This is rough. Check out this latest missive from the Pirate Bay guys.

Now look at this line:

Democracy is about freedom and its foundation lies within the fact that everyone has the right to all information, culture and creativity.

Now, from what Wikipedia tells me about Sweden, it's a "representative parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy," which I think is safe to assume is correct since to my knowledge Stephen Colbert does not have Sweden in his crosshairs at this time. So I'll give him that. Still, he's not living in a pure democracy, because as I believe we've said before, democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting as to what's for lunch.

But still, does anybody here really think that the foundation of democracy, the rule of the people, is that the people get all information, culture and creative stuff for free? I thought the foundation of democracy was the direct participation of citizens in government. Granted, I went to school in Alabama, but I think it was something like that.

And where–anywhere–does it say that you have the right–not the option, mind you, but the right–to download the latest Bruce Springsteen album free of charge?

Now, to quote Uncle Bill, "I'm with the invaders. No use trying to hide that." Of course, the next bit is something to the effect of "But I disagree with some of what they are doing."

And here we go.

Let's not have anybody stupidly running around saying that they have a right to get shit for free. For example, the only reason you can get my books for free–or at least, digital versions of them–is because I have decided to make them available for free. So you have no right to jack shit of mine, Mikael. As I've stated before, if it's my choice to make it available for free, I will more than likely do so, but if you come around here pissing and moaning about your right to my books, then I'd rather burn the fuckers than let you have them under those terms.

The battle you're fighting is to get businesses to change their business model so that what you're doing can be seen as a bonus for them if nothing else. They have to be convinced that piracy, or what they define as piracy, actually can generate sales as opposed to killing them off completely.

But if you go around saying that piracy's good because it gets you the shit you want for free, well, the companies are going to go down fighting you. Because in that scenario, they can't win. You see, creating this stuff takes time, talent and money. And while the people reading me right now are thinking, "Yeah, Widge, but those companies you're defending gave us Batman and Robin, Joey and The DaVinci Code." To which I say, "Yeah, but they also brought you Batman Begins, Deadwood and Harry Potter." They have been known to provide a bit of entertainment in their time.

If you kill the companies by demanding that you get their shit for free, then what are we left with? Watching teenagers act stupid on YouTube? Are you really telling me that you would support the guys who made House (the series, not the movie franchise mind you) to go make it without a network's support? Wait, no, Mikael, of course not–because you have the right to that series without paying a dime–anywhere, anytime. That means you should be able to get it commercial free and on demand, and the networks should just suck it up and deal.

So, Mikael, you're not helping. Get your shit together. There is a way that this can end with everybody happy, but if you're demanding everything for nothing then no one's going to take you seriously. And the artists who do actually sort of agree with most of what you're up to–like me–are going to leave you for the wolves because you've gotten out of line with too many imaginary "rights."