code: public static JTextComponent textComponentAsLabel(JTextComponent textcomponent) {
          //  Make the text component non editable
          textcomponent.setEditable(false);
          // Make the text area look like a label
          textcomponent.setBackground((Color)UIManager.get("Label.background"));
          textcomponent.setForeground((Color)UIManager.get("Label.foreground"));
          textcomponent.setBorder(null);
          return textcomponent;
      }
docs: This will allow selection and copy to work but still retain the label
  look