Bootlegger “Big Hy”
The New York Times tells the story of 92-year-old Hyman Strachman, a World War II veteran who, in 2004, reconnected with the military when he began shipping bootlegged DVDs to the troops almost as soon as the movies themselves were released. The Times says that “Big Hy” has sent more than 4,000 boxes of the DVDs at his own expense over the years;
“It’s not the right thing to do, but I did it,” Mr. Strachman said, acknowledging that his actions violated copyright law.
As for his brazen violation of domestic copyright laws, Mr. Strachman nodded guiltily but pointed to his walls, which are strewed with seven huge American flags, dozens of appreciative letters, and snapshots of soldiers holding up their beloved DVDs.
“Every time I got back an emotional e-mail or letter, I sent them another box,” he said, adding that he had never accepted any money for the movies or been told by any authorities to stop.
After Mr. Strachman’s wife of more than half a century, Harriet, died in 2003, he discovered a Web site that collected soldiers’ requests for care packages. He noted a consistent plea for movie DVDs and wound up passing his sleepless nights replicating not only the films, but also a feeling of military comradeship that he had not experienced since his own service in the Pacific during World War II.
Funny how we always succumb to that call of comradeship and commonality sooner or later. The Times estimates that “Big Hy” spent over $30,000 bringing a bit of home to the troops in 90 minute doses.
Thanks to Susie for the tip.
Category: Support the troops
And, what can we do for Big Hy? Reading the link after I post this, looking for his e-mail address or other connection so that we can thank him for his continued service and dedication to his brothers in arms.
Okay, I’m probably going to get landed on for this, but here goes.
He’s breaking the law. He is doing it for all the right reasons, but he’s going about it illegally. Maybe there is some other way for him to obtain the movies to send the troops? I know the authorities haven’t gone after him, but they might, and he’s too honorable a man to go to jail at his age for copyright violations.
Yes, he broke the law; so what? It’s a bad law. Congress has been letting the MPAA literally write the copyright laws for several decades.
What’s really pathetic is that while the MPAA crucifies the low-lying fruit found via BitTorrent and other file-sharing networks, 99% of the real piracy goes on in eastern Europe, Russia, and China. That’s same as busting all the bozos who sell an ounce of pot on the street and proclaiming a major victory in the “war on drugs.”
And -alas- no, there is no way he could afford to get those movies legally unless the studios contributed them. Even if we all took turns buying movies for him to duplicate, we would still be part of the chain of IP violators. BTW, did you read in the Times article how sends movies over there? On a reel-to-reel tape. With a projector. I’m sure that works so well at the local FOB.
I can pretty much guarantee they won’t prosecute. Why? Look at the facts: a 92-year-old widower (and WW2 combat vet) finds a new reason to keep going after his wife of decades dies. He sends movies to the troops. He doesn’t keep the masters after he’s done, and he hasn’t taken a single penny for any of this. A prosecution would turn in to a perfect storm of bad publicity for the MPAA.
Hell, I hope they do prosecute. Hy would get an ace attorney –pro bono, natch- money pouring in to help, and probably a major movie “based on true events.” I hope they cast Judd Hirsch as Hyman Strachman. 🙂
Don’t find myself condoning, much encouraging, the breaking of laws, but this might become the exception.
Certainly would contribute to a legal defense fund.
I wouldn’t presume to argue with you about the copyright laws. From what I know of them, they’re draconian. My argument was simply that a 92 year old vet doesn’t need the FBI landing on him; and I don’t know about you, but I don’t look for tender mercy from any of our alphabet agencies.
Maybe we could pretend we are libs and use one of their usual arguments: victimless crime. He copied movies but did not sell them. He didn’t purchase the pirated movies from a third party who benefitted from his purchases. The people he gave them to are unlikely to have purchased them, so there is really no monetary damage to anyone.
I’m with Casey on this one.
One of the reasons the copyright laws are so draconian is that the RIAA and MPAA (and others) haven’t (or, most likely, won’t) changed their business model(s) to keep up with new technology.
They are screaming foul because they are their own worst enemies. Rather than investing in a new business model, or trying to adapt to the new technology, they’ve sat on their asses for decades, content to rake in the dough, even while the artists who recorded the music or acted in the films often starved.
I have no love for the RIAA or the MPAA and wouldn’t lose a tear if the lot of them died horrific and painful deaths. they are profit-whores, sucking dry both the consumer and the creative artists, many of the latter who were shystered into contracts that would make a true pirate blush.
I look at the piracy and see it as a fitting end to these “middle men” who slurped so long at the trough that they licked it clean and are now looking starvation in the face.
Considering all the bootleg DVDs that troops are and have been getting from locals in Iraq for the past 10 years that they are allowed to bring home with them, (and I assume in A-Stan) this is a tempest in a Tea Pot.
This is a tough call. He is technically breaking the law, but it’s one where the sheer number of people committing the action almost renders the law inconsequential excepting the ruling of this type of case for precedence.