Mel Gibson got half of the line right in the movie Brave Heart, though he should have said, “You may take our money, but you will never take our free music!” From the beginning days of Napster when every dirt-poor smuck with a computer could grab as many free music downloads as humanly possible without having to waste a penny, it was a sweet little deal. Back then at least, I lavished happily as my 56k modem slowly but successfully gave me one song after the other. It was then I saw my ideal version of heaven – and it was musical, digital, and free.

A little earlier this month the music industry took aim once again at the poorest on the food chain of people you would ever want to sue for money: college students. You have to be the spawn of some kind of evil to think college students can afford to pay-up for anything. College tuition is a bucket load of too much money. If you have loans to pay off for school you will probably be indebt till you win the lotto, score a six-digit paycheck job, or find yourself a sugar mommy or daddy to foot the expenses. Either way, suing college students is just plain wrong and stupid. As if suing will make them want to buy anymore from music industries.

Now, someone actually grew some sense, and decided that before they sue the students of stealing music on their local campus downloading networks the music industry decided to reach settlements with the students at colleges such as University of Southern California and Arizona State University. So before dragging them into court for violating copyrights, the students will be offered some unknown settlement. Though I can’t imagine what kind of settlement they would give them: Every other paycheck you receive for the next five years, and you’re first born child. But really, if you plan on charging $19.50 for a CD you really are asking people to steal it.
—Eming Piansay