After reading a story of a new Boy Scout program sponsored by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) I have to admit it seams a natural way to start the indoctrination of our youth into the wisdom of the Digital Millennium Copyright act. Although a “Merit Badge” style program called “Respect Copyrights” may have made perfect sense to those who get paid to promote the agenda of such organizations I doubt any crash course taught over a few weekly meetings at the old Scout Lodge would be sufficient to teach a young person how to correctly identify what is or is not “Fair Use” as currently defined under U.S. Copyright law. But some how I don’t think that’s the intention of the MPAA. So what is big business up to this time with the hearts and minds of our youth? I think it’s pretty clear and something any Boy Scout should recognize. “If it looks like a duck, smells like a duck and qucks like a duck, it’s a duck” and that’s just what this is: A smelly attempt by the MPAA to peddle their agenda, their view of the law and ethics in this case, to the most vulnerable and formidable members of our society. If I were a Scout Leader I would not even have to think twice about offering this program. There would simply be no way I would ever partner with and teach such a self promoting program sent by an industry that has spent the last 30 years running down every value the Boy Scouts stand for.
