That is, it’s illegal if you look like a terrorist.
> Being a Ballard resident, the Ballard Locks seemed like the best available subject for my project. I knew I’d be able to set up my tripod and work under fairly consistent conditions. Having spoken with the park ranger in charge of the facility on Monday, I also knew that I had every legal right to photograph from that location. So, I went to the Ballard Locks, in the rain, found the best location I could, and waited for passing trains and boats. > > Within about thirty minutes of my setting up my tripod I noticed a lone security officer coming down the hill to ask me a few questions. Well, no…that’s not exactly accurate. He wasn’t politely asking me questions. He’d accessorized his ensemble with a ninety-pound German Shepherd, and was talking at me in authoritative and degrading tones. He wanted me to know that he was an authority. > > […] > > I gave the cop my ID, and it was quickly whisked away by one officer to the top of the hill. I went on to express my sense of helplessness, shame, humiliation and anger about the confrontation. I insisted that I was a photography student and that I had done absolutely nothing wrong. I acknowledged my constitutional rights. I pointed to curious bystanders, and pointed out that they had cameras, but that none of the police were interested in them. I identified a man with a canvas and easel, standing directly underneath the train bridge, and asked why no one was asking him for his ID. In retrospect, I realize that I still wanted someone to say it to my face. > > The police officer had failed to rebut my arguments, but he was definitely being a lot nicer now (which was quite welcome). He’d been explaining how the SPD are required to investigate all calls, which I said I understood, but I was still looking for some real accountability. That’s when one of the three non-uniformed men stepped forward, brandishing his badge, and began talking at me with his own rendition of the voice of absolute authority. > > “I’ve listened to this for over five minutes. Look here. You see this?” Special Agent McNamara said, producing his badge. “This is a federal badge. We’re not with the rest of them. We’’re federal agents from Homeland Security…”
Meanwhile, of course, many other people — residents and tourists alike — are happily snapping photographs of the locks. But then, they’re not dark-skinned, so they don’t look like terrorists, and are safe.
This kind of crap is absolutely ludicrous. It’s exactly the kind of behavior that Bush and company are encouraging with stunts like Ridge’s recent “there’s a threat, but we don’t know what, where, or when, but it’s dangerous, but we’re not raising the alert level, but something could happen to somebody somewhere” stunt. And it’s so disturbingly close to Gestapo-style “let me see your papers” policing that it frightens and saddens me.
In some sense, I’m lucky, as a fair-skinned, red-haired caucasian. Much of the racial profiling that has become so apparently popular these days, I’m never going to have to deal directly with. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t see it, it doesn’t mean that I’m not upset by it, and it certainly doesn’t mean that I’m about to turn a blind eye to it.
(via Arcterex, Boing Boing, seattle.metroblogging, and others)
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The moral question is that if you saw this happening near you would you say something? Would you know that the person is not a terrorist and go and harass the police, risking retribution from them?
The part that upsets me the most is Bush controls this country with fear, fear everything, fear everyone, you are in danger all the time. We can’t tell you how we know but trust us…We’re here to help save you.
If you see a brown skinned man in your area CALL THE POLICE! How fucked up is that?
In a public area where hundreds if not thousands of people take pictures every day why stop a dark skinned man? Because he’s dark skinned?
If that’s all they have to go on, stop beating around the bush (pun intended) and put up a sign that says.
No Negro’s beyond this point!… Oops, my bad, I mean, No Middle Eastern Men beyond this point. Ya know you dark skinned people all look the same.
Well I’m old enough to remember the 60s and I remember “Whites Only” signs. I WILL NOT ALLOW BUSH TO TAKE US THERE AGAIN!
You cannot, and should not make laws based on the color of ones skin! Speaking to this case in point. You have two choices.
A. It is legal to take pictures at the Ballard Locks. B. It is illegal to take pictures at the Ballard Locks.
You cannot say it is legal for whites and illegal for dark skinned people.
Land of the free? Sure as long as you’re white. Damn you Bush, Damn you. I had hoped we had begun to close this ugly chapter in American history.
Well a new chapter starts in November! Not soon enough for me.
I initially just skimmed through this post in my effort to get up to date. Along the way I opened the main site you referred to and read the whole story. It is a real concern what is going on in your country. When the authorities can jump on a guy and behave so badly just because he is not white and because he is upset because he is being bullied and scared, you just know that this aint gonna get any better in the years to come. The US has become a nation ruled by fear. Fear of the authorities, fear of being labelled a terrorist because you don’t support the Bush Administration and fear of being reported to the police by your neighbours because your skin is dark. That is just the fear of your own countrymen.
Never mind the fear of the actual terrorists out there who have intensified their efforts to attack as many American targets as possible since Bush’s campaign against terror began a few years ago. Is this another sign of the demise of the basic principles your nation was founded on?
I hope you choose wisely in November. I am also thankful I live on the tip of Africa, far away from this new form of domestic terrorism.
You’re right buddy, we are all so much better off that airport screeners check everyone at random instead of just young moslem men.
I am not dark-skinned and don’t know what it’s like to be gazed at in curiosity or approached my officers or others to question my intent. What I do know is that because of certain groups of people who have inflicted pain and discontent in this country, a lot of us live in fear of the next possible attack. This country had to take some forms of defense to protect many innocent people. Think of the families that have lost loved ones for the last ten or so years to acts of terrorism. Regardless, of what the president did or didn’t do to stop these acts, we are all now responsible to try and protect ourselves. It is a shame that innocent people as yourself have to suffer and be screened more often than the rest of us. It is too bad that many of those who inflicted a lot of the distrust happened to be dark-skinned. I will tell you that it has been uncomfortable for myself and my family to be questioned and yes…searched at airports. To have our luggage searched and thrown about with little care of our belongings. I am not saying that this is worse than the humiliation and anger you felt at the Locks, but it is an inconvenience to many. Even though I feel this way, I am also glad to know that they are doing these security precautions. If not, it would make it a lot easier for terrorists…white or dark-shinned…any nationality…to create more fear in the lives of many. I support the efforts of law enforcement and the public in trying to create a safer environment to live. The Locks are a crucial waterway that is a high risk target that would affect many things if it was destroyed or damaged by an act of terrorism. It sounds like you did all you could do to let them know there that you were there to photograph and study the locks. It is too bad that we must question everything we do in order to feel safe, but that is now a part of our everyday lives because of 9-11 and other things that happened before and after that day. I think that you are now acting in anger and wanting satisfaction by beginning a protest in a place that is known to be a peaceful and serene setting. Many people go there to get away from the turmoil of everyday life and stress. What do you hope to accomplish? Will this make the prejudism all go away? No…it will still be there. Too many people carry the anger too far…let it go. How can this country continue to try and heal with protests and gatherings that bring in only hatred and anger. It only spurns more. Do you really think this will change security? The Locks and surrounding areas in Ballard are a wonderful place to go. They did not question you because you were a photographer…but because of a suspicion. Thousands of people photograph the Locks, Space Needle, etc. and you are not the only one questioned. Again…my apologies to those of you who are innocent and have to go through extra security procedures because of your race or color. This has been going on for centuries. Are you going to change it with a protest?
Kerry was on the commission for intelligence for over a decade prior to 911. In 1994 after the first WTC bombing in 93 (yes there was one before), Kerry tried to decrease intelligence by 6 BILLION $.
Bush is for photographers and photographer rights. Bush is for the arts.
If you wonder why 9/11 happened and why we have problems, ask Kerry, because he neglected to shot up to 38 of 49 meeting on terrorism in his term for the commission on intelligence
why hasnt kerry been to Iraq yet to visit is precious fellow srevice members?
I’ll tell you why because he hates the military in fact I might even bet the real reason he “volunteered in vietnam” for 4 months was so that he could say he was there and this would give him more credibility upon returning home, [after he scratched himself ]so he could oppose it..He slammed his “fellow brothers” by claiming they cut off heads burned down villages and such i dont trust that man one bit…I think he volunteered for the war merely so he could oppose it in a more fashionable opportunistic type of way, we all know the extent to which he will lie in the presence of a political opportunity.. he didnt go because he wanted to serve his country…he went because he wanted to oppose it as soon as he got home. 4 purple hearts in four months?? BULLSHIT..NO WAY he was that brave then when he now blames someone else for knocking him over on snowbard. god what a douchebag!
Continuing the Discussion