I won't pretend to know anything about copyright law, but I do know The Pretenders tried to stop Rush Limbaugh from using the guitar from "Back In Ohio" as his theme music.
Long story short, he still uses it.

Originally posted by mental modulator

My problem is that I am sick of being called a "LIBERAL" in the spirit of a racial slur.

I am not passing judgment, but offering a suggestion you might find useful.

Of all the things there are in the world, the ONE thing we each are in control of is the meanings we give to things. You and you alone are in control of the meanings you give to events.

So if somebody does XYZ, whatever that XYZ is, you decide the meaning to give it.

In your specific example, you are giving be called a "liberal" a specific meaning that causes you to put yourself in a state of rage.

What meaning do you give it? That the other person thinks they are better than you? That they think you are inferior? That you are naive? Stupid?

I would suggest giving it a new meaning.

When somebody calls you a liberal, the new meaning might be:

"This person has not evolved and become enlightened yet, and I will not allow what he thinks of me to control me. "

See, when you allow yourself to react to another person's words, you in essence are making yourself a slave and the other person your master.

I'm sure you don't want Rush Limbaugh or me being your master, do you?

Me: "Dude, you're nothing but a liberal."

You: [Get ENRAGED!]

Me: [laughing] "Dude, you're an angry liberal."

You: [Pick up a bottle, break it on the bar, and make me bleed]


Get the idea? Don't give up your free will to decide for yourself what things mean because it just makes you a slave to other people.