Dear President Obama and Vice President Biden,
We, the undersigned, are just a few of the more than 11 million artists living, working, and creating across the United States. Our work brings significant cultural and economic value to our society - and contributes $1.52 trillion to the nation's GDP. Yet that value is being disregarded as our rights and incentives to create are increasingly under threat.
Hear us as we speak with one voice about the importance of creators' rights.
We are the essence of America. Since the founding of our country, our work has provided light in the darkness of conflict, humor in the depths of sadness, beauty in the face of ugliness, and reason in the dysfunction of division.
We serve as the foundation of our communities; you find us in schools, performance halls, libraries, museums, community centers, and movie houses. We enrich our culture with a wide range of creative expression, including music, film, software, video games, writing, photography, graphics, and other visual arts.
We contribute in some way to every single industry in the country. Many of us are self-employed. All of us work hard and pay taxes.
Yet, we are under assault. Our rights to control the distribution, use, and reproduction of our works in our vibrant digital age are dismissed by many who do not understand the value we bring to society. They tell us to work harder, create better, and give our works away. Some think that they should control our works and that they should be able to appropriate, perform, and copy them how they please, without our consent, benefit, or participation.
Our freedom as creators lies in the Constitutional rights we cherish, rights given to us to promote our culture. Without these rights, our ability to pursue our creative dreams and to meet the high expectations of those who benefit from our creative works is significantly diminished. As a result, all Americans will suffer.
Mr. President and Vice President, hear our call. We know you understand the value our creative contributions bring to our society and economy, and we know you can encourage our citizens to respect our rights. Please pursue policies supportive of the rights of artists and the encouragement of our creative efforts. Without the proper respect for our rights and works today, it will become even more difficult for us to create in the future.
Sincerely,
| # | Name | City | State | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10600 | Michael A. Parker | New York | NY | writer/filmmaker |
| 10601 | Abigail Goldsmith | Austin | TX | Animator/Writer |
| 10602 | David Sanders | Clearwater | FL | Music & Speaking |
| 10603 | R.A. Knowlton | Rockaway Beach | MO | Author |
| 10604 | Jason Salsbury | Las Vegas | NV | Writer |
| 10605 | Carl Jones Sr | Heron | MT | Writer/publisher |
| 10606 | Jessica Rymer | Richmond | VA | writer |
| 10607 | Tyler Carter | Sandy | UT | Visual Development Animation |
| 10608 | C. J. Shaffer | Mesa | AZ | Concept Artist |
| 10609 | Fatima Delgado | Elkhart | IN | Writer/Drawer |
| 10610 | Ryan Richards | Lawndale | CA | Animator/Illustrator |
| 10611 | Savannah Brewer | Lees Summit | MO | Writer |
| 10612 | Arnold Dela Cruz | Seattle | WA | Designer |
| 10613 | Kevin Shamel | Olympia | WA | Author |
| 10614 | Valerie Braun | Spokane Valley | WA | Undergraduate Illustrator |
| 10615 | Amy D'Camp | Ames | IA | Illustrator |
| 10616 | Adele Bowers | Rohrersville | MD | writer |
| 10617 | Michael Kloepfer | Denver | CO | Painter/Illustrator |
| 10618 | Mitta Xinindlu | Johannesburg | SA | Writer |
| 10619 | Carrie Adams | Berea | ky | Art Student at berea college |
| 10620 | Walter Moryan | Casselberry | Florida | T B I Survivor |
| 10621 | dries vos | laren nh | nl | writer |
| 10622 | Joshua A Dixon | Portland | OR | Cartoonist/ Illustrator |
| 10623 | Carol Massingill | Mobile | AL | writer |
| 10624 | Gary Rudrow | Tulsa | OK | Musician/Composer |
| 10625 | Katie Tucker | El Dorado Hills | CA | Author |
| 10626 | Edward A. Liebing | Spanish Fork | UT | artist/writer |
| 10627 | Jared | Simpsonville | SC | Illustrator |
| 10628 | Daniel Miranda | Northridge | CA | Traditional Artist |
| 10629 | Diane A Brown | Raymond | WA | Writer |
| 10630 | Katherine Nyborg | Seattle | WA | Writer |
| 10631 | Frederick D. Shaw Jr. | Compton | Ca | Writer |
| 10632 | Corry Andrews | Green Bay | WI | Writer |
| 10633 | Nelson Juve Mugarura | Phoenix | Arizona | Writer |
| 10634 | Robert Aldrich | Los Angeles | CA | Filmmaker/Writer |
| 10635 | angela k manrod | corpus christi | tx | writer/poetry |
| 10636 | Jenny Brundage | Tempe | AZ | photographer |
| 10637 | Le'Nesha Holt | Kansas City | MO | Animator |
| 10638 | Carol Scherer | Orange | CA | Writer |
| 10639 | Aaron R. Williams | Pueblo | CO | Metal Sculpture |
| 10640 | http://shuvogrontho.informe.com | Dhaka | Bangladesh | Writer and musician |
| 10641 | Latasha Moore | San Antonio | TX | Illustrator |
| 10642 | Matthew D Walker | OREM | UT | 3D artist |
| 10643 | Carolyn Washington | Gary | IN | Writer |
| 10644 | Edwin D Ferretti III | Chappell | NE | Writer |
| 10645 | Diane Andrews | Cairns | Qld | Writer |
| 10646 | Jimmie Mays | Boise | ID | Illustrator |
| 10647 | Jerry Baysdorfer | Burbank | CA | Film Editor |
| 10648 | S | Chicago | IL | Artist-Painter |
| 10649 | Wayne Sanchez | Cheyenne | WY | Visual |
| 10650 | Raja Sharma | Kathmandu | Ktm | Writer |
| 10651 | Rajasir | Bhaktapur | Kathmandu | Writer |
| 10652 | Frances Emerson | Geneva | NY | writer |
| 10653 | Sharon Baldwin | New Bern | NC | writer |
| 10654 | FatimaZahra RIFFI | Meknes | MOROCCO | poet , writer |
| 10655 | Corbin Campbell | Stevensville | MT | All Media |
| 10656 | Richard A McCullough | Pasadena | CA | Writer |
| 10657 | Deborah K. Dietz | Coral Springs | FL | Writer/Poet |
| 10658 | Jason Erik Lundberg | Raleigh | NC | Fiction Writer |
| 10659 | Elizabeth Zukowski | North Canton | OH | Graphic Designer/Writer |
| 10660 | tami whitt | foley | al | writer |
| 10661 | Frances S. Brown | Webster | MA | Writer |
| 10662 | Tammy Crneckiy | Peachland | NC | Writer |
| 10663 | Ralph E Sabean | Annapolis Royal | NS | Writer/Photographer |
| 10664 | Patricia Gomes | New Bedford | MA | Author |
| 10665 | Francine Price | Aristes | PA | WRITER |
| 10666 | Teddy Rex Patton II | Anderson | Indiana | Poet |
| 10667 | Lawrence F Schliessmann | Murrells Inlet | SC | writer |
| 10668 | L D Sledge | Palm Harbor | Florida | writer |
| 10669 | Jacob Cox | Center Ridge | AR | Illustrator/Graphic Designer |
| 10670 | Alisha Brown | Norfolk | VA | Fine Artist |
| 10671 | Diane French | St. Augustine | FL | Painter |
| 10672 | Nathan Landrum | Scottsville | Ky | Author |
| 10673 | Cary Lee Baker | Louisville | Ky | Comic book artist |
| 10674 | Rebecca Ogrodowski | Ionia | MI | Visual artist/writer |
| 10675 | Joyce | Higganum | CT | writer |
| 10676 | Ron Olson | Milford | Ca | Creator |
| 10677 | Steve Harrison | Austin | Mn | Portrait photographer |
| 10678 | james heath | philadelphia | po | poet |
| 10679 | Robert Hart | Pittsburgh | PA | Writer/Painter |
| 10680 | Regina Bennett | Bradenton | FL | writer/poet |
| 10681 | Michael Shawn Milazzo | Toledo | Ohio | Writer/Filmmaker |
| 10682 | Auston Habershaw | Dorchester | MA | Writer |
| 10683 | Russell Clark | Hannibal | MO | Poet/Writer |
| 10684 | Rich Emery | Madison | WI | mystery writer |
| 10685 | Tyler Bumpus | Sanford | FL | Writer |
| 10686 | Mildred Holmes | Nett Lake | MN | Author |
| 10687 | Jamie Balint | Hudson | NH | Graphic Artist |
| 10688 | Gay Hartfeil | Andover | MN | photographer |
| 10689 | Tess Biondi | Clearwater | fl | writer |
| 10690 | K.D. Wentworth | Tulsa | OK | author |
| 10691 | Jerry L. Litton | Pelahachie | MS | photographer, publisher |
| 10692 | Jace Roscoe | Arlington | TX | Writer |
| 10693 | Patsy Kennedy Lain | Hubert | NC | Writer, Painter |
| 10694 | Ralph Pollock | Portland | OR | music / software |
| 10695 | Robin Beaman | North Hollywood | CA | actor/singer |
| 10696 | Elizabeth Burnett | Auburn Hills | MI | Writer, Photographer, Singer |
| 10697 | Bethany Blycker Koll | Pawcatuck | CT | Drawer, Graphic Illustrator |
| 10698 | Sandra Ervin Adams | Jacksonville | NC | poet/freelance writer |
| 10699 | Kathryn Brown | Surprise | AZ | Author |
