Oh, Gay Irony

There has been some small conflict between a group calling themselves "Protect Marriage" and a group dubbed the "Courage Campaign". They hate each other. "Protect Marriage" is focused on keeping the word "marriage" defined as a sexual-legal relationship between a man and a woman exclusively. Whereas the "Courage Campaign" finds this to be derogatory against homosexuals. So they bicker and squabble over this issue every time they get the chance.

One of those chance, that became a rather humourous debacle, is as follows:

In order to combat Protect Marriage and their "Yes on 8" campaign, the Courage Campaign created a logo for "Tracking the Progress" of Proposition 8 in California. The Courage Campaign's logo is a very obvious parody of Protect Marriage's. So obvious, in fact, that Protect Marriage thought they might have a case against them for plagiarism. It does seem, speaking very objectively, like the Courage Campaign did nothing more than simply deface Protect Marriage's logo. Physically, there is very little difference.

So Protect marriage took the Courage Campaign to court, demanding that they change the logo. They claiming that the logo is too similar to their own logo to not be an infringement of copyright. The Courage Campaign declared that it was parody and thus protected as free speech.

Protect Marriage may have had a case, really, looking at it objectively. But the reality is, this is dealing with a rather subjective, relative, and emotional issue. True, the logos are very (very, very) similar, but if you are a group that is insisting that gay marriage is an abomination and should not be supported but the law; that it is very, very different than marriage between a man and a woman; then there is a very substantial difference between the two logos: one is a man and a woman, one is two women.

On the other hand, if you are a group that insists that marriage between two women is just as legitimate as marriage between a man and a woman; and there isn't a substantial difference; then you should admit that the logo isn't substantially different and really borders on plagiarism. Perhaps crosses over into plagiarism.

Ironic.

If you are like me, you say that yes, it is really quite the plagiarism. There is very little difference between the two. But it is also a parody, and a funny parody, and thus trumps plagiarism. Because I like comedy.
As is this entire scenario.

Barring the central issue: the ban on gay marriage. That's just prejudicial and bigoted. If you don't like gay marriage, then don't get one and shut up.