Photographic gadfly to the state
Posted by deancameron on August 23, 2010 under Freedom Fighters, The TSA, U.S. Constitution, USA PATRIOT ACT | 
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If the Bill of Rights – Security Edition cards are anything, they are an art project. My goal is to begin a discussion: “What are you willing to give up in exchange for the feeling of security.” I always emphasize the word “feeling” because any action by anyone that claims there’s been an increase in “security” is impossible to falsify. It can only be a claim because it can’t be tested.
There haven’t been any massive terrorist attacks on major cities in the U.S. since the TSA and USA PATRIOT ACT has been around. Correlation is not causation. There’s no way to visit the parallel universe where our politicians remained calm and level-headed so the post-9/11 TSA and USA PATRIOT ACT don’t exist and we could see if there were terror attacks on major U.S. cities or not.
We’re required to take it on faith that the TSA is protecting us. Faith is fine if you like church and gambling but faith is worthless when facts are available.
Cut to: http://carlosmiller.com/. The blog is called “Photography is not a crime”. It will kill you. Carlos Miller actively antagonizes people to test laws. He’s trying to find out where the line is. He is a hero.
If you watch some of the videos, you realize that many of the people enforcing the laws, be they real cops or rent-a-cops, sometimes don’t even know the laws. Watch videos or read stories of other photographers who have been harassed and jailed by the overzealous will get your blood boiling.
And much of it is being done in the name of “fighting terrorism”: You can’t photograph a building because of terrorism. We are living in a world where the phrase “If you’ve got nothing to hide, then you shouldn’t mind if we search you…” is gaining ground. You and I know that it’s wrong, but our kids are going to think it’s weird if they’re not searched in public.
Whenever I hear friends or talking heads on t.v. discuss terrorism, I enjoy seeing how long it takes before they begin playing the “If I Were A Terrorist” game. The folks who don’t want you photographing buildings are masters at playing the “If I Were A Terrorist” game. “A terrorist wants photographs of buildings and subway stations and malls and other public and private places so they can study the place and then blow it up!!!!” and then we join them in the game by thinking… or saying… “A terrorist wouldn’t take pictures in the middle of the day…” the reply to that being: “See, that’s why I’m in law enforcement, because you never know what a terrorist looks like and looking like a regular guy and taking a photo in the middle of the day is exactly what a terrorist would do. THAT’S REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY!!!” and we are then playing this un-winnable game where privacy, rational thought and liberty lose.
Sometimes, Carlos is sort of a jerk. But that’s okay. He’s pissed off and those of us who are pissed off ALL OF THE TIME get a bit jerky now and again. Give him a break. Visit his site. He has a legal defense fund. He needs your money. Give him 10 bucks.
