been a registered Republican all my life.

Today, that changed.

I just finished reading Sen. Hatch’s shocking comments on copyrights and downloading, where he says a private industry (the recording and entertainment industry) should have the right to destroy my property (my computer) if they do not like what I am doing with it (downloading). The fact that he even considered such an idea makes question what the leaders of the GOP are thinking. Does the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee think sending me a warning e-mail constitutes due process??

Sir, I fully understand copyrights. My designs are protected by copyrights. But by using Sen. Hatch’s logic, I shouldn’t I have the right to destroy a building that was copied from one of my designs? After only sending the Owner a letter???

Of course not.

Sir, I have always believed that the core values of the GOP are freedom, responsibility, and equal treatment under Law. I still believe in those things. Does the GOP? From his comments, it is clear that Sen. Hatch does not. What I heard I would expect from a Rep. Waxman, Sen. Boxer, or Sen. Clinton.

But NEVER a Republican.

For the first time in my life, I am ashamed to be a member of the GOP, and am considering changing my party affiliation from ‘Republican’ to ‘Independent’. How the RNC responds to the comments of Sen. Hatch will be the determining factor in my decision. There are clearly ways to handle the file sharing issue other than giving the RIAA police powers over my property.

Yours Sincerely.

J. Clifford Grout III, Architect AIA

And I thought I was harsh on Hillary this morning.