Monday, August 14, 2006
On this day:

University of Alabama: These colors are ours

The University of Alabama's lawsuit against Daniel Moore stinks to high heaven. If UA attorneys are right- that copyright law protects the crimson-and-white color combination, even when those colors are portrayed in works of art, then something is dreadfully wrong with the law.

I understand the need for universities to protect team logos, etc., but this goes way too far. Moore sells his artwork commercially, so it's somewhat understandable that the pinheads at the University would want to dip their greedy little hands into his pockets. However, Moore's prints depict public events. Not only that - he portrays them in a way that reflects his own talent and creativity. They are his works; he isn't "stealing" anything from the University. It seems to me that Moore's artistic interpretation of UA sporting events should be a defining example of the "fair use" of (presumably) copyrighted material. I'd bet that the thousands of Bama fans who have purchased Daniel Moore prints hope the courts will see things that way, too.