"I don't have any personal enemies that I know of, so my guess is that it was someone who didn't want me circulating those fliers. And if they were serious enough to mess with my own lunch, I really didn't want to risk a rematch, courtesy of the hospital kitchens. That's why I skipped out after the graveyard shift came on."
"Leaving the question I've been wondering. Why did you come here?"
"Like I said, I needed a place to hide, and I didn't want to put my family at risk. But more importantly, I need a collaborator; someone who can make sure the fight doesn't die with me. It's not like there's an organized resistance among the grassroots dedicated to defending the Public Domain. And there's definitely no organization out there willing to call out the shadow lords nudging Congress and corporations to torch the creative commons and make sure there's nothing left but a privately owned profit-hunting preserve. And well, I think you've got the perspective it takes to really understand the danger we're in."
Robieri laughed. "Funny you should mention that."
"What, that you see the danger?"
"Yeah. Because, as it happens, I was engaging in a bit of windmill-tilting myself when you knocked. But after what you just said, I'm beginning to wonder if maybe I'm looking at the wrong problem."
"The wrong problem?"
"See, I've been trying to attack the whole strategy of teaching to the test the idea behind Bush's 'No Child Left Behind' program -- on the basis of it being about as useful for teaching as torture is for getting answers. But now I'm not so sure. Maybe I should be looking at the kind of citizen that approach produces, and whether someone stands to gain from that outcome. But that's really beside the point. Right now, what we ought to be doing is addressing your problem, and making certain that you don't have to spend your life in hiding."
Colleen finished her cocoa and set the mug down. "And how, exactly do we do that, Mr. R.?"
"Well, as it happens, I've got an appointment to speak with Senator Dubinsky in the morning."
"But copyright is federal law. What good is bending the ear of a state senator? There's nothing he can do about it anyway?"
"Not necessarily. Don't forget that the state university system includes a law school, and Dubinsky is chairman of the Education Committee. That's why I'm meeting with him, after all. And if I don't miss my guess here, I think there's a way we can address both of our problems at the same time."
Colleen brightened. "Oh?"
+ ---- + ----- +
"...so here's my suggestion, Senator," Robieri said as their half-hour was nearly up. "We start by establishing a state-funded Public Action Center at the University Law School, with the stated goal of involving not only law students, but citizens in general and that includes high school students -- to work together to bring cases that serve the public interest."
"But it takes years of study to become a lawyer, Mr. Robieri. I hardly think untrained citizens are in any position to --."
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
