How United States Copyright Law Works
"Why, look,"
said the man, "it's almost 2023! And, I, Mr. Lawyer, represent Walt
Disney."
"Good to see you,
kind sir," the lawyer did say. "And what might I do for you on this
fine day?"
"Well, you
see," said the other, "I'll have to explain… Steamboat Willie's
'bout to enter the public domain!"
The lawyer jolted back,
shocked, what a horrible thing! Why, imagine the cultural good it might bring!
"I understand,"
he then said, "what you need me to do: take a new bill to Congress and
somehow force it through.
"This new bill,"
he divulged, "will be clever and shrewd, and will certainly get your
copyright renewed.
"We'll extend all copyright
for another twenty-odd years. Corporations like Disney will need not have
fears.
"If we can, with
success, undertake this endeavor, you'll be able to profit off Mickey
forever!"
The response was,
"That's brilliant! Without doubt, I love it! Those criminal lawmakers sure
won't be above it!"
Thus Congress was
trampled by lawyers and lobbyists, who twisted the law at expense of all
hobbyists.
To the lawyers, the P.D.
was not quite as critical as money and cash and such things political.
Spineless legislators
were all easily swayed, and those who cared about American culture dismayed.
How could people create
without a public domain, full of works to be used without lawsuits or pain?
How could nobody see
Disney's blatant hypocrisy? They were forcing their way by corrupting
democracy!
Snow White, wasn't
that story from the public domain? Disney really did have zero right complain.
By using such stories,
they made mountains of money, and what they were then doing was not at all
funny.
The irony of it all was
totally whack: Disney took from the P.D. and never gave back.
The lobbyists came, and
they did come in flocks; the case seemed to have opened up Pandora's box.
Walt's cronies weren't
lonely, there were others there, too. (Ain't there money to be made off of Rhapsody
in Blue?)
Money and votes; weren't
they the same thing? Didn't matter, green paper made you practically king.
And thus copyright was
extended for some number of years, leaving all those with common sense bursting
to tears.
Years passed.
The cycle continued with
no end in sight, for money to Disney meant legislative might.
Who'd stand to oppose
them in a few more years, eh? With enough of the moolah, they'd always get
their way.
They might have realized
what they were doing. Nobody else did.
In the end, Steamboat
Willie would enter the public domain never,
And good ol' Walt would
control U.S. copyright law forever.
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