Anti-gay McCaskill ad uses copyrighted material

Timothy Kincaid

October 18th, 2012

From the Baltimore Sun:

Gallaudet University is asking the group opposing Maryland’s same-sex marriage law to take down a new commercial that features a university staff member who was suspended for signing a referendum petition.

“The video they are using, the ad, is actually copyrighted by us,” said Katherine Murphy, executive director of communications and public relations at Gallaudet in Washington. “We’re in touch with our attorneys to have them follow up with the group to ask them to take down the ad.”

Deana Bass, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Marriage Alliance, said the group has not heard any formal complaints about the spot, and it has no intention of removing it.

“It is a fair use of the footage,” said Bass. “At this point, [the incident] is in the public space. We want people to understand what is at stake with Question 6.”

On Tuesday, J. Wyndal Gordon, a lawyer for McCaskill, told The Baltimore Sun that his client had not agreed to be featured in any advertising about the same-sex marriage referendum. He said McCaskill’s decision to sign the petition to allow voters to decide the issue was not an indication of her position on same-sex marriage.

Gordon later told a Washington television station that if McCaskill “had her druthers,” the commercial would be pulled. He did not return calls Wednesday evening.

It’s fair to note that she absolutely does have her “druthers” about her response to the ad. She could publicly denounce those who seek to use her story to their advantage. She has not done so. She has accused Gallaudet of a host of things, but she has not had one single public word of criticism for the anti-gay campaign. One must assume that is because she doesn’t want to.

Dante

October 19th, 2012

One begins to wonder if McCaskill engineers this entire mess simply to have something for Maryland Marriage Alliance to use.

If her intentions has been innocent, she would have been the first to complain about the use of her situation to sway voters.

Priya Lynn

October 19th, 2012

McCaskill’s lawyer said her signing the petition was not an indication of her position on same sex marriage. If that was the case she would have wanted to clarify that and would have publicly stated she does support same sex marriage. I can’t believe there is any reason for her not to make such a statement other than that she is opposed to marriage equality.

Blake

October 19th, 2012

McCaskill stated repeatedly that she remains neutral on the gay marriage ballot referendum . She said her decision to sign the petition to place the marriage question on the ballot was based on her strong belief that all controversial issues should be put before the voters in Maryland.

Why are you still trying to martyr her, Priya?

If we’re going to get our rights via the legislative process than we are subject to the legislative mechanisms in place. Including People’s Vetos. This is not Prop 8, where they’re using a Constitutional Amendment inappropriately as a People’s Veto. This process is a part of every bill that passes in Maryland. The petition and the referendum are for related to and directly about the Bill itself. Not the underlying issues. One might vote against the bill & still support gay marriage. Because GAY MARRIAGE IS NOT THE ISSUE OF THE REFERENDUM; gay marriage is only the subject of the bill put up for approval by the people of Maryland. I thought posting the link to a copy of the standard petition form would make this clear; but I’m sorry you still don’t understand how the legislative process works in Maryland.

So far, the only thing I can tell about this woman is that she believes in Direct Democracy. And while I disagree with direct democracy I’m certainly not going to support the idea that one’s pro-or-con gay-marriage position can be determined based on one’s views about direct democracy.

Emily

October 19th, 2012

I think you mean copyrighted, not copywrited. (It’s slightly confusing, I know, but copywriting is completely unrelated to copyright–unless your copywriting is copyrighted!)

Timothy Kincaid

October 19th, 2012

Thank you, Emily. I corrected the headline.

I guess sometimes I just don’t write right.

Ryan

October 19th, 2012

Blake, you don’t really believe she’s neutral, do you? And besides, her original reason for signing the petition was because her church’s pastor inspired her to. Unlike McCaskill, her pastor makes no claims to be neutral.

Blake

October 19th, 2012

Ryan, I don’t know what she is and I’m sick and tired of people declaring that they do know.

Priya Lynn

October 19th, 2012

Blake, neutral people don’t aren’t concerned about having marriage equality put up for a vote – only anti-marriage people are.

Ryan

October 20th, 2012

Well Blake, I do know and I’m sick and tired of apologists claiming they don’t know.

Blake

October 21st, 2012

People who naively believe in direct democracy would, Priya. I don’t know; you don’t know. She hasn’t been fired yet; when that happens (or she’s reinstated) then we’ll know what others who know her better, are closer to the situation, and have information and knowledge that is not accessible to us believe.

Ryan, I’m sorry that the world’s misleading, confusing & uncertain & that there’s more categories in life than “good-guys”/”bad-guys”

But I’ve said my piece & made my point & I’ll shut-up now.

Robert

October 21st, 2012

Priya,

Your rant about only anti-marriage people being for putting marriage on the ballot is a bunch of hooey. I live in California, where right after the 8 fiasco, we, yes we, the GAY communitty were the ones debating if we wanted to try to get it on the ballot again. Funny, isn’t it, but the pro-gay marriage crowd is the one wanting it on the ballot here. So what was that again??

Priya Lynn

October 21st, 2012

Blake, you’re willfully blind. I won’t be accepting your demand that I be so as well.

Robert if the Maryland marriage law isn’t put on the ballot marriage equality will become law. If McCaskill wanted Maryland marriage equality she need do nothing. The only reason to want it on the ballot is to prevent marriage equality.

In California after prop 8 the situation is the opposite. Marriage equality is against the law. People who are anti-marriage don’t want it put on the ballot there, after prop 8 only people in California who want marriage equality want it put on the ballot.

So, when marriage equality is the law only anti-gay people want to vote on it. When marriage equality is against the law only pro-gay people want to vote on it.

Leave A Comment

All comments reflect the opinions of commenters only. They are not necessarily those of anyone associated with Box Turtle Bulletin. Comments are subject to our Comments Policy.

(Required)
(Required, never shared)

PLEASE NOTE: All comments are subject to our Comments Policy.

 

Latest Posts

The Things You Learn from the Internet

"The Intel On This Wasn't 100 Percent"

From Fake News To Real Bullets: This Is The New Normal

NC Gov McCrory Throws In The Towel

Colorado Store Manager Verbally Attacks "Faggot That Voted For Hillary" In Front of 4-Year-Old Son

Associated Press Updates "Alt-Right" Usage Guide

A Challenge for Blue Bubble Democrats

Baptist Churches in Dallas, Austin Expelled Over LGBT-Affirming Stance

Featured Reports

What Are Little Boys Made Of?

In this original BTB Investigation, we unveil the tragic story of Kirk Murphy, a four-year-old boy who was treated for “cross-gender disturbance” in 1970 by a young grad student by the name of George Rekers. This story is a stark reminder that there are severe and damaging consequences when therapists try to ensure that boys will be boys.

Slouching Towards Kampala: Uganda’s Deadly Embrace of Hate

When we first reported on three American anti-gay activists traveling to Kampala for a three-day conference, we had no idea that it would be the first report of a long string of events leading to a proposal to institute the death penalty for LGBT people. But that is exactly what happened. In this report, we review our collection of more than 500 posts to tell the story of one nation’s embrace of hatred toward gay people. This report will be updated continuously as events continue to unfold. Check here for the latest updates.

Paul Cameron’s World

In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote that “[Paul] Cameron’s ‘science’ echoes Nazi Germany.” What the SPLC didn”t know was Cameron doesn’t just “echo” Nazi Germany. He quoted extensively from one of the Final Solution’s architects. This puts his fascination with quarantines, mandatory tattoos, and extermination being a “plausible idea” in a whole new and deeply disturbing light.

From the Inside: Focus on the Family’s “Love Won Out”

On February 10, I attended an all-day “Love Won Out” ex-gay conference in Phoenix, put on by Focus on the Family and Exodus International. In this series of reports, I talk about what I learned there: the people who go to these conferences, the things that they hear, and what this all means for them, their families and for the rest of us.

Prologue: Why I Went To “Love Won Out”
Part 1: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Part 2: Parents Struggle With “No Exceptions”
Part 3: A Whole New Dialect
Part 4: It Depends On How The Meaning of the Word "Change" Changes
Part 5: A Candid Explanation For "Change"

The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing The Myths

At last, the truth can now be told.

Using the same research methods employed by most anti-gay political pressure groups, we examine the statistics and the case studies that dispel many of the myths about heterosexuality. Download your copy today!

And don‘t miss our companion report, How To Write An Anti-Gay Tract In Fifteen Easy Steps.

Testing The Premise: Are Gays A Threat To Our Children?

Anti-gay activists often charge that gay men and women pose a threat to children. In this report, we explore the supposed connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, the conclusions reached by the most knowledgeable professionals in the field, and how anti-gay activists continue to ignore their findings. This has tremendous consequences, not just for gay men and women, but more importantly for the safety of all our children.

Straight From The Source: What the “Dutch Study” Really Says About Gay Couples

Anti-gay activists often cite the “Dutch Study” to claim that gay unions last only about 1½ years and that the these men have an average of eight additional partners per year outside of their steady relationship. In this report, we will take you step by step into the study to see whether the claims are true.

The FRC’s Briefs Are Showing

Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council submitted an Amicus Brief to the Maryland Court of Appeals as that court prepared to consider the issue of gay marriage. We examine just one small section of that brief to reveal the junk science and fraudulent claims of the Family “Research” Council.

Daniel Fetty Doesn’t Count

Daniel FettyThe FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics aren’t as complete as they ought to be, and their report for 2004 was no exception. In fact, their most recent report has quite a few glaring holes. Holes big enough for Daniel Fetty to fall through.