important awareness

[Josh Bear]

Re: important awareness

Here you go. Thanks for the idea

Josh

[Pol]

Re: An update.

I've attached a copy of a letter I've just received from our MP. He's added his support and also written personally to the Home Secretary.

Pol

I had a follow up from our MP this morning with a copy of a similar letter to the one Josh posted (from Tony McNulty). He also enclosed a full list of the names of those who have signed the EDM.

I'm attaching copies of the 2 letters. You can see the EDM online anyway, though the up-to-date list of signatures is longer than the online list. Looks quite encouraging imho.

Pol

[JSR]

Re: important awareness

I come to this discussion a bit late, but it strikes me that the issue isn't just with photography.

If one terrorist owns a camera, does that make every camera owner a terrorist?

The last I heard, this is meant to be free country in which citizens are innocent until proven guilty - not that all citizens are assumed to be criminals that are guilty until proven innocent.

The solution isn't to "stop everyone with a camera from taking a photo", the solution is to have real deterrents for those who are found guilty of abusing the act of taking a photo. We need a little less of this tarring everyone with the same brush and a little more in the way of tougher sentences for those found guilty of a crime.

There's also one other issue. Cameras are noticeable objects - from the compact snapshot camera to the biggest multi-lens DSLR (or whatever). Yet you can also get tiny cameras that can be secreted in bags, and in pockets, even in spectacles and watches, in PDAs, and laptops. If a terrorist or other criminal wants to take photos, he'll do it without advertising the fact that he's taking a photo. It's easily done. Easily done. Only the extremely naive would think that victimising real photographers or happy-snappers will prevent terrorism.

I don't like my photo being taken when in public, but I accept that one day it could happen - it probably already has (it certainly has with CCTV cameras everywhere you turn). That's life. I don't like it, but I'm not suicidal about it. If I see someone with a camera, I try to stay out of their shot if possible - both to avoid being photographed and to avoid spoiling the guy's shot.