There has been considerable debate on some of the photographer forums about the Orphan Works bills now before congress. Much of the discussion has been about how ASMP has endorsed the House bill and some people think that group has sold out photographers in the doing. 

Without getting too much into the meat of the debate, I would like to take a minute to beg photographers to think and investigate more before they take a position and to please, once you decide your position, to announce and/or defend it with civility. 

I am so upset about the tone of some of the posts–it’s infuriating. For example, there are those who are saying that ASMP (and PPA) have sold out and/or rolled over on this issue. That is simply wrong and mean to all the people in those groups who have worked their asses off for you lot. I’m not saying I agree with them, and I’m not saying I don’t (in this post I’m staying neutral), but to think, even for a second, that the leadership of either of these organizations would deliberately do less than what they truly believe is the very best for their constituents is unfathomable to me. 

I don’t know the PPA folk, but I do know many people in the leadership of ASMP as I worked closely with them for SB2. I have never met a more devoted group of people in my life. The board members and, especially, the president essentially put their own businesses in second position (and their families, even) to their duties to ASMP and, more specifically, its members. They are devoted to helping photographers and doing what is best for them, even when the membership may not see it.

I see a parallel with the gas tax thing in the news. Suspending the gas tax is not a wise idea in the long run. Just about every economist has said so, but only one of the presidential candidates has taken that position. The other position will make the people happier because they’ll think that something is being done when, in fact, in the long run it will probably actually be worse to suspend the gas tax than to do nothing (or something else). It makes a great sound bite and it’s easier to swallow the idea of not having to pay as much for gas now. We don’t have to think about the long-term consequences. We like easy and we like the sensational, so someone saying “Obama doesn’t understand the suffering of the poor and middle class or else he’d back suspending the gas tax” gets traction. Even though it’s utter crap. We just hate the idea that we might have to do something tough–that we can’t have it all our way and get what we want, exactly how we want it, and now.

Similarly, it makes good blog fodder to claim that ASMP (etc.) are doing less than they ought for photographers–that if they had photographers best interests really in mind they would rail against this horrible bill. It excites people–we love a controversy! And we, apparently, love to attack more than to uplift.

The truth, however, just isn’t as sensational (in that tabloid “news”-ish sort of way). These groups have put in tons of hours and been in the friggin’ trenches, fighting for the best they could possibly get. Only they know what happened in all those meetings and letters and calls and hearings–especially the talking that doesn’t go on the record. We, as their constituents, need to decide whether or not we believe that they are being truthful when they say “This is the best we’re going to get, folks” and, considering their long track record of helping photographers, I think it’s just plain shitty to kick ‘em in the teeth now.

Agree with the position or disagree, fine–we each have that right. But don’t accuse them of doing anything less than their very best for you. Don’t attack them with things like that they should have done better or that they weren’t willing to fight the fight–because that’s just hateful crap. 

This entry was posted on Monday, May 5th, 2008 at 9:58 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.