Word back from Seattle on Kenneth Lisenbee suggests that there is no good reason that I should have to remove the photos. It is an infringement of copyright to publish them but I am advised that no serious prosecutor would be interested and that a defence of 'fair use', the definition of which is currently under dispute, combined with the fact that neither party is gaining or suffering financially would likely succeed.
And, of course, any prosecution would involve crossing international borders. It is so very tempting to make Mr Grumpy even grumpier but I feel some ethical obligation to attend to Kenneth Lisenbee's desire that 'his' photos not be seen.
I know why this has irritated me so much now. It's such an incredibly un-bohemian way to behave. Chelsea residents and lovers have been cheated of the chance to engage with some history and the bohemian ideals that brought the Bowles pairing to Hotel Chelsea have been stomped on. Of course, people need to protect their copyright where their income is at stake. This feels a lot like trying to police information and art. I don't like that. In effect, I'm being censored.
I'm incredibly bored with people who use nasty as their default mode. If Kenneth Lisenbee made a reasonable approach instead of charging in full of pomposity and phlegmatic fury we might just have sorted something mutually beneficial. Instead we have this. It is exactly people who approach the entirety of life as a self-aggrandising competition who are destroying our world.
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