Comments on: US Marines seize camera from Haitian journalist

By: Sharath

Sharath — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:48:06 +0000

I wonder how you would feel if the security officers in the embassy of some country stepped onto the sidewalk outside their embassy in Washington DC and confiscated an American reporter’s camera and deleted images of their embassy from it?
Though, judging by what’s happening these days an American policeman might do that first!

By: Johnny Law

Johnny Law — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:42:16 +0000

Actually I posted several links in another discussion on this site that show evidence of terrorists photographing attack sites in the US.
Johnny Law´s last blog ..My Saturday Night

By: Drayke Larson

Drayke Larson — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:25:05 +0000

Dave -
I would be curious as to which terrorist attacks have been been preceded by photography? It’s already been determined that there is absolutely zero evidence that any attackers on American soil have ever photographed their target first, nor can I find any reference to any other targets internationally. Do you have links to references in which terrorists or those with nefarious plans were taking photos prior to attacks? The only ones I can find are usually a national military doing so.

By: Nemo

Nemo — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:05:40 +0000

IDon’t:

I still say it’s taken too far. I don’t expect troops to act as if those in a combat zone have 4th Amemendment rights when they are doing house-to-house ops, nor 5th when interrogating hostiles, or the 2nd when disarming insurgents.

It’s not the job of the military to impose the Bill of Rights wherever they go.

What do you mean by “TLA”?

By: I don't have a darn name

I don't have a darn name — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:31:40 +0000

You totally missed Edin’s point, which was that the First Amendment is the legal manifestation of a value (or moral, if you prefer) that is absolutely fundamental to freedom and democracy. That does not change when you leave the jurisdiction that the First Amendment covers. If you oppose the values of freedom and democracy, you’re a Bad Guy. Am I close, EdinMiami?

Of course, your interpretation is the one used by all the American TLAs that operate on foreign ground, so YMMV…

By: Shawn

Shawn — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:59:26 +0000

Dave, if you were in a public area while attempting to photograph government buildings, then your rights were violated. As for taking photographs in airports, I’ve done that on several occasions, and no one really cared. Of course, I didn’t point it at any sensitive areas like the security lines. As for being busted for taking a photograph of the moon over a statue in a national cemetery, that’s a ridiculous situation in which your rights were grossly violated. I cannot see a national cemetery becoming a target, significant or otherwise, for terrorists.

By: bandsxbands

bandsxbands — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:27:35 +0000

Buying memory is such a chore… You have to search online for prices, filter through which ones are genuine, around a bunch of stores,compare prices, finally buy your memory, and then constantly pray that the price doesn’t drop in the next 2 weeks or so.I’ve been f’d over by rapid price drops in the past… especially this one time when I bought a Micro SD card for my DS flashcard at what apparently was a steal, only to later see that it fell by $5 in a week’s time.(Submitted by PostNext for R4i Nintendo DS.)

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:23:48 +0000

Carlos,

What I am trying to say is that the marines on duty might not really want to interfere of otherwise cause harm to a photographer, but in their mission to protect either the compound, or aid workers, or something that we are not privvy to (perhaps the locations of troops standing around), they were ordered to, or thought it a good idea to, make certain that those images that were deleted were not published or got into the wrong hands. It is a very scary situation down there. These guys are KIDS fer gosh sakes. Why NOT give them the benefit of the doubt. I am all for photographers rights, as you have seen me post before. The situation down there is a war zone and EVERYONE is scared shitless. Had I not spoken directly to US aid worker who was down there for 2 weeks, on Friday, my posting would have been very different.

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:08:59 +0000

usually someone with a camera preceeds the one who comes with the gun, bomb, or bazooka. cameras are legitimate security threats in high security zones. as a tourist I have been forbidden to use mine on many occasions near government offices US and foreign, in and near airports, US and foreign embassies, and even in a national cemetery once when I was arrested for photographing the moon over a statue right here in the middle of the USA during open-gate hours. So, no preachy preach please. this is not a unique situation. people intent on doing some sinister plot almost always take lots of pictures of their mark as part of formulating a plan. That is how security personnel view photographers aiming in sensitive areas.