[nailer]

Hi there, you've written a very long answer which touched on some important issues.

But, like Rick, you have not actually answered the question.

Perhaps you're saying the term 'pirate' is used in jest, as a defense of those who equate liberty with piracy. Maybe not. I'm not sure.

All you've done is mention other issues that come from badly enforced copyright law. I am aware of those issues, I mentioned a few of them in my original post.

So again:

Do you support using other people's creative endeavors without their permission?

[tripzilch]

> Do you support using other people's creative endeavors without their permission?

Wrong question.

Current international copyright laws already allow this for all except a few very specific interpretations of the words "using" and "permission".

Add to that the European Pirate Parties are pushing for copyright reform making that question and any potential answer to it pretty meaningless.

If you think that is avoiding the issue, then you severely underestimate the complexity of the matter of intellectual property rights in the 21st century.