Know your rights

[THORHAMMER]

The excuse has changed, but the harassment has increased big time I think.

I'm sure it still happened tons before 911, noone here is disputing that, but the administrations open ended rules and provisions have created an environment where abuse of power flourishes.


--and no, people are not tired of playing find the terrorist, I've had hour long discussions with detectives that have 17 years under there belt and are heading up anti terror squads in LAPD and LBPD. You simply dont know what you are talking about.

 

[68Whiskey]

The excuse has changed, but the harassment has increased big time I think.

I'm sure it still happened tons before 911, noone here is disputing that, but the administrations open ended rules and provisions have created an environment where abuse of power flourishes.


--and no, people are not tired of playing find the terrorist, I've had hour long discussions with detectives that have 17 years under there belt and are heading up anti terror squads in LAPD and LBPD. You simply dont know what you are talking about.

Abuse of power has been going on ever since power was given to someone, and to blame the abuse of power on our administration is complete ignorance. Anyone and EVERYONE with power abuses it, the subtleness of the abuse of power depends on the person.

 

[RMThompson]

If I am in a public place taking pictures and someone asks me to stop taking pictures of them I will respect their right. Until they complain I will keep doing it. So far I have had no objections. Which I personally do not sit at the park playground taking pictures. If I take pictures anywhere at a park it is because I got paid to cover a event or their is some sports related event going on.

To clarify, you don't respect their RIGHT, you would be respecting their WISHES.

They have no right NOT to be photographed in public.

 

[Mystwalker]

"rights and such aside" ...

I've said this before ... I would have a real problem with someone taking pictures of my daughter without asking me first.

As a "real photographer", do you really want your zoom shoved up your $%@! by a nervous parent?

There is "the law" and there is common courtesy and decency. I am sure most photographers are not out to test their rights and probably want trouble less then parents. In today's world, I draw the line at my daughter being photographed by strangers, and I am sure many parents feel the same way.

Sponsored events - company parties, Easter egg hunt, Christmas in the park ... I may feel differently.

 

[THORHAMMER]

Abuse of power has been going on ever since power was given to someone, and to blame the abuse of power on our administration is complete ignorance. Anyone and EVERYONE with power abuses it, the subtleness of the abuse of power depends on the person.

Dude, you company fairy man.

we are not disputing , nor struggling with textbook thesis
material for definition of "abuse of power" ;

we were debating wether or not the current climate is inclined towards abusing that power in the name of 911 in regards to photographers. Hence the title "Know your rights" Not, "does abuse happen"?

Of course people abuse it, thats what we are talking about einstein...

I am ignorant, ignorant of people who dont know what the hell they are talking about .....



Here is what our current administration has passed under the name of 911
thas has illegally sidestepped our constitution, I'm just saying its wrong, thats all.

These bills basically throw the constitution out the window
if law enforcement state or federal decides you are a terrorist threat, or suspicious to DHS in any way.


National Homeland Security Agency Act (H.R. Bill 1158)

USA Patriot Act (USAPA) PUBLIC LAW 107-56 (H.R. 3162)

Real ID

John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007" (H.R.5122)

Additions to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

Terrorist Surveillance Program

Military Commissions Act of 2006

Vetoed the "H.R. 2082" bill that would have outlawed illegal torture

 

[THORHAMMER]

May I suggest that, without a Supreme Court decision affirming your statement, it is without fact or merit.

Please note that I am neither defending nor attacking the laws that you've quoted. I am, however, attacking your conclusion.

-You need the supreme court to hold your hand and tell you this is unconstitutional ?

Well, they will - Heres a few of them....


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5665192

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/17/washington/17cnd-nsa.html

http://www.notinourname.net/restrictions/supreme-court-28jun04.htm

http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/library/news/2006/06/sec-060630-rferl01.htm

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/06/29/supreme-court-bush-overstepped-his-authority/

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/nsa-a19.shtml


http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/04/30/bush_challenges_hundreds_of_laws/

 

[Rick Waldroup]

Can someone explain to me what physical harm there is in taking a photo of a child? What actual harm befalls that child when a person clicks a shutter.

Where in the hell did this insane friggin' fear come from about taking a photo of a child?

I have never seen such hysterical rants about shoving lenses up peoples asses, about the photographer having a short life span, and so on, simply because someone raised a camera and took a picture of a child.

Are you people for real? Do you really want to live in fear like this all your life. And for the guy who thinks nothing has changed since 9/11 about photographers taking photos on the streets- you must not hit the streets and do much shooting.

I am a street shooter and since 9/11 I can't tell you how many times I have been stopped, sometimes detained, and harrased by authorities. Before 9/11, it was extremely rare when this happened.

It starts here and it needs to end here. We have to take our rights back and I'm not just talking about photography. How many of you guys expect the "terrorism alerts" to pick up as we get closer to the national election? If the American people do not put their foot down and say enough is enough, then we have only ourselves to blame for this hysteria.

Once again, what the hell is wrong with taking a photo of a child at a playground acting, well, like a child? This is absurd. Be cautious, be aware, but do not live in fear.

Stop living in fear.

 

[THORHAMMER]

I guess I sort of expect a guy called socrates to say that.

 

[redls1bird]

My sons had taken my granddaughter to the park and someone attempted to photograph her. The father and the uncle politely explained to him that, should he continue, he will never take another picture in his lifetime. The uncle went a bit further and suggested that the individual's lifetime may well be significantly shorter than he had previously expected.

Yeah, one should have there life threatened for photographing a child, and capturing the peak of innocence. The reason why we have adopted rights and have written them down, and enforce them is because people dont respect each other. We dont respect each others opinions, thoughts, beliefs or even that they exist. Because of this, we as a group, and sometimes individuals with the power to do so have adopted fundamental "rights" for ALL people.

The fact your sons felt the need to threaten someones life and limb is irresponsible at best. Its why we had to adopt these rights to begin with.

 

[skieur]

It should be mentioned that aside from the Lochness Monster all of those only really apply to America.

Certain rules are different. The standout one in Australia is that if an area is accessible by the public that does not make it public property. Shopping malls, privately owned parks etc are all at the digression of the owner, but you can legally take photos unless requested to stop.

As far as I can see all other rules apply.

You did not read it with sufficient care. A place that is accessible to by the general public is a public PLACE, not public property. In Australia as well as Canada and the U.S. you can legally take photos until you are requested to leave the property.

skieur

 

[skieur]

My sons had taken my granddaughter to the park and someone attempted to photograph her. The father and the uncle politely explained to him that, should he continue, he will never take another picture in his lifetime. The uncle went a bit further and suggested that the individual's lifetime may well be significantly shorter than he had previously expected.

Bad move on the part of the father and the uncle since that constitutes threatening and assault

skieur

 

[D40]

I was asked (told no shooting really) to stop shooting on a priveate outdoor mall that was open to the public by a rent-a-cop The shopping center has older style buildings and is a really nice place but I stay away from there from now on.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

Socrates, it has every thing to do with 9/11 and this current administration. They ask you to report anything suspicious, which is fine in theory, but you know the old saying, "give 'em an inch and they will take a mile." Illegal wiretaps, the FBI has already admitted abusing it's powers of survelliance, the suspension of habeas corpus, and on and on and on it goes.

Spy on your neighbor, listen to Big Brother, be constantly afraid, because that is how they rule- with fear.

I have grandchildren. I take them to the park. If I saw, what was apparently a photographer with an SLR and a lens or two- in other words, a photographer- and he snapped a shot or two of my kids playing and then went on- who cares? I would not give it a second thought. Now, if he is running around and covertly snapping photos and acting like a weirdo, well of course, you would be alert. But I'm telling you, this weird, irrational fear of people snapping a photo of a child at play is lunacy. And I don't care what era we are talking about.

 

[Arch]

please... as much as i know some of you like to do it... lets not get personal with each other.... people are always going to do stupid things and things that are disagreeable to others.... thats thier problem and not really anything that can be debated.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

Maybe some of our Aussie friends can chime in here. I read that there are some beaches now in Australia that will not allow photography of any kind. Is this true? And if it is, what do they base this absurd law on?