Firefighters For SOPA (Again): The Congressional Fire Services Institute Rehashes Cliches And Debunked Anecdotes
from the jobs-safety-foreigners-REPEAT dept
Another pro-SOPA/PROTECT-IP op-ed detailing the horrors wrought by "rogue sites" has appeared at The Hill. This time, it's William Jenaway of the Congressional Fire Services Institute decrying the ready availability of counterfeits goods and the risk to "public safety" these items pose.It opens with the usual "the internet is wonderful but mostly it's a den of thieves" rhetorical device before wading into the shallowest waters of the overused "appeal to patriotism" argument, stating that "Foreign-owned, rogue websites are increasingly selling counterfeit products to U.S. consumers," reminding us yet again that xenophobia and lousy legislation still go hand-in-hand far too frequently.
Then there's this touching display of concern (feel free to throw quotes around touching, display, concern or all three):
The economic impact of these counterfeit products is only one part of the problem. Many of these products are of poor design and quality and cannot perform basic safety functions. The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement estimate 15% of seized counterfeit goods pose a direct risk to public safety.Our pro-SOPA representatives are just worried about the consumers. By properly censoring the internet, we can ensure that Americans will only be harmed by faulty, genuine products, possibly made by Americans themselves. Jenaway then goes on to bring us a real life example of how counterfeit goods have harmed decent, hardworking Americans:
Counterfeit goods can pose a very real threat to the public and to the firefighters who protect our communities. Here in Atlanta, more than 18,000 counterfeit smoke detectors were recalled after they were distributed in high-risk, low-income communities earlier this year.This again?
If you'll recall, back in November, Mike published a post taking the International Association of Firefighters to task for sending a letter in support of PROTECT-IP and the (now renamed) E-PARASITE Act. This particular anecdote surfaced in the comment thread as Exhibit A in defense of these acts. After all, knockoff smoke detectors are dangerous and blocking rogue sites would ensure these fakes wouldn't end up in consumers' hands, while also "explaining" why firefighters were concerned with taking pirate sites offline.
But as Josh in Charlotte pointed out, this story has nothing to do with rogue sites, censorship or consumer protection. This was a government agency screwing things up on its own and distributing counterfeit goods to its citizens:
About 18,500 counterfeit photoelectric smoke alarms were distributed for free in the Atlanta area between 2006 through May 2011 as part of the Atlanta Smoke Alarm Program.Oh, so the same government who can't even source legitimate goods on its own is now going to be allowed to decide which sites are valid and which sites are "rogue?" And it's going to be assisted by a variety of self-interested corporations? Sounds almost like the fever dream of turn-of-the-century robber barons rather than a 21st-century piece of legislation. Jenaway's not done, though, making one last mention of "protecting" consumers.
And this has exactly what to do with censoring internet websites?
http://www.huliq.com/10473/fbi-investigating-detectors-distributed-atlanta-smoke-alarm- program
"More than 18,000 of the apparently uncertified units were purchased in 2005 and 2006 from a company in California."
http://news.consumerreports.org/home/2011/05/atlanta-recalls-counterfeit-smoke-alarm s.html
"The problem dates back five years to when the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department bought the alarms from a vendor in Calabasas, California."
"While the Atlanta firemen work to replace the alarms, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into the vendor, Silver Sails Corp. The City of Atlanta is "currently examining all available legal options" to recover the $100,000 spent on the counterfeit alarms, according to the fire department."
http://www.made-in-china.com/traderoom/silversails
"We are an industrial supplier to local, state and federal agencies..."
http://www.atlantaga.gov/media/nr_afrdrecall_051211.aspx
"Purchase History:
Bids were submitted to AFRD, according to City of Atlanta Department of Procurement policies and procedures, with specifications for the detector purchase to include: new ionization type; Federal and State of Georgia Occupational Safety and Health Act compliancy; UL compliancy; continuous alarm duration; alarm sound level of 85 dB@ 10 feet; low battery indicator; hush button; test button; twist off mounting bracket; and long life 10 year lithium battery
Three bids were submitted from the following vendors: Englewood Electrical Supply (June 7, 2005), Silver Sails Inc. (June 7, 2005), and Cintas (July 8, 2005)
July 29, 2005- Silver Sails Inc. was awarded the procurement bid (8337-BA)"
You can't even play the "sold on a rogue site" card on this one. A government program got duped into buying them and distributed to people.
It is imperative that Congress address this growing danger with safeguards that support commerce and innovation, while protecting American consumers, our communities, and the first responders who keep us safe. These bills do just that.Whatever. This is lazy conflation designed to stoke the fires of protectionism under the guise of "public safety." If it's just "dangerous" fakes we're worried about, why spend the time and energy shutting down sites selling counterfeit jerseys and handbags? If it's the health and well-being of Americans we're so "concerned" with, why are we even bothering with blocking so-called "pirate" sites? Did someone pass out and lapse into a coma brought on by over-torrenting? Did someone get hospitalized for "DVD burns?"
Congressman Lamar Smith (TX-21) and Senator Patrick Leahy (VT) should be applauded for introducing these important bills. Congress should act quickly to pass comprehensive legislation protecting consumers from dangerous, counterfeit goods.
This rhetoric is repeated over and over by SOPA's supporters, taking on a mantra-like tone: JOBS SAFETY JOBS SAFETY, occasionally interrupted by promises to take it out on the "foreigners" who are "endangering" Americans when not "stealing their jobs." They certainly have the fattened wallets and corrupted power to shove this bill through, but they're severely short on justification.
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Filed Under: counterfeits, firefighters, pipa, protect ip, smoke detectors, sopa
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Obligatory SouthPark video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=768h3Tz4Qik
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The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement estimate 15% of seized counterfeit goods pose a direct risk to public safety.
These items include counterfeit cigarettes, manufacturing goods, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment. In many cases, Consumer Product Safety Commission has had to issue warnings for counterfeit batteries, circuit breakers, and semiconductors as a result.
I wonder what percentage of American made (or imported legally by an American company) products are substandard and have to have warnings issued and how it compares to that 15% figure.
And on a side note: WTF is a counterfeit cigarette? If it's tobacco wrapped in a rolling paper than it's a cigarette. Period. I wouldn't think cigarettes have to pass FDA inspection or whatever since they are inherently unhealthy to begin with. Are they talking about "medical" cigarettes or something?
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Still if you ask them they are sure to quote old newspapers, mouse droppings and the common added weed killer. I am sure the foreign manufacturer would deny that ingredients list.
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And more laws are needed why? Seems to be enough in place already - since they are doing such a good job and all.
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After that Dolly Parton front row, 30 dead, counterfeit bra breaking incident. I would think most people would be for greater enforcement and re-enforcement.
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I touched a DVD right after a burn once. I never did regrow my finger nails...
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Liars
Most people spot the problem when they buy some paracetamol in Canada only to hear when the get back that these drugs are a public health risk and not being FDA approved makes them potentially dangerous. We must ban such imports to save lives etc.
I have always found one good rule of thumb is that Governments and Health Care systems in general don't aim to fool or poison their population. So when you buy FDA-unapproved Paracetamol you can be very certain that this will indeed cure your headache.
I would go on to say that people putting out false scare stories should be a crime with suitable punishment. It is after all rubbish like this that makes it much harder for people to spot real problems... like former baby milk from China.
I will give up on that idea when they would never make general lying a crime. We can at least identify such "scum" who use such lies to try and fool the public.
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contact?
wjenaway@vfis.com
Jim Estep Vice President:
jestepp@bizroundtable.org
Let's tell them how wrong they are.
Considering their credentials they seem to be intelligent people. But looks can be deceiving.
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Re: contact?
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But... what about the firefighters!
OMG, the firefighters were hurt by counterfeit smoke detectors? But... what about the firefighters?
Thanks Tim, nice job on the analysis.
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Re: But... what about the firefighters!
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Seizing up
two things: 1) seized goods pose NO risk to public safety, they were seized. 2) 85% did not pose a risk to public safety. Chinese quality must be getting better!
you may continue now...
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I know a guy who knows a guy who once did 20 cc's of cyberlocker and six lines of bittorrent in the same night. He spent three months in the hospital, and was never really the same afterward.
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needed a big check
1 Why the heck is the depart not researching who they buy their products from?
2 When the AFD received the smoke alarms Why did they not test some of them? I mean come on is it not good business to test a certain percent of bulk buys?
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Counterfeit what?
And how will SOPA et al. protect us from such counterfeits?
And what function /does/ the Congressional Fire Services Institute actually perform? Is it the assigned responsibility of its members to run madly about extinguishing flaming Congressmen who have become so inflamed by their own rhetoric that they've spontaneously combusted?
Inquiring minds want to know...
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The whole law system is a joke and a system of extortion
http://www.freedomfiles.org/extortion.pdf
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