 November 22, 2003 To: Ms. Julianne Bahlinger 123 A Question of Ethics Fredericksburg, TX 78624 Ms. Shelley Britton 321 A Question of Morality Fredericksburg, TX 78624 Dear Ms. Bahlinger and Ms. Britton: Regrettably, we have heard from California that you misappropriated the palindromic neologism, imagigami, which was created by Emanual Goldstein in San Francisco and first copyrighted twenty-one years ago. In addition, since 1998, imagigami has been present on the internet and quite easy to find by anybody who uses “Google” or another of the common search engines. We also have been informed that you are using Goldstein’s intellectual property to peddle merchandise by way of an internet website. It is quite important for those of us who make up G.O.D. to fully appreciate the true facts of this report before G.O.D. renders a final judgment. In such a situation, we usually start our evaluation in reference to Exodus 20:15; namely, “Thou shalt not steal.” Therefore, we are trying to understand the assertion quoted from your web page that, “In May of 2001 a dream was born . . . original artwork and poetry became imagigami . . .” We want to know, when you woke up from your dream, what was your moral reaction the first time you searched for imagigami and found it? Your dream obviously involved the mounting of an internet presence, so what did you do? Was it as simple as filching the name with total disrespect to the copyright holder? When you located imagigami on-line wasn’t it quite obvious that it was Emanual Goldstein who had years ago discovered, elaborated and copyrighted imagigami, including Figital Technology and the Humanuals, and that it was simply not yours to plagiarize? Or, did you just invent your so-called “dream” as an excuse once you happened on Goldstein’s work and decided it was fair game to pilfer? What the heck. Either way, your behavior was deliberately immoral and hypocritical !! We hope a teaching from Ephesians 4:28 will illustrate what you need to do to rectify the serious moral shortfall your presumptive acts have demonstrated, and to repair the damage you have caused to another, not to mention unto yourselves. Your selfish and insolent disrespect for artistic integrity is a stain on the soul of your so-called mission; “because love needs expression.” What you need is more originality and less mendacity. G.O.D. knows it, and you know it too. Perhaps this old-time lesson from the Bible will help in the cleansing process that you most assuredly need; “Let she who stole steal no longer, but rather let her labor, working with her hands what is good, that she may have something to give to those in need.” G.O.D. suggests that you pray on the right thing to do now that you’ve been busted for preying on other peoples’ work. And then, if your contrition is deemed sufficient, and it actually arights that which you have wronged, perhaps then you can “Get right with G.O.D.” Otherwise, sadly, G.O.D. will have to say a little prayer for your plagiaristic souls. SIGNED ELECTRONICALLY _______________________________________ Rev. W. Morgan Davis, Jr., M.Th., D.Div. Regional Coordinator; Good Ordinary Decent |
Judge Grifton S. Nordby
imagigami