When IHS alums Courtney Moorehead Balaker and Ted Balaker decided to adapt Susette Kelo’s harrowing, real-life story of property rights and eminent domain abuse into a film, they started with an idea: people. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Publish it. “Little Pink House” premiers in select theaters around the country Friday, April 20, 2018. If true, then all homeowners would potentially be at risk of losing their property based on the whims that their privately-owned land could be “made better use of.” The Big Screen Written and directed by IHS alums Courtney Moorehead Balaker, and produced by Ted Balaker, “Little Pink House” provides an engaging in-depth discussion on eminent domain abuse, a controversial court case that changed laws nationwide, and how one loss can transform into a major win overall. Woody Guthrie originally wrote "This Land Is Your Land" as a kind of screed against the exploitations of private property ownership. That is until Kelo’s controversial Supreme Court case in 2005. Thankfully, there are ways… READ THE REST, As the winter months settle in, a lot of our favorite outdoor activities will inevitably end up in deep-freeze until next spring's thaw. The 1944 recording with this fourth verse can be found on Woody Guthrie: This Land is Your Land: The Asch Recordings Volume 1, where it is track 14. Both entities collect licensing fees for the song, however Satorii and their attorneys stated that Guthrie never renewed his 1945 copyright, and that the song should have been turned over to the public domain as far back as 1973 as a result.

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Vernon Smith Hall, 1st Floor, 3434 Washington Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201, Fellowship for the Study of Liberalism and a Free Society, Core Classical Liberal Principles and Ideas. Swing to it. Does Technology Support or Threaten Human Flourishing? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. From The New York Times: In the case, a young musical group called Satorii sued the song's publishers, Ludlow Music and the Richmond Organization, after paying $45.50 for a license to release a cover version of "This Land Is Your Land," which Guthrie wrote in 1940. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The premise is as old as our country itself, and a right many have fought and died for. The Institute for Humane Studies supports and partners with professors to promote the teaching and research of classical liberal ideas and to advance higher education’s core purpose of intellectual discovery and human progress. According to The Times, Judge Castel dismissed the case, ruling that there was no legal dispute to arbitrate as Satorii had already paid a licensing fee in order to release a cover version of “This Land Is Your Land.” The transaction allowed Satorii to use the song at will, and therefore there was no case to preside over. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Professors of …, Brian Hooks is the president of Stand Together, a philanthropic community founded by Charles Koch, …. It's a nice sentiment, I guess, but it's also a frustrating one. Ad Choices, Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” Remains Private Property, Court Rules, A federal judge dismissed a 2016 lawsuit attempting to transfer the song into the public domain, A daily roundup of the most important stories in music, The Ones: Drakeo The Ruler’s “Fights Don’t Matter”, Watch the New Ennio Morricone Mini-Documentary, HAIM Share New Song “Feel the Thunder” From, The Ones: BlueBucksClan and Cash Kidd’s “Aaron Judge”, Woody Guthrie, 1960s (John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images). The saga that would unfold around this case is a dramatic one, and one that is expertly told through their new film “Little Pink House,” which the Balakers pre-screened for IHS staff earlier this week.

Although the copyright should have expired in 1973, the actual ownership of the rights has long been contested. Unfortunately, it didn't go as well. Find Judge P. Kevin Castel’s opinion below. But while rain, snow, chilly temperatures, and wet, hazardous conditions might keep your bike off the streets and trails until next year, that doesn't mean it… READ THE REST. Woody Guthrie's daughter, Nora, remains a joint owner of the song rights through Woody Guthrie Publications, despite her father's obvious wishes. Before all the… READ THE REST, For hot items, you can already feel the engines revving for Black Friday. This land was made for you and me. Details about THIS LAND IS OUR LAND: HOW TO END WAR ON PRIVATE PROPERTY By Richard Mint ~ MINT Condition! Write it. Yodel it. 'This Land Is Your Land' Is Still Private Property, Court Rules [Ben Sisario / New York Times], Eddy Grant filed a lawsuit against the Trump campaign for using his song "Electric Avenue" (1983) in a "bizarre animated ad posted on Twitter by Trump's campaign on Aug. 12 which depicts a cartoon version of Trump's White House rival, former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden, driving an old-fashioned train car while a speeding train… READ THE REST, While the world's on lockdown thanks to COVID-19, the organizers behind San Diego Comic-Con opted to hold an online convention, so at least the entertainment industry could continue to enjoy that annual mid-July PR boost. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Susette Kelo, an EMT and home owner of a small, pink colored house in the Fort Trumbull neighborhood, emerged as the leader in the fight against the property seizure. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” Remains Private Property, Court Rules.

According to The Times, Satorii paid a $45.50 licensing fee to release their cover of “This Land Is Your Land.”, © 2020 Condé Nast. Believing someone else could make “better use” of the land, the City of New London wanted Pfizer to re-develop the plot and sought to use its power of eminent domain and transfer those rights to the New London Development Corporation (NLDC).

Sing it. The small community began to unite and rally against eminent domain abuse and seek to take their case to court. Photo credit: Korchula Productions and Brightlight Pictures. Many Americans were naturally concerned at the notion that a private entity could be given the power of eminent domain rights by the government. In the squares of the city by the shadow of the steeple Near the relief office I saw my people And some were stumbling and some were wondering if This land was made for you and me.

All rights reserved. No one has ever turned up their nose at a gift card, for example. Now, according to The New York Times, a federal judge has rejected the attempt to release the song from its copyright holders and free it into the public domain. Her case, and the house, made national headlines, sparking widespread debate and public outcry. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising Though the court ruled in favor of the City of New London, with a 5-4 decision, several states and legislatures chose to strengthen protections for property rights as a direct result. © 2020 Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University, Vernon Smith Hall, 1st Floor, 3434 Washington Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201 • (703) 993-4880. We wrote it, that's all we wanted to do." The “Technology, Individualism, and Human Flourishing” online discussion colloquium began with a vision. Kelo and Bullock helped to pave the way for change, by fighting for her house, and ultimately, yours too. The catch, NLDC was a private entity, and the residents of the Fort Trumbull neighborhood would be asked to vacate their homes via the abstract claim that “economic development” constituted public use. Unfortunately, one of those is cycling. Woody Guthrie originally wrote "This Land Is Your Land" as a kind of screed against the exploitations of private property ownership. Korchula Productions and Brightlight Pictures. To the Balakers, the heart of this story was the people –Susette and her neighbors– and conveying the life and homes they were fighting for, and would ultimately lose, in a nearly decade-long battle. In their complaint — filed by the same lawyers behind the "Happy Birthday" and "We Shall Overcome" suits — the group used a detailed timeline of decades-old paperwork and Guthrie's own hand-decorated songbooks to argue that Guthrie had essentially forfeited his copyright to the song decades ago by failing to renew it properly.