Orphan works bill

Did you know that there is a bill coming to the floor of the House and Senate that makes it legal for anyone to steal from you even if you copyright your work. Yup, that is right. They were shot down once before because of action against it --- but now they are back as bill numbers H.R. 5889 The Orphan Works Act of 2008 and S 2913 The Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008

The bills, permit and even encourages, wide-scale infringements of visual art while depriving creators of protections currently available under the Copyright Act. And anything on the internet is fair game.

Any image found anywhere without a copyright attached will essentially become part of the public domain. And for people like me or other artists who make our living through our hands, it would be our death and the end of companies like ours.

So if you've posted cards and projects, even photos of your family and children, these can legally be "stolen" from the web and used any way the "thief" wants to. Imagine turning on the TV and seeing a picture of your mother in a laxative commercial. Or your son and daughter in a condom ad in a magazine. Or your card in an cold medicine ad.

Won't you tell your Representatives that you don't want this? Please. It just takes a moment, and this site makes it really easy. Just choose what email you want to send. You don't even have to know have to know who your reps are. Please click here.

Our only power is in our numbers.

Please pass this on to any one you know. Please, please help.