This Land is Your Land. Unless You’re Gay.
Folk legends Peter, Paul & Mary, have sent a cease and desist letter to the National Organization for Marriage, telling them to stop using their rendition of Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" at anti-gay marriage rallies.
The National Organization for Marriage is one of the biggest backers of California's Proposition 8 and most vocal organizations opposing same sex marriage. This summer, NOM organized the "Summer for Marriage Tour 2010: One Man One Woman," a bus tour that held 20 anti-gay marriage rallies, often playing "This Land is Your Land."
When Peter Yarrow was notified by Courage Campaign that NOM had been using their song for this purpose, he said he was "heartbroken" and would be contacting NOM to demand that they stop using the song. Below is the letter signed by Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey, the surviving members of the band.
