Intellectual Profiteering.

he works published here are covered by a copyright which lasts for the life of the author plus 50 years. You can lose the copyright if the author cannot be proven to still be alive or at least alive a minimum of 50 years ago. Under this law, the Copyright act of 1976, this work was protected the moment that I wrote it, as is every submission to Pariah. This law went into effect the first day of 1978 AD.

There is nothing wrong with an artist owning and profiting from his own work. This is a legitimate profession from which some of us must derive sustenance. Under a republican society as the United States of America was chartered to be, you are created with nothing that God doesn't give to everybody and therefore anything you achieve in your life is yours. It is the fact that we are created equal, without status amongst our peers, which makes the act of creation by us such a significant attainment.

What I am opposing is the specific case of 'works made for hire' in which the company for which the work is created is officially credited as the author. Since a company has no defined life span as organic life forms do, these copyrights can be held indefinitely. This should be prevented by the requirement that the company prove that it is still alive 75 years after the work is created. Since the company is not biological, it cannot be biologically alive 25 years after the work is created, thus the copyright should expire in the minimum 75 years.

A work made for hire, like an anonymous work, expires 100 years from creation or 75 years from publication. All works which a company claims authorship of are the definition of works made for hire. By this definition, a work made under contract of employment, these copyrights should expire at the same 75 year mark. This would prevent the extension of copyright protection by false claims of authorship by companies.

This doesn't mean much to most people. The American people have become so enamored of 'permanent equality' and apathetic that they do not worry over these things. Without a court judgement, 51 years after you die, your work can be made into a blockbuster motion picture for free. Lucasfilm, however, will still own the rights to the upcoming 'Star Wars' movies.

The Constitution of these United States of America is the exclusive property of the people and we need to remind our 'Uncle Sam' of this. Copyright law needs an amendment to set this fact in stone. Man's heritage is his ability to dream and create. It is all that sets him apart from his machines.

Why is a corporation worth more than my great-grandchildren?