Google has removed a bunch of anti-Scientology links from their index in response to a DMCA request from the clams. Don’t blame Google, blame our rotten government. The 2600 case has already demonstrated that you can get the legal smackdown simply for linking to infringing content (which is so stupid it hurts). And of course the fact that the DMCA gives a faux religion the legal right to sue its detractors for copyright violations is sickening. When Congress rolls over and plays dead for el raton Mickey and his friends in Hollywood, the side effects are just as revolting as the capitulation itself.

The clams are torturing this easily abused law in two ways: first, they’re treating Google as a ‘service provider’, which most people would take to mean ISP, not search engine. The second is that Google is compelled to remove the links in order to avoid legal liability, and the burden is on the sites accused of violating to petition to have them reinstated. However, for the site to do so, they must accept the jurisdiction of US courts, which means that these overseas hosted sites would become fair game for the famous Scientology legal full frontal assault. What does it say about America, the home of freedom of speech, that people who wish to criticize the Church of Scientology have to do so from overseas in order to avoid being the targets for severe harrassment via the courts?

You can follow events as they develop at operatingthetan.com, or at xenu.net.