On Thu, 24 Jul 2003, John Pedersen wrote:
> > Interesting reading after all. There have been the reports of
> > the Rebook China manufacturing unit turning out millions of
> > knock-off's behind Reebok's back -- this piece speaks of "We
> > respect the privacy and exclusiveness of your idea"
>
> Your post is very interesting and relevant. When I read the above
> paragraph, I couldn't help thinking:
>
> Gee, that's really tough for the company "Reebok"--and my heart
> bleeds--but what difference does it make to the American worker?
> After all, the "real" Reeboks are probably made in China too.
To the american worker probably none -- but to an American who
is part of an economic system which does not condone theft of
the property of others, and 'Life, Liberty and Property', it
matters lots. [editorial changes at the last moment changed
the conventional and Jefferson's formulation to 'the pursuit
of happiness' -- stupid change]
To me, the issue is not where the next meal for the 'american
worker' is coming from. That is an important question as well
-- and ultimately, if 'american worker' gets hungry enough the
model is that economic relocation to another market sector has
to happen. It happened to the horses who previously pulled
our wagons -- it happened to the buggy whip makers -- It
was happening to the Big Three Auto makers.
Of the big three, one sold out and moved itself to Germany; on
a micro scale, we ate the horses, and the buggy whip makers
probably staffed the lines for Henry Ford
If you stop growing and changing, you are dying. No two ways
about it.
The issue is -- what level of civilization can be attained?
'law of the jungle' vs. 'ordered liberty and the rule of law'
If you won't stand to protect Reebok's IP rights, don't sqwak
when a loved one is ill and your health insurance says
'tough'. It is the same bundle of rights being protected.
-- Russ Herrold
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.3 : Fri Aug 01 2014 - 20:26:22 EDT