If you've been to a movie theater in the past few months, you've probably seen those anti-piracy ads backed by the MPAA. You know, the ones with aw-shucks, everyday movie people such as stuntmen, makeup artists and set painters lecturing you, explaining how downloading movies off the internet takes food from the mouths of their starving children.

Now, a few caveats before the impending rant. First, from a marketing standpoint, I think this is a sound strategy for the MPAA. Most people only picture rich studio executives when they think of the entertainment industry; it's good for the general populace to be reminded that there are plenty of other jobs supported. Second, I'm not one of those "downloading movies off the internet is a constitutional right" nut jobs. No, it's not about free speech. Downloading something you don't own without paying for it is copyright infringement, and it is illegal.

That said, I do have a problem with the MPAA and the major studios hiding behind this "jes folks" approach from a moral standpoint (after all, "strategically sound" and "morally sound" ain't the same thing, kids). If the studios were really that concerned about people they employ, would they use deceptive accounting practices to worm their way out of paying royalties? Would they run to Canada for every production they can, bypassing many of the stuntmen, makeup artists and set painters they trot out for their anti-piracy campaign? I think we all know the answers to those questions.

I have no problem calling a thief a thief. The accusation carries less weight, however, when it comes from another thief.