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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3800 | Sakura Wilkinson | Meridianville | AL | Photographer |
| 3801 | Judi Paliungas | Camarillo | CA | Graphic Designer |
| 3802 | Christopher Joles | Bangor | ME | Photographer |
| 3803 | Kelli Boyd | Savannah | GA | photographer |
| 3804 | Lora Carr | Moorestown | NJ | Professional Photographer |
| 3805 | David L Lake | Seminole | Florida | Photographer |
| 3806 | Greg Beasley | Ringgold | Ga | Photographer |
| 3807 | Norman Quinn | Magnolia | TX | Photographer |
| 3808 | Ken Muse | Mobile | Al | Photographer |
| 3809 | Merri Cyr | Brooklyn | NY | Photographer |
| 3810 | Joe Krehlik | St. Clairsville | OH | Photographer |
| 3811 | Holly Horner | Egg Harbor Township | NJ | Photographer |
| 3812 | David Sixt | San Antonio | TX | Photographer |
| 3813 | Michelle Rudland | Maxbass | ND | Photography |
| 3814 | Mike Collins | Hillsborough | NC | Photographer |
| 3815 | Linda L Hall | Culpeper | VA | Photographer/Designer |
| 3816 | Arthur Kvarnstrom | New York | NY | Painting |
| 3817 | nancy sarra-allen | south windsor | ct | portrait photographer |
| 3818 | John | Howell | OH | Photographer |
| 3819 | Joanne Fabian | Souderton | PA | photographer |
| 3820 | Tor Olson | McCook | NE | Photographer |
| 3821 | Stew Milne | Providence | RI | Photographer |
| 3822 | Kristin Oguntoyinbo | Chapel Hill | NC | photographer |
| 3823 | Rosemary Connelly | Milford | de | watercolor artist |
| 3824 | Lal D. Threlkeld | San Antonio | TX | Photographer |
| 3825 | Jean Miele | Brooklyn | NY | Photographer |
| 3826 | Tom Story | Phoenix | AZ | Photographer |
| 3827 | David Jeffery | woodstock | nY | Photographer |
| 3828 | Amy Flood | Graham | NC | Photographer |
| 3829 | Brita Outzen | Sudbury | MA | Photographer |
| 3830 | Ronald Ponkey | Redford | MI | Photographer |
| 3831 | gene salimbeni | mount joy | pa | photographer |
| 3832 | Barb Moseley | Omaha | NE | photographer |
| 3833 | robin garber | laurel | md | photographer |
| 3834 | Gina Leigh Bargerhuff | Palm Harbor | FL | photographer |
| 3835 | Janine Hoefler | Glen Allen | VA | Photographer/Painter |
| 3836 | Darcy A. Olson | Rockford | MI | Photographer |
| 3837 | Shelley Maasch | Golden Valley | MN | Photographer |
| 3838 | Evelynn Curley | Greensboro | NC | Photographer |
| 3839 | Alice Abbott | Danville | Va | Photographer |
| 3840 | Kari Douma | Grand Raids | MI | Photographer |
| 3841 | candace Wilson | Corryton | TN | photographer |
| 3842 | Joan T. Sherwood | Atlanta | GA | Editor |
| 3843 | Lee A. Craig | Goshen | IN | photographer |
| 3844 | Andrea Moore | League City | TX | Photographer |
| 3845 | Patti Doran | West Chester | PA | wedding photographer |
| 3846 | Jolene Kroeger | Cincinnati | OH | Photographer |
| 3847 | Brian Tombaugh | Fort Wayne | IN | Photographer |
| 3848 | Michael Mayo | Dallas | TX | Photographer |
| 3849 | Aldo Mastrocola | Everett | MA | Photographer |
| 3850 | Steven Gibbons | Ankeny | IA | Photographer |
| 3851 | Jessica Darrenkamp | Millersville | PA | Photographer |
| 3852 | Leonard Hill | Zanesville | OH | Portrait |
| 3853 | Robert A. Schaefer, Jr. | New York | NY | Photographer |
| 3854 | Crystal | Augusta | ga | photographer and graphic designer |
| 3855 | Jess Sides | Gibsonia | PA | Singer/Songwriter |
| 3856 | Douglas G. Harrison | New Hope | MN | Writer/Photographer/Illustrator |
| 3857 | Ed Wolfstein | Burlington | VT | Architect/Photographer |
| 3858 | Kurt Wade | Jacksonville | IL | Photographer |
| 3859 | Dallas Gregory | Nashville | Tn | performing artist/song writer |
| 3860 | Alisha Arwood | Harlan | KY | Photographer |
| 3861 | Mike Sullivan | Marco Island | FL | photographer |
| 3862 | Todd Ward | Edmond | OK | Photographer |
| 3863 | Jennifer Wildey | San Antonio | TX | Photographer |
| 3864 | Matthew Flowers | Des Moines | IA | Photographer |
| 3865 | Robin Worline | Continental | Oh | Photographer |
| 3866 | Jim Mauchly | Fairlee | VT | Photographer |
| 3867 | William Jones | Dayton | Ohio | Photographer |
| 3868 | Judy Trice | Brandon | fL | Photographer |
| 3869 | LARRY WITT | SOMERSET | KY | PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER |
| 3870 | Edward Robinson | Fairfax | VA | book author |
| 3871 | Alan Davis | Bowling Green | KY | Photographer |
| 3872 | Kara Stovall | Murrells Inlet | SC | Photographer |
| 3873 | Ganell Kopp | Poplar Bluff | MO | Professional Photographer |
| 3874 | Bryan White | Cumming | GA | Photographer/Painter |
| 3875 | Nora Canfield | Nashville | TN | photographer |
| 3876 | Lindsay Marchisello | Venice | FL | Photographer |
| 3877 | Blayne White | Cumming | GA | Graphic Design |
| 3878 | JOJO WHILDEN | NEW YORK | NY | PHOTOGRAPHER |
| 3879 | Brigit Plate | Endicott | NY | Photographer |
| 3880 | Dawn Watkins | Palm Beach Gardens | Fl | Photography |
| 3881 | Betsy Finn | Dexter | MI | Photographer/Artist/Writer |
| 3882 | Katrina Fullingim | Petersburg | Tx | Photographer |
| 3883 | Keith Howe | North Platte | NE | photographer |
| 3884 | Kelly Gilde | McBain | MI | Photographer |
| 3885 | Marie Massey | Midland | GA | photographer |
| 3886 | Peter Dant Photography | Hazlet | NJ | Photographer |
| 3887 | Edgar E. Thompson | Grenada | Miss. | Professional Photographer |
| 3888 | Lindy Michelle Willis | Austin | TX | Photographer |
| 3889 | Janet Hudson | Lambertville | MI | photographer |
| 3890 | Jacqueline Cooper | Madison | WI | Photographer |
| 3891 | Holly Howe | North Platte | NE | photographer |
| 3892 | michael krasowitz | huntington | ny | painter and photographer |
| 3893 | Peter Wong | Burnsville | MN | Golf Course Photography |
| 3894 | Rob Harris | Independence | Ks | Photographer |
| 3895 | Waco Hill | Hot Springs | AR | Photographer/Illustrator |
| 3896 | Nanine Hartzenbusch | Charlotte | NC | Photographer |
| 3897 | Gary D.Tonhouse | Ankeny | Iowa | Photographer |
| 3898 | Barry Finlay | Ashland | OH | photographer |
| 3899 | Bert Pohl | Watertown | NY | Photographer |
