Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/20

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Subject: RE: [Leica] What I did today
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 20 Sep 1999 09:45:59 -0000

From: Nathan Wajsman <nathan.wajsman@euronet.be>
Sent: Monday, September 20, 1999 10:22
Subject: Re: [Leica] What I did today


> I live in Belgium. As you are well aware, we have had some
> terrible cases of child abductions, sexual abuse and murder
> here over the past couple of yours. In this environment, it
> is entirely understable that parents might become uneasy
> about a stranger photographing their children without permission.

Why do you say that?  Is photography considered a form of child abuse,
murder,
or pornography in Belgium?
- ------
Why don't you try reading, and thinking about, what other people write
before you respond. Nathan didn't say that photography is a form of child
abuse and you know it. He did say that people's fears have been heightened.
B. D. C.
- -----
> I can assure you that if you chose to exercise your perceived
> right to do so just because they are in a public place, and
> if a parent then took your Leica and smashed it on the ground,
> the authorities here would come down on the side of the parent
> and not the photographer.

One more reason not to visit Belgium.  Do people there form lynch mobs as
well
and kill photographers?

> If someone acts as an asshole and loses his equipment
> or gets punched in the face as a result, he is only getting
> what he deserves.

So you essentially believe that if someone does something you don't like,
it's
all right to beat him or destroy his property, without due process of law?--
Anthony
- ------

No, Anthony. But just as the person who crosses the street against the light
doesn't "deserve" to be hit - but if he or she isn't limited mentally he or
she will know that there is a good chance of being hit - so the photographer
who photographs people for no valid reason against their objection ought to
know that he or she may well face what is of course illegal physical
assault.

BDC