Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["Ben Atherton-Zeman - Feminist, Actor and Husband" <>]

I made a mistake, and apparently shouldn't have even posted what I did.  I 
thought the concept of filling things to the point of overflowing was general 
enough that I didn't need to ask copyright permission - according to the 
author of "Until Someone Wakes Up," not so.  

I wrote to Professor Carolyn Levy, the author of the above-mentioned play, in 
the following manner:

Dear Professor Levy:  

I just wanted to follow up on my voicemail - I'd love to speak with you about 
the coffee-spilling scene in your play!  It has inspired me to draft the text 
for at least three television public service announcements.  

I am writing to thank you for your work, and for your inspiration.  As you'll 
see, the PSAs are a bit different from your scene in the play, but since they 
were inspired by your scene I wanted to make sure we weren't stepping on your 
toes by creating them.  I further want to see how you'd like to be 
acknowledged as we proceed.  

I recently posted the ideas for the PSAs on several list serves to which I 
belong, thus:

and then I copied the post that you all saw.  I received the following email 
from Professor Levy: 

Thanks for your email and phone message.  I do feel that the "rewrite" is 
still very much the scene we created.  Changing coffee to wine is not really 
a substantive change and the scene feels like ours.  I am sorry you posted 
it anywhere before talking to me.  I do not feel comfortable giving you 
permission to use the material this way.  If someone wants to use parts of 
our play for a PSA, they should contact me directly and we can negotiate a 
plan for that.... Carolyn Levy


Chagrined, I wrote her back thus: 

I AM SO SORRY!  I feel just awful.  You're right, it is so similar and I 
should have contacted you before posting the ideas.

What can we do now to minimize the damage?  I'd be happy to repost something 
like this to the lists:


Dear colleagues: I made a mistake in posting the ideas for the public 
service announcements.  In retrospect, the scenes are too much like the 
coffee scene in "Until Someone Wakes Up," which is a copywritten play.

Anyone who wants to use material so similar to the play should contact the 
play's author, Carolyn Levy at 
.
  Please do not use the 
material I posted earlier without communicating with her first.

I want to apologize publicly to Professor Levy, and to you all for my 
mistake.

I didn't want to repost until I had heard from her again - I have not, and 
it's been over a week.

So I'd advise anyone considering making those PSAs along that theme to check 
with Professor Levy first, at the above email address.  Again, my apologies 
for any mess I've made.  

Until the violence stops, Ben.  

Ben Atherton-Zeman, Acton MA USA
Actor, Comedian, Feminist and Husband
Presenting a One-Man Play: "Voices of Men," www.voicesofmen.org (video clips 
take a second to load)
Booking information: 978-263-3254

If I ever say anything smart or insightful, it's probably something taught to 
me by a woman.  If I ever do anything that makes a difference, it's probably 
because I was inspired by a woman's example.  
March is National Women's History (some say Herstory) Month - What women in 
your life do you admire?
Celebrate the month in your community: www.nwhp.org. 
And don't forget International Women's Day is March 8th: 
http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/women/womday97.htm.
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The Private War of Women Soldiers
Many female soldiers say they are sexually assaulted by their male
comrades and can't trust the military to protect them. "The knife wasn't
for the Iraqis," says one woman. "It was for the guys on my own side."
By Helen Benedict [2007-03-07]
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/03/07/women_in_military/

Make sure to read the many rape supportive, misogynist letters in
response to Benedict's article. Wow. 
http://letters.salon.com/news/feature/2007/03/07/women_in_military/view/
?show=all

Molly Dragiewicz
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Criminology, Justice, and Policy Studies
University of Ontario Institute of Technology