Ron Paul’s Office Calls Back
Posted: March 6th, 2007 | Author: Sam | Filed under: Blog Posts, Copyright, Politics |
Yesterday, I called Ron Paul’s office about the above image. His column was being published in a white-supremacist newspaper. I thought that his presidential campaign would like to know about this sort of thing.
A very nice woman called me back this morning, to tell me that the article republished was probably from a speech on the House floor. (The following dialog is based upon my memory, and does not represent absolutely accurate quotes.)
“I don’t think so,” I said. “I’m fairly certain this was a written production of Congressman Paul’s.”
“Oh, well then, it’s out in the open. Congressman Paul can’t help who does and doesn’t publish his work.”
Here’s the column in its original form. Quite frankly, I’m not sure the nice woman’s explanation holds water. Wouldn’t Paul retain any copyright over his written work? Wouldn’t he be able to say who does and doesn’t get to publish his work?
I’ve called around for some legal response to that simple question. I assume I’ll hear something soon, and when I do, I’ll post it.
Update 1: There is no mention of a copyright policy on his website. Does Paul disavow copyright law? Points for him if he does, but I find that surprising. There’s a screenshot below of his column listing. No mention of fair use.
Update 2: Commenters angry here might be getting the wrong idea. I have no bone to pick with Ron Paul, other than with his pro-life stance. If the government ought to be out of our business, then the government ought to be out of our business. If you people are actually Ron Paul supporters, you don’t want his columns appearing in white-supremacist newspapers. How on Earth is that going to help the man in his longshot bid for the presidency? He ought to be rigorously applying the copyright that he seems to have here and preventing these publications from running his columns.
Unless, of course, Congressman Paul doesn’t mind support from these fringe elements in our society.
Update 3: I just spoke with a lawyer who specializes in copyright protection. She argued that what Congressman Paul says on the House floor is public record, but she thinkgs that he would maintain a copyright on whatever he writes. Which doubles back to the original point: if Congressman Paul has copyright over these written columns, why not prevent their publication in white-supremacist literature?
I know that all NASA photography is public domain and so is much of what public servants create. So copyright law may not apply in this case depending on if he wrote it as a congressman or as a private citizen.
[...] Update: Sam digs further. He notes that the Congressman’s office said anyone is free to run his columns, and, in the words of a staffer, he “can’t help who does and doesn’t publish his work.” [...]
I’m failing to see the problem or issue here.
It’s public domain stuuf done on the tax payers nickel … move on.
The issue is this person is a dirty liberal and trying to start something.
If a candidate wants their message out, why would they restrict reprinting?
AS I said, anyone can repost an article, period.
End of issue. There is no issue here at all.
This blogger should just get a life.
What are you doing with a copy of a “white-supremacist newspaper”? Do you think they gave you permission to post a picture of it here? Is this even a “white-supremacist newspaper”, or are slandering a site that you don’t agree with? Ron Paul’s speeches are for public use so copies could end up anywhere. Stop being a dumb dumb.
Ron Paul would be the last person in the government to seek to restrict who can and cannot publish whatever they want!
Yay Pat exactly! And I don’t care if the devil himself votes for Paul, as long as he gets elected. Even the devil can be reformed.
It’s worse. I stumbled onto David Duke’s website the other day while googling Presidential politics for the day.
He’s practically endorsing Ron Paul.
Ron Paul has had some ties that are nothing to be proud of in the past to far-right groups. My former boss IS NOT AN ANTI-SEMITE. However, he is grossly inattentive in dealing with groups who are blatantly anti-Semitic.
It’s worse when you consider that his anti-War on Islamo-Fascism views happen to correspond perfectly with the views of many of these far-out radical groups.
Whether they are using him to gain in credibility, or whether it’s just coincidence doesn’t matter much. It’s the image that counts. No doubt this will all come to haunt him in his race for the Presidency.
I’m supporting Rudy Giuliani, and not my former longtime boss for President. Rudy understands the threat our Nation faces from Islamo-Fascism. Ron Paul thinks that if we just surrender the Islamo-Fascists will just go away and leave us alone.
Yeah right. Like they’re currently leaving the Europeans alone, huh?
Eric Dondero, Fmr. Senior Aide
US Congresman Ron Paul (R-TX)
1997-2003
http://www.mainstreamlibertarian.com
white supremacists? So what?
They are allowed the same freedoms as multiculturalists are.
I think Ron Paul could do without the stigma (not a problem if the media doesn’t trump it up) of having Racialists revere his work, but I doubt he would be upset that Americans are interested in what he is saying. ANY and ALL Americans…including White ones.Are you sure trouble isn’t that you can instantly tell these people’s race?
Now, I sure don’t want the KKK to show up a future Ron Paul rally, but what I’m saying, is that Free Speech is the first given freedom in the Bill of Rights, and I believe (outside of a sensitive PR situation) Dr. Paul would be pleased (even though he diasgrees) that citizens can express their views.
“I’m supporting Rudy Giuliani, and not my former longtime boss for President. Rudy understands the threat our Nation faces from Islamo-Fascism. Ron Paul thinks that if we just surrender the Islamo-Fascists will just go away and leave us alone.”
Islamo-Facism…jeez…what if I said the words: Judeo-Communism…or Neo-com if you will. You would completely flip and I’d be branded a horrid racist, (even though jews and arabs are both the same phenotype:semites) but what you said is ok….isn’t it?
btw Giuliani is a pimp, and the American people will see him for what it is, no matter what the media do. His nomination is a sure path to a Democratic president.
RON PAUL
RESTORE THE REPUBLIC
A.D. 2008
Back in the late 1970s, Texas Monthly did a profile on the Houston chapter of the American Nazi party. In the interview, the boys were unanimous in their praise of Ron Paul! That tells me all I really need to know about him.
Despite any of this, which could realistically have been written by a ghost writer as Ron Paul claims, I would certainly rather him, a hardcore constitutionalist, be President than any of the other GOP candidates.
Anyways, the ANU does have a lot of good points on their platform… although they do blow it with the “right to voluntary racial segregation”, rejecting feminism and homosexuality, and their pro-life position… Is there maybe a “Progressive Nationalist” party I could join? Anyone? No?
[...] Why yes! He is that Ron Paul, who has what some consider questionable ties. Yes, he has made a slew of well-documented racist statements, which were “reprinted” in supremacist publications without his permission. [...]
Ron Paul’s weekly column Texas Straight Talk is published on the http://www.house.gov website - it is public domain and can be reproduced by anyone.
Eric,
Your lack of support for your “former boss” is transparantly calculated to give the impression that you’ve “lost faith” in a “mentor.” Well, I also worked for my home district congressman, when I was much younger. My decision to work for him had nothing to do with either his politics or mine, and had everything to do with my desire to learn how such things worked. As a matter of fact, the congressman was a Democrat while I was a Republican, so we had little in common politically.
I mention the above story because it’s easy for the casual reader to assume — because of your former association with Paul — that you must be a disillusioned former fellow-traveller. I know better, though. I see you for the political opportunist that you truly are. For instance, you affix the libertarian label to yourself, yet you support the most fascistic candidate in the Republican primary, which, considering his “front-runner” status, is as much an act of political opportunism as is trying to grab your former bosses seat, while he’s in the midst of a national campaign.
BTW, Eric, does it really trouble you so much that these radical groups are ANTI-war. Do you prefer radical groups that are PRO-war? Never mind, it was a rhetorical question…
Are you a subscriber to that particular paper, or did you pick it up at one of ANU’s rallies? Also, since Paul apparently didn’t give them permission to republish his writings, did you bother asking ANU why they felt entitled to do so? Do they publish ALL of his writings, including the ones critical of racisim?
If this is really a journalistic effort, not just a hit piece, then you’ve got some more work to do.
“Which doubles back to the original point: if Congressman Paul has copyright over these written columns, why not prevent their publication in white-supremacist literature?”
Because Ron Paul is in fact a racist and has been from the get-go. Why else is he endorsed by David Duke, Stormfront and the National Vanguard?
The Ron Paul apologists are running scared.