Its not much consolation, but this hijacking is not as new as you'd think, nor is it limited to our profession. For example, have you ever heard expressions to the effect that a document has been "doctored?" Not too long ago, a hardbound book with the title, "The Architect," made its way out of the White House occupied by the previous administration. I didn't read it, but I'll bet you a fine lunch that it had precious little to do with the architectural merits of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. However, a book by the same name was published by Spiro Kostof in 1977 that included dozens of essays on our profession, and that makes me curious about the terms of copyright protection. Except for the considerable rights and protections granted us in the state licensing laws, I believe there is little or nothing we can do to counter this practice. The word, "architect," has been in the dictionary for who knows how long, and there are people out there who make their fortunes skillfully manipulating language.
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Robert George FAIA
Robert S. George, FAIA, Architect
San Bruno CA
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