Organizers of Woodstock believe the 1969 music festival's logo and the 2016 logo for the Republican National Convention look similar.
The 1969 Woodstock Dove & Guitar logo features a dove perched on the neck of a guitar.
The 2016 RNC Elephant & Guitar logo features an elephant perched on the neck of a guitar.
"Check out the logo the (RNC) is using for its convention in Cleveland this week," organizers wrote on the official Woodstock Facebook page. "Remind you of anything? Does this mean the (RNC) will be incorporating Woodstock values into its platform? Let's hear it for unity and values."
On the official Woodstock website, organizers asked Republican politicians: "As your convention logo is strikingly reminiscent of our world-famous logo from the 1969 Woodstock Festival, why don't you consider incorporating some of our Woodstock values into the RNC platform?"
The Woodstock values are equality, community, activism and environmental protection.
"Any of these would be things that we’d support and we’d happy to lend our enthusiastic approval to," said Joel Rosenman, co-founder of Woodstock Ventures and co-producer of the 1969 Woodstock Festival. "For almost 50 years, the Woodstock Dove & Guitar logo has symbolized, and resonated with, those who believe in equality, community, activism and environmental protection. These are universal values that we encourage the RNC, and all Americans, to adopt in today’s politically charged and chaotic times. Our country could use a little more community, unity and love right now."
The Woodstock logo, which was created by designer Arnold Skolnick, is trademarked by Woodstock Ventures LC., the group that produced the legendary festival and owns all of its intellectual property.
The location of the GOP convention, Cleveland, is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
"Since Woodstock stands for world community, Woodstock does not endorse building walls between nations," said Michael Lang, co-founder of Woodstock Ventures and co-producer of the Woodstock Festival. "Woodstock stands for equal rights, so we do not endorse prejudice or discrimination. Woodstock stands for equal opportunity for all of us, so we do not support tilting the playing field to favor a privileged few. If these principles, which Woodstock does not endorse, turn out to be the principles that make up the GOP platform, then our logo designs would be the only thing we have in common.”
Rosenman said one of the goals of Woodstock, which celebrated counter-culture during civil rights movements and the Vietnam War, was to encourage people to take action in their communities, the country and the world -- "whether they’re societal or climate change issues."
He told The Huffington Post that Woodstock Ventures won't seek an intellectual property battle, as the RNC logo was a "political, non-commercial and temporary (one-week) use."
Read more at The Huffington Post.
About the Author
