Copyright term, film labeling, and film preservation legislation : hearings before the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourth Congress, first session, on H.R. 989, H.R. 1248, and H.R. 1734 ... June 1 and July 13, 1995 (1996)

278 And so I know that your presence here helps in this direction as well as in support of this important bill, 989. Mr. Jones. Thank you. I think we're so — it goes back to the expression: how can I miss you if you never leave? And I think we are so rich in culture and we do not realize — we take it for granted, and we don't realize how much the culture plays a part in our life. I would like, just out of curiosity, to see what would happen if America had to experience 2 weeks with no music, with no film, no television, no books. We'll say books. Books will always be around, but without a sound. Ever3d;hing from the dentist's office to the elevators, to the radios, to television, to music, to records — there's a total absence of sound. I don't think we could stand it because it is the food for our soul, especially this country. That's why the world has adopted this music on such a large level, and it's one of the most important things. It saved millions and millions of kids from the urban situation, millions, and given them a way to see the light. Mr. CONYERS. And we want to try to make it better than it has been in the past. I mean, if we can't do that, then we're not living up to our mandate, and I think you have been doing all you can in that area to bring forward other young talents of all disciplines. And, you know, you mentioned this next century coming up. You know, with digital, the telecommunications, the recombinations of our new technology, it is going to make a whole different kind of playing field for all of the players Mr. Jones. I agree. Mr. CONYERS [continuing]. And you're right, this is just Mr. Jones. I totally agree. Mr. CONYERS. Unless we really begin to look at this more deeply than we ever have before, we'll end up sliding backwards instead of moving forward. Mr. Jones. Absolutely. And if — we've been very involved, very, very involved in the conversion technology, just out of curiosity and because of necessity really. This is a place where — this is a situation where not — reading and writing is one thing, but a young person that enters into the 21st century who is not equipped to deal with this technology will be doomed before they start. There's no question about it. And I've been working with Allen Kay, who's one of the inventors of Mac I and Mac II. He's the Apple fellow. We've already proposed them coming up with another one called Mac Daddy III to get the kids interested in it, so they won't think it's authoritarianism or institutionalized. It's very important that everybody come to this party because of what's happening online, and this technology will probably be one of the biggest changes in civilization since the industrial revolution. I'd bet my life on it. Mr. CONYERS. This subcommittee was in Hollywood recently holding hearings on this and related measures, and I couldn't help but notice — we visited a couple of studios, and I was very pleased to see that in some of our meetings there were African-American vice presidents of film companies; there was a general counsel. We went through one of the lots on a studio, and there was an AfricanAmerican carpenter. And, you know, it's only a few years ago that