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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3200 | maurice Rodriguez | winter springs | fl. | photographer |
| 3201 | Ken Rice | Oakland | CA | photographer |
| 3202 | Autumn Burke | Louviers | CO | Photographer |
| 3203 | Jeanne McGee | Bellingham | Wa | Photographer/fine art; portraiture, stock |
| 3204 | Verna Pitts | Stillwater | MN | photographer |
| 3205 | Trina Jones | Tacoma | WA | photographer |
| 3206 | Erin Hankins | Tucson | AZ | musician/writer/videographer |
| 3207 | Gary Boorom | Winter Park | FL | Photographer |
| 3208 | Greg Singer | Cheyenne | Wy | Photographer |
| 3209 | Anne Raker | Lake Stevens | WA | photographer |
| 3210 | Michael Ainworth | Euless | Tx | Photographer |
| 3211 | Meghan McSweeney | Richmond | VA | photographer |
| 3212 | RAMON PRECIADO | LOS ANGELES | CA | PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER |
| 3213 | David Bergman | New York | NY | Photographer |
| 3214 | Barry Blackburn | Gloucester | Va | Photographer |
| 3215 | cal McKitrick | grass Valley | cA | photographer |
| 3216 | Benjamin Maddox | Cabot | AR | Photographer |
| 3217 | Luis Mara | Encino | CA | photographer |
| 3218 | Robyn Kord | Indianapolis | IN | Photographer |
| 3219 | Loy A. Payne | Owassso | OK | Portrait Photographer |
| 3220 | Eugene D. Syes | Plano | TX | Photographic |
| 3221 | Abbe Lyle | Rocklin | CA | Photographer |
| 3222 | Laura Wootan | San Marcos | Tx | Photographer |
| 3223 | Lisa Lier-Brown | Rapid City | SD | Photographer |
| 3224 | Tina Doane | Riverside | Ca | Photographer |
| 3225 | David DeRemus | Sierra Madre | CA | Photography |
| 3226 | Kristen Winningham | Henderson | NV | Photographer |
| 3227 | Randy Brogen | Burlington | MA | Professional Photographer |
| 3228 | carol ann dwyer | shawnee | ok | photographer |
| 3229 | Mark Winningham | Henderson | NV | Song Writter |
| 3230 | Kim Diane Bahr | Oshkosh | WI | Photographer/Painter |
| 3231 | Cassey Golden | Noblesville | IN | photographer |
| 3232 | Cynthia Baldauf | Pittsboro | IN | Photographer |
| 3233 | LISA JEFFRIES | San Andreas | Ca | Photographer |
| 3234 | Jacob Chinn | Tucson | AZ | Photographer |
| 3235 | Faye Johnson | Bremerton | WA | Photographer |
| 3236 | Dave Carter | Orange | CA | Photographer |
| 3237 | Christy Cohen | Niantic | CT | Photographer |
| 3238 | LISA JEFFRIES | San Andreas | Ca | Photographer |
| 3239 | John Prince | Bremerton | WA | photographer |
| 3240 | Steve Harrington | Garland | UT | Photographer |
| 3241 | Jacquelyn L Phillips | Mesa | AZ | Photographer |
| 3242 | John Prince | Bremerton | WA | Photographer |
| 3243 | Christian J. Hill | Fresno | Ca | 3D, Graphic, Web |
| 3244 | Katie Raivala | Otsego | MN | Photographer |
| 3245 | Jeffrey M. Lewis | San Clemente | CA | Photographer |
| 3246 | Dennis Walman | Lancaster | Ca | Photographer |
| 3247 | Shelley Harrington | Garland | UT | Photographer |
| 3248 | Adam Rosenman | Bloomfield Hills | MI | Photographer |
| 3249 | Aneal Vohra | Overland Park | KS | Photography |
| 3250 | Kaye Howell | Greenback | TN | photographer |
| 3251 | John Heckler | Mason | OH | Photographer |
| 3252 | Peter Duvall | Silver Spring | MD | Photographer |
| 3253 | Vivienne Vizzini | Arnold | MD | photographer |
| 3254 | Rob Watts | Hendersonville | TN | Photographer |
| 3255 | Cathy Threadgill | Richadson | TX | Photographer |
| 3256 | Marjorie Heath | Aurora | CO | Photographer |
| 3257 | Tom Weaver | Florence | OR | Fine Arts Photographer |
| 3258 | Elton Reynolds | Pflugerville | TX | Studio Owner |
| 3259 | Michael Heath | Colorado Springs | CO | Artist/Graphic design |
| 3260 | Steve Mackley | Logan | UT | Photographer |
| 3261 | ilana panich-linsman | brooklyn | ny | photographer |
| 3262 | Timothy James Croft Vechik | Oceanside | CA | Photographer |
| 3263 | Jeff Sharpe | Orangevale | CA | Photographer |
| 3264 | steve lee | houston | tx | photographer |
| 3265 | Gigi Clark | Oceanside | CA | Creative Portraiture |
| 3266 | Mary Hurlbut | Laguna Beach | CA | Photographer |
| 3267 | Janice Fundalinski | Buffalo | NY | Photographic artist |
| 3268 | Stephen Schwake | Austin | TX | Stained Glass/Painter/Printmaker/Designer |
| 3269 | David Sno | Norcross | GA | Photographer |
| 3270 | Kathy Platt | San Antonio | TX | Journalist |
| 3271 | Paula J. Reitan | Bowie | MD | Photography |
| 3272 | Michelle Hollingsworth | White House | TN | Photographer |
| 3273 | Bogdan Fundalinski | Buffalo | NY | Master Photographer |
| 3274 | Peter Gillahan | Melbourne | Aus | Photographer |
| 3275 | Christopher Semmes | Greenwich | Connecticut | Photographer |
| 3276 | Eric Hoff | Berkeley | Ca | Animator |
| 3277 | Michael Carr | Chicago | IL | Photographer |
| 3278 | Jennifer Hensley | Prior Lake | MN | Photographer |
| 3279 | Charles Place | Santa Barbara | Ca. | Photographer |
| 3280 | Richard Rodriguez | Bedford | TX | photographer |
| 3281 | Richard Rodriguez | Bedford | TX | photographer |
| 3282 | Benjamin Leavitt | Lacey | WA | Photographer |
| 3283 | Nandita Raman | Mishawaka | IN | Photographer |
| 3284 | Curt Sanders | Rochester | MN | Professional Photographer |
| 3285 | Lisa Joy Merrill | South Hadley | MA | Photographer |
| 3286 | Douglas Merrill | South Hadley | MA | Photographer |
| 3287 | Samuel Gardner | Bellingham | WA | Photographer |
| 3288 | Steve Fisher | Auburn | CA | PHOTOGRAPHER |
| 3289 | David VanSlyke | Byron | NY | Photographer |
| 3290 | Kerry Sundahl | Park City | UT | photographer |
| 3291 | Daryl Donley | Falls Church | VA | Photographer |
| 3292 | David VanSlyke | Byron | NY | Photographer |
| 3293 | Charles Seton | Mamaroneck | NY | Photographic Artist |
| 3294 | Wayne Ross | Wheeling | Illinois | Photographer |
| 3295 | Jerry Ward | Coppell | TX | Photographer |
| 3296 | Mark Jordan Koeff | Rancho Santa Margarita | CA | Photographer |
| 3297 | jorge salas | dana point | ca | photographer |
| 3298 | Vanessa Kessinger | Austin | Texas | Photographer |
| 3299 | jorge salas | d | ca | photographer |
