In the news today

[Buffalobiian]

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. It's not like she didn't know what she was doing is wrong and the potential penalties. If she didn't know... well, ignorance of the law is not a valid defense.

Of course not, but that's not the point.

On what grounds did the RIAA base the astronomical compensation on anyway? If she wasn't sharing files, they couldn't say her downloading alone was responsible for that. Even more absurd if they're making her pay for "all those other illegal downloads" by other people.

"Making an example of" by raising the fine is the most absurd of all.

PS: wtf was her defense lawyer doing? Is it really that hard to dissuade the judge/jury that an illegally downloaded song isn't worth what, $8000 each or something?

[Animeniax]

Unfortunately there are cases where examples being made are necessary for the broader message, such as when people are put to death. I have a buddy who was made an example of in a court of law because everyone thought he would get off easy due to his status in society. Unfortunately for him, sometimes fame works for you, sometimes it doesn't. Similarly, sometimes anonymity works against you as well, and they throw you under the truck. In the end, my buddy realized he f*cked up and paid the price, and instead of getting upset with the system (which I'll agree is f*cked up), he looked at his own culpability in this mess.