02/28/2005
Conservatives Plunder Gay Wedding Photos
Richard Raymen and Steven Hansen were surprised recently to discover that their wedding photo is being used by USA Next in an anti-gay ad campaign.
The conservative organization illegally appropriated the gay couple's wedding photo for use in an anti-gay campaign extolling the virtues of President Bush's Social Security privatization plan. A statement from the couple's attorney reads:
"In 2004, our clients allowed their picture to be taken at their public celebration, as couples getting married do every day. They did not volunteer to be models for a 2005 right-wing hate campaign, and never would have consented to having their images plastered in an ad of any kind, much less the one USA Next chose to run. The USA Next ad communicates the false message that gay marriages generally, and our clients specifically, are the antithesis of supporting American troops during wartime. Gay marriage, and our clients' ceremony, have nothing to do with support of the troops. Our clients are patriotic Americans who strongly support our service members."
No suit has been filed yet in the case.
Posted 12:07 PM EST by Andy Towle in Current Affairs | Permalink
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I'm tempted to start my own army...
Gather all those faithful gays, straights, bisexuals, transgenders, transexuals... What are they called again? Oh yes...people!
Any, specifically those in the military (oh ye quiet members), can come and maybe start a little "War on Hate."
Hmph.
Posted by: Rob | Feb 28, 2005 12:14:34 PM
My hope for the future has been on life support since November 2nd. In these new Dark Ages, it's barely brighter than a solitary firefly. But the escalating frontal assaults on integrity and common sense by the various factions of the American Taliban make me want to believe that, as during the McCarthy hearings, someone, soon followed by others, will stand his or her ground and say "You've gone too far and we're not going to put up with it anymore." And I don't jsut mean appropriation of this photo--tho I applaud the couple for protesting and pray they have some legal grounds to fight back--the Southern Poverty Law Center has put some hate groups out of business that way. I mean trying to expand the stifling of criticism based on "patriotism" wider and wider to the point where they've swirled homophobia into the social security debate (gee, didn't they read that HRC implied they might bend over for the president regarding that one? lol) and attack a huge force like AARP. And, I thought I saw something about this being led, more or less, the swift boat brown shirts. The blood the Right Wing churned up in November is clearly triggering a primitive feeding frenzy response and they're chomping more blindly in every direction than ever: anti gay marriage license plates, tolerance programs in public schools, their old standby--textbooks, etc. Let 'em keep attacking everyone that dares disagree with King George and perhaps control of the throne will change in 2008 after all.
Posted by: Lolly | Feb 28, 2005 1:19:07 PM
John Aravosis of AMERICAblog has agreed to serve as the couple's publicist - and has introduced them to an attorney. Read the attorney's letter [PDF] to USANext.
Posted by: ericb | Feb 28, 2005 1:41:29 PM
reprehensible
Posted by: M@ | Feb 28, 2005 2:21:31 PM
Go Raymen/Hansen!! The AARP should be standing up against this ad as well, where is the outrage?
Posted by: bmw | Feb 28, 2005 5:55:56 PM
Andy, we need to make sure our wedding photos are locked up!
Posted by: Britt | Feb 28, 2005 11:27:55 PM