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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6100 | Scott Devine | St Louis | MO | Photographer |
| 6101 | Eric Hobbs | Paducah | KY | Photographer |
| 6102 | Jessica | Paducah | KY | Photographer |
| 6103 | Jessica | Paducah | KY | Photographer |
| 6104 | Leldon Creel | Holly Pond | AL | Wedding Photographer |
| 6105 | Jana Evans | Tempe | AZ | Ceramist |
| 6106 | Angela Squicciarini | Toms River | NJ | Photographer/Artist/Designer |
| 6107 | anthony silvani | scarsdale | ny | illustrator / art director |
| 6108 | Eric Lawson | Lewes | DE | Graphic, Web, & Sign Design Professional |
| 6109 | Jennifer W | Chesapeake | VA | Photographer |
| 6110 | Jose Azel | Lovell | ME | Photographer |
| 6111 | Erol Reyal | Milwaukee | WI | Photographer |
| 6112 | Marty Qatani | Hyde Park | NY | Cartoonist / Humorous Illustrator |
| 6113 | Jennifer Henningsen | Highlands Ranch | CO | Photographer |
| 6114 | Pei-Chi Lin | New York | NY | writing, photography |
| 6115 | Debra | Jacksonville | fl | Photographer |
| 6116 | James | Layne | LA | Photographer |
| 6117 | Shelly Fields | Gilbert | AZ | Photographer |
| 6118 | Molly Grosse | Cincinnati | OH | photographer |
| 6119 | Harvey Lloyd | NY | NY | Photog/artist/writer |
| 6120 | Melvin Levine | Brooklyn | N.Y. | Photographer |
| 6121 | Irwin Sterbakov | Newton | Ma | Professional Photographer |
| 6122 | John Dluzynski | Pittsburgh | PA | Photographer |
| 6123 | Peter Horn | Frisco | TX | Photographer |
| 6124 | Jeff Schultz | Anchorage | AK | Photographer |
| 6125 | matthew ward | atlanta | GA | Photographer |
| 6126 | John Cook | Orlando | FL | Photographer |
| 6127 | Sydney Robinson | Cumming | GA | Singer/Song Writer |
| 6128 | Bradley Sample | Lewisville | TX | Photographer |
| 6129 | Debbie Golden-Smith | Bessemer | Al | Photographer |
| 6130 | Dale L. Popovich | Highland | IN | Watercolorist |
| 6131 | Marilee Jacobi-Popovich | Highland | IN | digitalist |
| 6132 | Kathy Godshall | Highland | IN | pastel/watercolor |
| 6133 | Dennis Zirnite | Buffalo Grove | IL | Portrait Photographer |
| 6134 | Chris Lira | Crow Point | IN | watercolor |
| 6135 | Barbara Kyne | Oakland | CA | Photographer |
| 6136 | Christina McMaster | Gilbert | AZ | Photographer |
| 6137 | Ann Parry | Merrick | NY | Photographer |
| 6138 | Rae Leytham | Pensacola | FL | photographer |
| 6139 | Wesley Leytham | Pensacola | FL | Photographer |
| 6140 | Kristin Teig | Waltham | MA | photographer |
| 6141 | Oscar Bretana | Franklin Park | IL | Photographer |
| 6142 | Russ Meseroll | Oceanport | NJ | Photographer |
| 6143 | Kim Messmer | Santa Clara | CA | photographer |
| 6144 | Margaret Berryman | Whiting | IN | painter/wood worker |
| 6145 | Tony Romo | Oklahoma City | oklahoma | Photographer |
| 6146 | Nancy McGee | Milwaukee | WI | Printmaker/digital |
| 6147 | James Falsken | Mesa | Az | photographer/graphic artist |
| 6148 | Gary Buth | Granite Bay | CA | Professional Photographer |
| 6149 | Gwendolyn Durant | Mansfield | tx | Professional Photographer |
| 6150 | Ed Diaz | Oxford | MA | Photographer |
| 6151 | james wilson | dallas | tx | photographer |
| 6152 | Mary Fran Loftus | New York | NY | stock photography agent |
| 6153 | Will Rutledge | West Chester | PA | Photographer |
| 6154 | Linda Faria | Edmonton | Canada | Portrait Photographer |
| 6155 | Lori Hogan | Topeka | KS | Photographer |
| 6156 | Ken MacAdams | Farmington | NM | Photographer |
| 6157 | Michelle | Boston | MA | Student |
| 6158 | David Logan Morrow | San Francisco | CA | Artist |
| 6159 | David M. Rickard | Mesa | AZ | Photographer |
| 6160 | levi rosen | houston | tx | artist/jeweler |
| 6161 | Dan Coogan | Phoenix | AZ | Photographer |
| 6162 | Teresa DeMarcos | Tampa | FL | Photographer |
| 6163 | Ray Allen | Nashville | TN | Photographer |
| 6164 | Liza Dey | New York | NY | Photographer |
| 6165 | Gene Eckhart | University Place | WA | Photographer and Writer |
| 6166 | Jason J. Bonello | Redford | MI | Photographer |
| 6167 | Sara True | Covington | KY | Photographer/Student |
| 6168 | Rick Davis | Brighton | CO | Photographer |
| 6169 | Brian Vasallo | Culver City | CA | Musician |
| 6170 | David Scott | Bonney Lake | WA | Photographer |
| 6171 | Roger Ressmeyer | Mercer Island | WA | Photographer |
| 6172 | Ryan Ressmeyer | Mercer Island | WA | Photographer |
| 6173 | Rosemary Hawkins | New York | NY | photographer |
| 6174 | bluejay hankins | tonasket | wa | record producer |
| 6175 | William LeGoullon | Phoenix | AZ | Fine Art Photographer |
| 6176 | Stuart Cox | London | UK | Photographer |
| 6177 | Dave Kraft | Granville | Oh | screenwriter |
| 6178 | Amanda Gerber | Portland | OR | Musician |
| 6179 | Elbie Lebrecht | London | UK | Archivie and Photo library |
| 6180 | Shannon Hile | Folsom | Ca | Singer,Song writer |
| 6181 | Debbie Bruce | Aiken | SC | jewelry |
| 6182 | Glenn Hayes | Palm Harbor | FL | Photographer |
| 6183 | David Scharf | Los Angeles | CA | Photographer |
| 6184 | Neil Moore | Marietta | Ga | Photographer |
| 6185 | Robert Folz | Hollis | NH | Stock photography agency owner |
| 6186 | Cindy Mitchell, CPP | Union Grove | Al | Professional Photographer |
| 6187 | Richard Pasley | Concord | MA | Photographer |
| 6188 | Toby Seger | Pittsburgh | PA | Photographer |
| 6189 | Bill Franson | Byfield | MA | Photographer |
| 6190 | Mark Alberhasky | Atlanta | GA | photographer |
| 6191 | Christopher Ferrone | Chatham | NY | photography |
| 6192 | Eric Anderson | Front Royal | VA | Photographer |
| 6193 | Gary W. Carter | McLeansville | NC | Photographer |
| 6194 | Jason Hahn | Land O Lakes | FL | Photographer |
| 6195 | Robert Smith | Greensboro | NC | Photographer |
| 6196 | Shannon Fontaine | Nashville | TN | Photographer |
| 6197 | Ruggero Vanni | New York | NY | Painter/Photographer |
| 6198 | Chris Leary | New York | NY | Photographer |
| 6199 | William James Warren | Carlsbad | CA | Photographer |
