Re “Plagiarism Charged to Council Candidate”
[Editor’s Note: After a letter-writer yesterday accused City Council candidate Gary Abrams of plagiarism, Mr. Abrams filed the following response.]
What is plagiarism?
Many people think of plagiarism as copying another's work or borrowing someone else's original ideas. But terms like “copying” and “borrowing” can disguise the seriousness of the offense.
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to “plagiarize” means
pla•gia•rized, pla•gia•riz•ing
Full Definition of PLAGIARIZE
transitive verb
: to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source
intransitive verb
: to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward.
But can words and ideas really be stolen?
According to U.S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions. Almost all forms of expression fall under copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some way (such as a book or a computer).
Dear readers,
I am not making any excuses for my actions regarding this article. This is politics, and sometimes we, as humans, get carried away at the moment when something feels right. Have you ever searched for a Valentine’s Day card and found that one that expresses most of your feelings? Did you think about plagiarism then?
Well, maybe you can understand how I felt. The ideas that this article expressed were not original though I felt that they expressed just what I was feeling at that time, and that feeling has not changed.
Guilty as charged.
I have had many articles in thefrontpagonline.com. Never once has my credibility been challenged. I understand that I am going to be scrutinized, and I am under the microscope.
Lie
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Lie is a false statement to a person or group made by another person or group who knows it is not the whole truth intentionally.
Politicians lie. That is the accepted norm these days. Credibility and most politicians are not compatible I just hope you continue to follow the campaign and listen to what they are really claiming. Maybe this may have caused some people some distress. I apologize for that.
This article contains some excerpts from an article found online.
Mr. Abrams may be contacted at gabrams@ca.rr.com
