News Speak: Into the Memory Hole

Unabomber Writings Create Controversy

As a writer, this headline caught my eye. Theodore Kaczynski, the famed Unabomber, is now fighting for the rights to his writings and personal correspondance he received from his brother and mother. The government doesn't want to return the documents, but Kaczynski is claiming first ammendment rights. The question still remains: Should the government allow a murderer to retain the rights and access to his writings?

Now, I would first like to point out the irony of his demands to the corresponance, which was sent through the federal mail system, the same system that he used to 16 mail bombs, resulting in the deaths of three people and the injury of 28 others.

The government wants to censor the documents and auction them, and donate the resulting funds to four of Kaczynski's victims. However, it is unclear how the government acquired permanent rights to these documents. First amendment rights would appear to dictate that Kaczynski still owns his "intellectual property," including an impressive 35,000-word manifesto.
The manifesto itself is consistent with the level of brilliance expected of a student educated at both Harvard and the University of Michigan. It is coherent, well-punctuated, and organized. It's intensity is nearly overwhelming.

One of the victims argued that because Kaczynski disregarded the rights of his victims, he himself should be denied rights to his documents. Yet, these are two separate types of rights. Why not deny Kaczynski his right to life, seeing how he forfeited his by three cases of murder? Kaczynski did not deny his victims their rights to free speech, although it might be argued that he dent them their rights to free speech by removing their right to life.

Taken to a higher degree, revoking any citizen's rights to their own intellectual property puts all Americans at risk for greater government censorship and loss of personal property rights. Where do we draw the line? At murderers? At people who criticize the government? At anyone who disagrees with the mindset of the dominant social class?

Kaczynski is still a citizen.

Labels: Kaczynski, manifesto, rights, Unabomber, victims, writing

posted by Lynette @ 2:06 PM 3 comments

Here's to the memory of Gerald Ford. Although not a perfect president, he served his country well. Thank you, sir, and may you go peacefully through the darkness and into the light.

Here's to the execution of a cruel leader who murdered many and tortured far more. Saddam, may your soul receive the justice it deserves.

Here's to James Brown, the singer who helped many of us say and believe "I feel good." You have died, but your music lives on. Thank you, and good night.

Here's to Naomi Cornell, who was a loving, giving grandmother whose life story leads me onward. You are loved, forever and always in my heart.

Here's to 2007. To forgiveness and mercy, to a friend (and the respective parent) who let me sleep over for two nights no questions asked, to Boston's homeless and those who minister to them, to unexpected hugs from wonderful people, to making dean's list, to dinner out with girlfriends, to being called at 1am and wished happy new year, to finding hope in new places, to a teacher who went beyond and became a friend and a mentor, to falling and getting back up, to doing illegal activities and not getting caught, to being content and happy, to loving old friends and making new ones, and so the list goes.

Stay tuned for my official new year's resolutions list.

<3 in hope and good faith

posted by Lynette @ 8:41 PM 0 comments