"Mom, Dad, this is Larry Kroger, the boy who molested me last month. We have to get married." This quote is from the National Lampoon classic "Animal House," CEO and President of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) Dan Glickman's favorite movie.
"It reminds me of my college years," Glickman said. His other favorites include "The Godfather" and "Gandhi." This is a man who knows his movies. He is, after all, the voice of the American film and television industries. Glickman also has 18 years of experience in the United States House of Representatives, six years under the administration of President Bill Clinton and two years as the Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard.
Mr. Glickman spoke to American University students in Kay Spiritual Life Center Monday night as part of the Office of Campus Life's "Civitas Week." The Kennedy Political Union cosponsored the event "in an attempt to highlight Mr. Glickman's efforts to catapult the issues surrounding illegal file sharing to the center of both the public and private stages," said KPU director Genevieve Frye.
Glickman posed an important question to AU students: "What is it that makes so many people want [an American film] without paying for it?" In two weeks after the release of "Spider Man 2," the movie was shown illegally in 15 countries from over five continents and subtitled in four different languages. The same problem applies to music. As piracy of songs becomes easier and more accessible, it has also become normal, Glickman said.
Glickman asked AU students why online piracy is not seen as wrong, considering it is comparable to stealing a DVD from the Tenleytown Best Buy. Perhaps, suggested AU students, online theft is easier and less tangible. Plus, it's free.
Glickman takes piracy very seriously.
"There are lots of things in life that we would like to have, but we cannot just go out and take them," he said.
How serious is a crime of piracy? This question reaches back to the United States Constitution and the right to compensate individuals for what they produce. It's about protecting creative activity.
"Like it or not," Glickman said, "that right belongs to somebody else."
Creative property rights aren't as tangible for students, according to Frye.
"It is very hard for students and individuals of our age group to fully grasp the severe importance of this issue," Frye said. "The fact of the matter is hundreds of industries are both directly and indirectly affected by the illegal exchange of media, both electronic and otherwise, and these industries will continue to be affected in the future."
Illegal downloading affects hundreds of thousands of people directly employed by the motion picture industry. The average movie costs $100 million to make and most films are non-profit. Glickman said he takes the piracy issue as a serious threat to the industry as a whole. The United States has enjoyed economic greatness in a large part due to the American motion picture industry, he said. A threat to it has the potential to devastate the United States' economy.
"Obviously, it is a problem at American University," said Alden Utter, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. Although Utter himself said he has not participated personally in downloading music and films illegally, he "attended two club meetings where all that was shown was pirated films."
Two-thirds of all college students report that they find nothing unethical about downloading media illegally, according to a national survey Glickman referenced. He said he finds this fact particularly frustrating.
With the introduction of the easily accessible Napster service to AU students this fall, some argue that illegal downloading of music in particular has been reduced. Indeed, offering low cost alternatives is one of the ways that Glickman said he hopes to cut back online piracy. In fact, he said legal, lower-cost movies may soon become more readily available online. Glickman said he is working on promoting credible online movie sources which would open up films for less money to movie-watchers.
Glickman closed by asking that American University students think twice about the value of American movie and music industries. "Movies have changed"
