There are many ways to stand up to SOPA. Websites like Wikipedia and BoingBoing are dark, there’s a rally in New York, and people everywhere are signing petitions and contacting their senators. My favourite method, though? A protest song to the tune of Don McLean’s ‘American Pie’.
Created by comedy team LaughPong, the song urges you to take action. If you still don’t know exactly what SOPA is, then you should read our guide. Or just sing along. The chorus goes, altogether now:
Why, why are laws a thing you can buy?
They got paid off, should be laid off, re-election denied,
Our web means more than lawyers, lobbies and lies,
So speak up before the internet dies,
Speak up before the internet dies.
So keep calling. Keep emailing. Make it known that the internet was built on the same principle as the US: freedom. [LaughPong]
Salty
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 10:31 AMAnyone able to read the trademarked comment that flashes up at 52 seconds?
vin
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 11:27 AM“The domain name has been seized by the US immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent in Charge New York Office in accordance with blah blah blah…
It is inlawful to reproduce or distribute copywrite material, such as movies … …
Individuals who willfully re… risk criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C …2319
First time offenders will face up to five years in federal prison “(holy shit!), restitution, forfeiture and a fine.”
wow.
Salty
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 12:47 PMhahaha awesome.
Just This Guy ...
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 3:05 PMWould be far more impressed if they used an original tune.
(By the way isn’t that on it’s own a copyright infringement?)
It’s like all the crap ads that use a well known tune and simply re-write the lyrics. Often very lamely indeed.
Sorry, but this kind if thing is just creative laziness.
But that’s just my opinion. Lots of other folk love ‘em.
kami
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 10:02 PMI disagree, an original song wouldn’t have half the emotional impact that using American Pie – a song that esentially appeals to the traditional sense of american patriotism. At the very least it would have more recognisability than an original song (unless it had a damn catchy tune).
I imagine that using the song in such a way would probably fall somewhere under the parody side of things and not quite infringement.
Just This Guy ...
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 3:18 PM” built on the same principle as the US: freedom ”
Yeah right.
Freedom to pass through an airport without being molested?
Freedom to protest without being pepper sprayed?
Freedom to marry your gay partner?
US no longer = freedom really, just a simulacrum.
Matt L
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 3:33 PMIf the bill passes, we can start our own network and start again. It will not be known as the internet (For copyright reasons). We can call it 4Chan. And we will have learned from the mistakes of the old world network and make sure it remains hard and scary to use, like the good ol’ days… That’ll keep those pollies away.