That was intended as a warning, not an aspiration. Some people misunderstood.

No, it was always meant as a good thing and was usually said in the context of censorship, which copyright is really just a form of.

Some people meant it as a good thing.

On Slashdot it was always a good thing. Remember slashdot?

Remember when the nerds said, "The law should apply equally to all"?

That was never a common saying of nerds. But it is true.