Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/09/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I'm often reminded of this quote, variously attributed to Ben Franklin or Thomas Jefferson: Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. The terrorists are really winning because they have required our own governments to take oppressive actions not otherwise considered. Gibson got it right: "...his goal, to frighten you into surrendering the rule of law. That's why they call him 'terrorist.' He uses terrifying threats to induce you to degrade your own society." The drooling idiocy of it all.... Adam On 9/3/07, G Hopkinson <hoppyman@bigpond.net.au> wrote: > In case it may be of interest. This post is not in any way meant to > reflect any political opinion. > > Sydney Australia is very shortly to host APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic > Cooperation) meetings. There are 21 heads of state and numerous > officials as well as presumably an international press contingent. There > is very considerable disruption and inconvenience to Sydney > and fears that some protests may end in violence and destruction. Police > have been granted extraordinary powers which are a matter > of some local controversy. > > This week Police officers required that a party of German tourists delete > from their cameras, pictures taken of the temporary > security fencing that encloses some of the CBD. This is an ugly concrete > and steel mesh 2.8 metre high barrier extending for 5 kms > within the CBD. > > Presumably if they had been wielding good German film Leicas, they would > have had the film confiscated. I have a mental image of law > enforcement officers sifting through five or six multi gigabyte memory > cards for each tourist to ensure that no evil images remain. > > This same fence of course has been looked at since its construction by > hundreds of thousands of people and featured prominently on > national television and other media. Greater Sydney has more than four > million people. > > I can not think of any action more futile or foolish than requiring that > those couple of visitors delete those photographs. > > Sorry, visitors, most of us are friendlier than that. My favourite pub to > visit in Sydney is even within the exclusion zone. > > > > Hoppy > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >