The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is trying to make criminals out of students ("Panel discusses file sharing, copyright laws," April 15 article). The RIAA is beyond wealthy and became so by being greedier than everyone else. It's well known that CDs cost pennies to make; after retailer costs, production fees and payment to the artist, CDs could be sold for as little as $6, yet cost between $14-$20. The RIAA gets all of that markup. They have been sticking it to customers for over 40 years and getting away with it -- until now. I refer supporters of the RIAA to the March 6 issue of Rolling Stone, "20 ways that rock 'n' roll will destroy you." Quick summary: Playing against the music industry is like playing against the house in Vegas -- the House always wins and there's nothing you can do about it. The RIAA signs artists for virtually nothing, sticks them the bill for everything, doesn't pay them, forces bands to tour endlessly (i.e. Jerry Garcia who had serious health problems), takes the rights to artists' songs ... the list goes on.

Now the RIAA is going after poor college students who download, on average, a handful of songs a month. They say it's not about money, but it's the point that you have to buy the music. See the contradiction? Yet it's perfectly legal to practice business the way the RIAA does. I say, what goes around comes around; give the kids a break.