There are very few times we see someone who supports restricting copyright laws that are so direct, but Alejandro Sanz probably should win an award for most direct and honest opinion (and maybe rather asinine as well) of those who don’t agree with his point of view on matters. Still, it appears to be quite a good indicator of just how tense the debate over Spanish web censorship has become. Maybe the defeat of the web censorship bill has only served to infuriate foreign interests as well as those who side with them.
Note: This is an article I wrote that was published elsewhere first. It has been republished here for archival purposes
The Sinde Law, a law that would allow the Spanish government to censor any website they deem to contain pirated material, was defeated in a government vote shortly after Wikileaks revealed that such laws were brought forth due to, what some would argue, foreign (US) interference. In spite of the law being defeated once it was brought to a vote, the minister responsible for the law vowed to pass the law anyway, regardless of any difficulty she may have passing it after it was defeated once already.
Supporters of web censorship were apparently furious about the defeat of the legislation. One supporter, Alejandro Sanz in particular, took his comments quite far by likening some of the opponents to the Taliban, calling some opponents to web censorship dictators and even calling politicians who voted against the legislation coward. From the posting in question (Google Translation):
When I learned that he had rejected the law Sinde wrote in my Twitter about this, and this time, some politicians had acted cowardly and hypocritical, I keep it. I think many of them, knowing that it was a just law, voted against it because of convenience or cowardice. Either reason is unfortunate but apart from this, which of course is my opinion, the worst part is that I immediately started to receive via Twitter all kinds of insults and abuse. Some even dared to say that I do not pay taxes, others I just blurted out that Curran, in order to bully the typical arguments of zebra crossing. These misplaced are those who believe that my work and that of all workers in the music industry more and theirs are not supporting the others, who are the worst. I mean the Internet Taliban, they are glad that a hacker sites close to anyone who is in favor of this bill or against anything they think ie, is the new fascism, new dictatorship of the Lords of the Red and many politicians have joined them.
This protects the pirate, the procurer of stolen songs (is white, black, eighth notes and sixteenth note), here yesterday and voted to protect the right to pirate music to keep her brothel opened and voted against the artist. … and our rights … Do you know how many jobs have been lost in the music because of the Taliban and their cronies, with the complicity of much of our society including many of our politicians? … Look, this is very simple: music, culture, our cultural future depends on what we protect, we care, I feel like all of us and we demand our leaders to protect him, if not, get used to the deteriorating cultural, social impoverishment , and the Taliban. … Because they never let them play their feuds, their parallel world where anything goes, where there are no laws … your world … and will lead to perverse anarchy. You will see what they want for their future generations.
Turn and repeat, political masters in Spain, with respect to the music industry you have behaved like cowards and hypocrites and have done a disservice to the culture of our country. I hope you reconsider and become part of the solution. There is still time. …If not prepare to be hostage to the Lords of the network to the rest of their lives, and oh, time … puts everything in place.
Apparently, some supporters of Spanish web censorship really enjoy their ellipses. In all seriousness, what I find ironic here is the fact that those who chose to dislike the idea of the government saying what is or isn’t right for public are the very people this person is calling the dictators here. I think there is a point that one could cross where such extreme support for restricting copyright can be an impediment to the very cause they are fighting for simply because, at least, in this case, it doesn’t sound like they are able to handle defeat in a mature manner. Going so far as to insinuate that the Taliban are against web censorship is certainly a bit extreme to put it mildly. Even calling those who have the power to pass such legislation in the first place names certainly isn’t very helpful. One can really only hope that Sanz isn’t really representative of the businesses, including foreign ones, point of view.
The group Sanz targeted in particular, the Asociación de Internautas (Association of Internet Users), issued a response (Google Translation may contain NSFW language) to this colorful opinion:
VÃctor Domingo already replied to Miami from the website of the most active association in defense of the network that have Spanish Internet users, members or nonmembers.
We are facing a campaign contemptible about Lords of Industry to those who never needed a speaker, a forum, a radio, a newspaper or a television for personal insult and promote their work outside the free market. Issuers of government grant, do not forget that there is a big key to the multinational network (Spanish version): FM and a select few.
But more serious, more serious is that the culture minister has said that you liked the article the singer Alejandro Sanz. Of course, in that same interview shows his respect for Fernando Trueba and his announcement of fiscal disobedience.
What all of this will do for the debate of web censorship is unclear. What we do know is that tempers are really flaring over this.
Drew Wilson on Twitter: @icecube85 and Google+.
