By Hailey Smith

Writers nowadays are faced with an extremely large problem: getting their work published and getting it out there to the people who want to read it. Unlike in previous generations, today’s publishers are now looking for writers with an established set of followers on social media, before deciding whether to publish their work or not.

Most writers have then resorted to simply publishing ebooks and selling them online. What happens, then, when one minute you’re watching orders come in for your newly-published SciFi book, and the next, you get an email from Amazon saying that it’s been pulled out of the store for copyright infringement? This is exactly what happened to Maggie Hogarth, U.S.-based writer and author of “Spots the Space Marine”, whose book was pulled from Amazon’s shelves because she used the term “Space Marine,” a term that has apparently been held by U.K. toymaker Games Workshop.

The past few years have seen a rather large boom in the gaming industry, a fact that Gaming Realms, operators of Pocket Fruity, attributes to “the increased adoption of smartphones by consumers, which currently account for 17% of mobile usage, facilitated by increased mobile internet capabilities.” Because of this, many game developers and manufacturers are seeing a much heavier need to push for stronger intellectual property and copyright laws, as well as a better way to enforce them.

Games Workshop took things into their own hands when they had Amazon pull “Spots the Space Marine” from their virtual shelves, claiming that the firm had possessed a trademark for the term “space marine” since 1995. Ultimately, however, the writing community prevailed and “Spots the Space Marine” was reinstated, but not before Maggie Hogarth had lost months of potential sales.

But what happened to “Spots” shed light on a much graver issue: the lack of due process for takedowns in Amazon. “I continue to be gravely concerned by the lack of due process shown me,” Maggie wrote. “There’s a tradition of facing one’s accuser, and one of the worst parts of this ordeal was having no petition, no appeal, no right to defend myself and point out the absurdity of the claim against me.” To this day, guidelines for publication remain to be iron-clad and enforced with a passion; yet it’s surprisingly easy to find yourself being taken off of the shelves for reasons you may not be aware of.

Should you or anyone you know encounter any problems with publishing your work online, you might feel better knowing that there are foundations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation that have experience dealing especially with digital rights. It’s important to keep yourself updated, and always have a backup plan when it comes to publishing your work online.

Hollywood is at it again with its propaganda. The latest surge of persuasion isn’t through entertainment, but press releases picked up by the news media. The two latest issues concern Israeli borders and consenting sex between two adults.

THE LETTER

In an open letter signed by several members from the film industry, led by Penelope Cruz, filmmakers and actors have denounced Israel’s incursion into Gaza. They have leveraged the Europa Press and other Spanish media to label Israel’s actions as “genocide.” The letter demands a cease-fire, lifting of the blockade in the Gaza Strip, and returning to the 1967 borders.

I always question the political perspectives of people who speak the words of others for a living. While they might be highly educated on a subject, there is something about their position that sends the message “propaganda.” It might be due to their visibility or access to millions of fans that causes me to question them, but it’s hard to consider their viewpoint without asking lots of questions.

For instance, why the 1967 borders? The actors blame the recent violence on the quarrel about Israeli’s land that the Palestinians “occupied” back in 1967. It’s their perspective that forcing Israel to give the land back would solve the problem and bring peace.

This brings me to a second question: Do the actors not know the Egyptians occupied the land from 1959 – 1967? I suppose they didn’t read their history books about the British’s occupation from 1923 – 1948. Nor did they read further back in history when the Palestinians took the land from Israel.

However, I will give the actors credit for some knowledge, as most of the arguments are formed from the post World War I ruling by the Geneva Convention and don’t give consideration to who occupied the land in earlier years. In fact, it’s pretty hard to find any information about the battles prior to World War I.

But my point isn’t to figure out if Israel has or doesn’t have the rights to the land, but instead confront the role of entertainers in the political arena. They certainly have the rights to express their perspective through freedom of speech. However, there is a fine line between voicing a viewpoint supported by reason and using your fame to verbalize an unfounded concept.

So Ms. Cruze, please speak up, but state the reasoning and facts behind your statement. Don’t just spout off emotionally charged words with no proposed logic of how your peace process would solve the century old debate.

SEX BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS

After The Bachelorette, Nick Viall asked Andi Dorfman during the live “After the Final Rose” telecast, why she had sex with him on the final night if she wasn’t in love with him. This fueled the media with articles about “Andi’s shocking sex secret.”

Several articles told readers how to feel and think about the issue. Most stated that it wasn’t a shameful moment, as it involved two consenting adults. Almost everything I read dismissed and corrected the public’s disgust around the situation.

I find it amazing how many articles attempted to correct America’s view that a bachelorette having a one-night stand before picking a different man the next day to marry was morally wrong. I was even more startled by how many people switched their viewpoints after the media told them how to think and communicate on the subject.

Are we really in an age when the popular determine what is right and wrong for the people?

Certainly there are many in the media willing to speak up for what they believe in, but I see few dissenters. Where is the press covering the moral majority? Or, how about psychologists suggesting that it’s okay to be taken aback by this woman’s actions. After all, we have the right to hold and cherish our own moral code separate from the liberal media’s voiced standards.

What’s funny for me was reading about the show’s perspective on condoms. They made it clear that none are provided in the fantasy suite, as there is no expectation of the activities that might ensue.

Don’t they realize that putting a couple alone into an intimate situation, after months being surrounded by cameras and crews, might create a temptation that is difficult to resist?

But more importantly, suggesting the show is not at fault for potential sexual encounters because they don’t provide condoms is silly. If you don’t want to be responsible for setting up the temptation, then don’t provide them a fantasy suite filled with romantic pleasures.

CAREFUL CONSIDERATION

Regardless of the voice entertainers give to politics or morals, it’s important that fans and audiences give careful consideration to all that is said before jumping on the politically correct bandwagon or voicing the “right” answers among their peers, friends and family. It’s important that we don’t accept Hollywood’s messages without a conscious attempt to first understand its ramifications.