Union Station Congressional Hearing

[Village Idiot]

Updates on the harrassment issue if anyone's interested

Blog with two post from the photographer that testified:
http://photorights.blogspot.com/2008/07/i-know-i-know-i-lied-about-posting-here.html

Post in the DC Photo Rights group on Flickr with many other links:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/dcphotorights/discuss/72157606172867999/

 

[Rick Waldroup]

I read that timeline on the blog, and good grief, it would be hilarious, if it were not so damn scary. Does anyone, anywhere in power, have any clue at all, anymore, about our rights?

Hey, when these nitwits are in doubt, they always trot out 9/11 or the Patriot Act. This **** is getting so old and it just keeps getting deeper. What a world, what a world......

 

[craig]

Thanks for posting this. I would also like to add that I am glad this case is taking momentum.

Love & Bass

 

[Joves]

I read that timeline on the blog, and good grief, it would be hilarious, if it were not so damn scary. Does anyone, anywhere in power, have any clue at all, anymore, about our rights?

Hey, when these nitwits are in doubt, they always trot out 9/11 or the Patriot Act. This **** is getting so old and it just keeps getting deeper. What a world, what a world......

Yeah 9/11 and the unPatriot Act seems to be a generic blanket to justify violating an individuals rights. They havent had a clue on our rights for decades and, not just in the photography area but, in our lives in general. Thats all i have to say I dont want to get into a political fight in here. I try to save that for other forums.

 

[el_shorty]

More on the subject

http://lightboxdc.blogspot.com/

http://www.myfoxdc.com/myfox/MyFox/pages/.....1&locale=EN-US

 

[nynfortoo]

Thanks for the links — very interesting.

It disappoints me how there's such a negative view of photography by the governments. I wonder how many photos, out of the billions taken each X amount of time, are taken for malicious purposes.

I'm surprised they haven't banned beards yet. Some terrorists have them, after all.

 

[Village Idiot]

If you read the woman's testimonial, she mentions how that after the London bombings, the authorities were actively seeking photographers that might have any pictures of the scene to help them search for suspect.

 

[notelliot]

man, this stuff makes me livid.

I'm pretty happy that I live in Canada. This has never happened to me, to this extreme. If someone approaches me anywhere, tells me to cease and desist without a written policy, I wait for the police. The police (all 3 times this has had to happen) have told security/employees/random citizens that I have rights, and that they need to leave ME alone. Last time, I was on a University soccer field at 3AM, it had no signage saying I couldn't be there to play soccer, or take photos, the police say that technically I'm right, but could end up causing myself a headache next time, if say, a hot-headed cop takes the call. I was trespassing, but since it wasn't posted, they told me to be quick and finish what I was doing.
If I were in the US, I'd be getting arrested once a week, I bet..
I made a thread about TWIP, earlier. One of the REALLY cool things they do is support photographers in the US that have their rights taken away. TWIP will help with court and lawyer fees to help progress the fact that we as PEOPLE (nevermind photographers) have rights. It's taking a bit too long for this to be taken seriously, but it seems like it WILL eventually happen.

 

[Joves]

If I were in the US, I'd be getting arrested once a week, I bet..
I made a thread about TWIP, earlier. One of the REALLY cool things they do is support photographers in the US that have their rights taken away. TWIP will help with court and lawyer fees to help progress the fact that we as PEOPLE (nevermind photographers) have rights. It's taking a bit too long for this to be taken seriously, but it seems like it WILL eventually happen.

Actually this is only happening in the most part in major US cities. Im not sure about Canada but any University which is funded through tax dollars is public property and, so you cant be considered trespassing unless you go into dorms and, other areas restricted to the student body. And it does soud like a cool thing TWIP is doing.
The England thing cracks me up. People wanting to restrict photography in public but, want anyone who may have been shooting to help them out. Now if they do make public photography illegal then, they would be SOL. And if it was illegal and, you gave them the pic they would probably arrest you for shooting in public.