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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5100 | Zachary Stred | Nashville | TN | Musician |
| 5101 | Kim Danley | Oak Grove | LA | photographer |
| 5102 | Jim Jernigan | Ocala | FL | Photographer |
| 5103 | Bill Calpus | Eden Prairie | MN | Photographer |
| 5104 | Michael Collins | Lompoc | CA | Photographer |
| 5105 | Michael Killin | Lebanon | OH | photographer/artist |
| 5106 | Jim Jernigan | Ocala | FL | Photographer |
| 5107 | Faith Jones | Appomattox | VA | Photographer |
| 5108 | Elena Wilkins | Longview | WA | Photographer |
| 5109 | Karen Anne | Tulsa | OK | photographer |
| 5110 | Cliff Roe | Spring | TX | Photograper |
| 5111 | Oscar Lozoya | Albuquerque | NM | Photographer |
| 5112 | Jim Jernigan | Ocala | FL | Phnotographner |
| 5113 | Deanna Goodwin | Washington | IN | Photographer |
| 5114 | Danny Hurt | Oxford | AL | Danny Hurt |
| 5115 | Karen Rubin | Denver | CO | Photographer |
| 5116 | Heather Norris | Bethlehem | CT | Photographer |
| 5117 | Clinton Goodwin | Washington | IN | Photographer |
| 5118 | Steve Sharp | Haddon Heights | NJ | Commercial Photographer |
| 5119 | Tracy Dietrich | Baltimore | Md | Photographer |
| 5120 | Hazen Keyser | Summerfield | fl | free lance |
| 5121 | Lewis Glass | Natick | MA | Photographer / Studio Owner |
| 5122 | Rachel Peak | Saratoga | CA | Visual Artist |
| 5123 | Adam Hommerding | Grey Eagle | MN | Photographer |
| 5124 | Phil Chura | Hampton falls | NH | Photographer |
| 5125 | Barbara White | Cookeville | TN | Phothgraphic |
| 5126 | Cindy Grainger | Madison | AL | photographer |
| 5127 | Neil Johnson | Shreveport | LA | photographer/photo-illustrator |
| 5128 | Melissa Brown | Springfield | IL | Photographer |
| 5129 | Karen Beatty | Hermosa Beach | CA | photographer |
| 5130 | Amy Buchheit | Vancouver | WA | Visual Artist (painter, photographer, sculptor) |
| 5131 | Melissa Brown | Springfield | IL | Photographer |
| 5132 | Bruce Andrews | Saint Augustine | FL | Artist / photographer |
| 5133 | Shallyse Gastelum | Durham | NC | Photographer |
| 5134 | Kate Baldwin | Seattle | WA | Photographer |
| 5135 | Sandy Spicknall | Richmond | VA | photographer |
| 5136 | Kelli Boling | Indian Land | SC | Photographer |
| 5137 | Peter Mueller | Cincinnati | OH | Photographer |
| 5138 | Clare Lighton | Santa Fe | NM | photographeer |
| 5139 | Richard L. Jones | Williamsville | NY | Photographer |
| 5140 | Rick Gibbons | High Point | NC | Photographer |
| 5141 | Robert Olhsson | Nashville | TN | recording engineer |
| 5142 | Marvin Troyer | Kidron | Ohio | photographer |
| 5143 | Lorie Troyer | Kidron | Ohio | photographer |
| 5144 | Cassie A. Stone | North Wilkesboro | NC | Photography |
| 5145 | James O. Thompson | New Port Richey | FL | Photographer |
| 5146 | Richard Mahar | Williston | ND | Studio Photographer |
| 5147 | Hal Smith | Sedalia | Mo | photojournalist |
| 5148 | Heidi R. Hopp | Escondido | CA | photographer |
| 5149 | Wayne Britt | Folsom | CA | Photographer |
| 5150 | Adam B. Auel | Poolesville | MD | Photographer |
| 5151 | Jeanne Richardson | Georgetown | SC | Photographer |
| 5152 | Robert Suddarth | Lubbock | Tx | Photographer |
| 5153 | Jeanne Richardson | Georgetown | SC | Photographer |
| 5154 | Sherill Anne Gross | Greenbelt | MD | 2D - Cut Paper Artist |
| 5155 | Paula Baldwin | Gretna | LA | Photogaphr |
| 5156 | Marla Grossman | Bethesda | MD | filmmaker |
| 5157 | George Celli | Oakland | CA | Photographer |
| 5158 | Stephen Jones | Marshallville | GA | Photographer |
| 5159 | Don Brent | Topeka | KS | photographer/illistrator |
| 5160 | Brent Subia | Castle Rock | CO | Photographer |
| 5161 | Alex Ginsburg | Memphis | TN | Photographer |
| 5162 | William Brandon | Girdwood | AK | Photographer |
| 5163 | Karen Pring | Superior | CO | Photographer |
| 5164 | alex Ginsburg | Memphis | TB | Photographer |
| 5165 | Steve Phang | Sacramento | CA | photographer |
| 5166 | Muffy Clark Gill | Naples | FL | Batik Artist |
| 5167 | Melissa Andries | Grand Coteau | LA | photographer |
| 5168 | Rebecca Willoughby | Hammond | LA | photographic artist |
| 5169 | Allen Swinimer | Weymouth | MA | Photographer |
| 5170 | susan ogden | long valley | nj | photographer |
| 5171 | terri bahun | keller | tx | photographer |
| 5172 | Michelle Gilbert | Mayville | NY | Photographer, Drawing artist |
| 5173 | John Rapier | Mobile | AL | photographer |
| 5174 | Mike Nykoruk | Rochester Hills | MI | Photographer |
| 5175 | Mary Day | Long | TX | photographer |
| 5176 | Melanie McLellan | Franklin | TN | Photographer |
| 5177 | Tamara Klein | Phoenix | AZ | Freelance Design |
| 5178 | Angie Oliver | Atlanta | GA | photographer |
| 5179 | Jerry Callaghan | Shrewsbury | MA | photographer |
| 5180 | Miranda Welch | Puyallup | WA | Photographer |
| 5181 | Tyler Malone | Nashville | TN | Photographer |
| 5182 | Adrianne Sizemore | New Port Richey | FL | Photographer |
| 5183 | Richard Henne | Mesa | AZ | Photographer |
| 5184 | Kimberley Bridgford | Phoenix | AZ | Designer/Artist |
| 5185 | Dennis Hammon | Idaho Falls | Id | Photographic Artisit |
| 5186 | Mark Harris | Staten Island | NY | Mark A Harris |
| 5187 | James I. Morewood | Albuquerque | NM | Aerial & event |
| 5188 | David Lee Michaels | Roanoke | Va | Photographer |
| 5189 | Maurizio Kollstedt | Cincinnati | OH | Photographer |
| 5190 | adrean | cupertino | ca | painter |
| 5191 | Erin Lee | Nashville | TN | Photographer |
| 5192 | Miguel Vasconcellos | Long Beach | CA | Photographer |
| 5193 | Lori Schmidt | Hartford City | IN | Photographer |
| 5194 | Barbara Coleman | New York | NY | Painter |
| 5195 | Adam Broach | Notasulga | AL | Photographer |
| 5196 | Kirsten Dixon | Oldtown | MD | Photo Journalist |
| 5197 | Tonya Cozart | Lamesa | texas | photographer |
| 5198 | Rich Duzzie | Dearborn | MI` | Photographer |
| 5199 | gayle hunt | searcy | ar | photographer |
