Phelps under fire for making music
7:26 p.m. Friday, May 18, 2007
It began when members of the Westboro Baptist Church, best known for traveling the country to protest the funerals of dead soldiers, posted an internet music video on their Web site, and that video hit a sour note with a major music label.
It's a parody of the popular 80's song We Are the World, a song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and owned by Warner/ Chappell Music.
Earlier this month Warner/Chappell sent a letter to the Westboro Baptist Church. In it they claimed the church's version of We Are the World was "copyright infringement."
Legal letters exchanged
Read the Warner/Chappell letter to the Phelps, and the response from Fred Phelps in this PDF.
The Phelps Clan responded with a letter, in which they claim their version of We Are The World is a parody, and, therefore "fair use." They also tell Warner-Chappell that their demands to remove the song from the website are "respectfully declined."
We spoke to University of Kansas Associate Law Professor Andrew Torrance, who specializes in intellectual property.
Phelps' video
Topeka's Rev. Fred Phelps is under fire for changing the lyrics to a popular song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. Listen to the fractured version of the lyrics on a Westboro Baptist Church-affiliated Web site, TheSignoftheTimes.net.
He says if this case goes to court, the ruling will be determined by whether the Phelp's song is judged as a parody or a satire.
A parody is a song that pokes fun at the original version, but a satire takes an original body of work to send out a completely different message than the original version.
“A clever response, or maybe the best response they could come up with would be to shift the focus from the world of sinners to the world of Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson, specifically,” Torrance explained.
So, if the Phelps can prove the point of their song is to poke fun at the original song, or its creators, they could be off the hook.
The song in question...
The original song, We Are the World can be viewed here.
Comments
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May. 20, 2007 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)OZ (anonymous)
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The main difference between Fred Phelps and most KKKLANSANS is, Fred is NOT a HYPOCRITE; most KKKLANSANS are BIGOTS, see Kansas Constitutional Amendment Article 16 A and B.
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KKKLANSAS, the STATE of HATE, IS as DUMB and BIGOTED as you think!
THE FACT IS, FRED PHELPS REPRESENTS THE IGNORANCE AND BIGOTRY THAT IS KKKLANSAS.
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May. 21, 2007 at 1:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)OZ (anonymous)
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Brownback, Huckabee Court Gay Marriage Foes
by The Associated Press
Posted: May 20, 2007
(Orlando, Florida) Longshot Republican presidential candidates Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee were well received by a socially conservative group who applauded their anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage and pro-faith messages Saturday night.
Neither candidate mentioned topics like the Iraq war, taxes and health care during speeches in front of a Florida Family Policy Council dinner, instead sticking with a strong message on values. They received rave reviews from attendees, including Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida, who also serves as the Republican National Committee general chairman.
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This is what I mean by KKKLANSANS being Ignorant, BIGOTED HYPOCRITES.
Between this BS of the RADICAL X-TIAN BIGOTED HYPOCRITES and the way the KKKLANSANS voted on the latest KKKLANSAS Constitutional Amendment; Article 16 A and B, passing in 104 out of 105 Hypocritical, Ignorant HILLBILLY counties in KKKLANSAS
These "things" are the major issues if you're an IGNORANT, BIGOTED HYPOCRITICAL Radical X-TIAN EXTREMIST KKKLANSAN.
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KKKLANSAS, the STATE of HATE, IS as DUMB and BIGOTED as you think!
These are the Radical X-TIAN EXTREMISTS "family values" at work; Meanwhile, the Radical X-TIAN EXTREMIST, the IDIOT DUBYA, has KILLED 3,422 with his LIES that started an ILLEGAL WAR, costing $8 BILLION American Taxpayer Dollars a MONTH!
These are the RADICAL X-TIAN EXTREMISTS "family values."
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The "BUYBULL" contains 6 admonishments to homosexuals, and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals.
This doesn't mean that "god" doesn't love heterosexuals; or does it?
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Let's hear all the HATE SPEECH from the RADICAL IGNORANT BIGOTED republiSCUM CONservative X-TIAN EXTREMIST LUNATICS!
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