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12/17/2007 11:52:35 PM · #1 |
Article
Hope its not old news for everyone |
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12/17/2007 11:54:46 PM · #2 |
| Let's hear it for the NYCLU! |
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12/18/2007 12:35:55 AM · #3 |
Wow, finally a win for our side...
I always love when "authority" is checked.
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12/18/2007 12:57:57 AM · #4 |
I believe in photographer rights but before we jump to conclusions and say a win for our side, we need information from both sides. It would not surprise me if NY authorities over reacted but I don't know what the photographer said or did (if anything)while being questioned that would cause the police to place him in handcuffs. We do live in a post 911 US whether we like it or not. Blame the tightened security on the ones that flew the planes in our buildings and an open field killing our citizens.
If the authorities did nothing and knew of someone taking pictures of subways and the streets surrounding them and something happened, then the authorities would be in a worse situation. The man (regardless of his origin) did say he had an assignment to photograph all 468-subway stations and their surrounding streets and post them on a Web site. If I were a police or commissioner I would find that to be enough cause to detain and interview the photograph. Handcuffs, NO! Unless he did something I felt was a risk at the time to the citizens of New York or myself.
Keep in mind that my post is based on the article posted by Reuters. As far as I̢۪m concerned the man is innocent unless proven he did something wrong. And his rights as a photographer and person should be protected.
Message edited by author 2007-12-18 01:08:44. |
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12/18/2007 03:32:39 AM · #5 |
As a student of the law I like to think I can appreciate the nuances of the "security over liberty" debate. Also, I've been hassled while taking pictures around the World Trade Center, and I do not fit the ethnic profile of the man in the lawsuit.
My take on the situation is that questioning photographers on the suspicion of terrorism will not do much to prevent a terrorist act, while it ups the tension between the police and the populace, and so it really is not the best use of resources.
First, what information can a terrorist really obtain from taking pictures in a public place that can't be obtained in myriad other ways? I was taking pictures of the water front around the WTC... I could have gone online and found a hundred pictures from all sorts of vantage points with ease.
Second, why would a terrorist draw all that attention to himself? If a terrorist is smart and determined enough to sit there and come up with an elaborate plan I think they're smart enough not to walk around with a tripod taking pictures of support beams knowing that chances are they're being recorded on the closed-circuit security cameras that blanket the city.
But anyway, I really don't see how taking photographs would even help a terrorist plan. I mean, what sort of information will a terrorist gain from a picture of a subway that can't be described with words after just walking through it? If anything, having an inconspicuous video camera in a briefcase or hidden somewhere on the body would do the trick without drawing any attention to the person.
I'm not an anarchist by any stretch but I do believe that you have to do a cost/benefit analysis and draw the line when the potential for undue interference in the regular lives of citizens outweighs the security benefit being received. Here, I would be proven wrong if lots of 'leads' result from the questioning/detainment of photographers, but my hunch is that the security benefit is minimal, and so I have to side with the interest of 'liberty' on this.
I know its a "post-9/11 world", but I'm much more concerned about the (almost complete lack of) security in subways, railways, our nation's maritime ports...
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12/18/2007 11:41:50 AM · #6 |
Hooray for all photographers. Racism is still everywere in this country. It is sad but true.
Jeremy |
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12/18/2007 12:27:35 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by rupypug:
Hooray for all photographers. Racism is still everywere in this country. It is sad but true.
Jeremy |
YEAH! The first thing people think. What if the arresting officer ends up being of East Indian descent?
That article gives no information to make an informed decision.
Who gave this person the project to take photos of ALL the subways and the streets around them and put them on the internet? Does that not sound fishy? without knowing who this person is, who GAVE him the assignment and why? Just as a citizen I think I would question some of that.
Message edited by author 2007-12-18 12:27:53.
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12/18/2007 01:58:36 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by dacrazyrn:
Who gave this person the project to take photos of ALL the subways and the streets around them and put them on the internet? Does that not sound fishy? without knowing who this person is, who GAVE him the assignment and why? Just as a citizen I think I would question some of that. |
It would seem like a pretty normal project to me. I have an aim of taking a photo of every pub in York (not that I am ever likely to succeed given that we have more per square mile than anywhere else in the UK...) |
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12/18/2007 02:09:25 PM · #9 |
Now you are telling me I can Google your chimney, I can spot your car, see all the runways and buildings of classified ports (some)... and I can get any information from Google even if I take the photo or not these days... it is crime to take photos in subways? I think it's a bit too late don't you think? Information technology is way over our heads now, people want to take pictures of any place don't even need a huge SLR, any camera phone, or even pen-cams would do...
Other thing... where ever you are, whatever you do, ask nicely, you'll get it. If you are not nice, trust me, you are not going anywhere but into trouble.
My 2 cents
Message edited by author 2007-12-18 14:10:52. |
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12/18/2007 02:42:50 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by FocusPoint:
Now you are telling me I can Google your chimney, I can spot your car, see all the runways and buildings of classified ports (some)... and I can get any information from Google even if I take the photo or not these days... |
Well...yeah, google earth does that! haha. But also, runways and classified ports are not public places, you can't freely walk around them so they're not part of the discussion. And private places like your home are not terrorist threats. But anyway, my point is, the fact that a terrorist has or does not have a photograph of a subway will not stop him from carrying out an attack. You don't need a visual record of the entrance in order to walk through it with a bomb.
scary world we live in :/ |
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12/18/2007 02:45:42 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by dacrazyrn:
Who gave this person the project to take photos of ALL the subways and the streets around them and put them on the internet? Does that not sound fishy? without knowing who this person is, who GAVE him the assignment and why? Just as a citizen I think I would question some of that. |
What's fishy about it ?
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