Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/11/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]John Mason wrote: >Not a good sign. Not for photographers or anyone >else. But you knew that. > >Bill Emory just posted this on his website: > >http://www.billemory.com/NOTES/pocket%20litter.html > >--John > > > > >===== >J Mason >Charlottesville, Virginia > > >>>New! Democracy of Speed, a Photo Documentary Project: >>> >>> >http://www.people.virginia.edu/~ds8s/john-m/john-m.html > > > >__________________________________ >Do you Yahoo!? >Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page. >www.yahoo.com > > >_______________________________________________ >Leica Users Group. >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > John- I can feel your pain. You did exactly what any reasonable person might do when confronted with superior force- you backed down. My fear is that enough of us would eventually back down, to submit to unreasonable authority, and cower in the face of jack booted storm troopers that the land of the free and home of the brave might shortly become the land of the intimidated, and the home of the meek. I don't know tour exact situation, if you have family that needs your immediate presence, or if there were enough witnesses that a slight chance of plans might not gotten you a spot on the 6 o'clock news. Taking photos in a public place, of public events, of fellow Americans speaking their mind is not in anyway a threat to 'National Security'.... depriving others of the chance to see freedom in action by destroying a photographer's film depicting Americans exercisng their constitutional right to free speech is an extremely grave threat to national security. I am not a rabid anti-government militant type at all, but the government is supposed to be ME! By ME! and For ME!- and all my fellow Americans. Personally, I am old enough (58) not to fear the blathering of assholes, just passive-aggressive enough to tell him to 'bring it on, and just hope that being a disabled veteran who fought to preserve the rights of others to do what you did, and with a good lawyer, make life a living hell for the assholes who wanted to press the issue. He may have been a good family man, doing his job, but I would bet dollars to doughnuts that nowhere in his job description (and if he is like many of the TSA folk- probably unable to even read the job description...) does it say he should hassle law abiding folks going about their business. If our government can let a crowd of wild eyed militants in far off Boogastan march and wave automatic assault rifles in the face of our troops with impunity, then the idea of the govenment threatening a citizen here for merely taking photos is outrageous. I'd complain- make a stink- don't let it happen again! Dan (Pissed off) Post