Fox News Cameraman Cuffed Tape Seized---Opinions?

[John Burns]

News article. Just wondered what opinions you all have about this.

"A FOX NEWS cameraman was accosted by Pentagon Police outside the building on Tuesday -- as he was shooting pictures of an arrest being carried out by Virginia State Police on a highway that runs alongside the Pentagon but outside Pentagon property!

The FOX staffer was ordered to turn over the videotape.

When he balked, he was handcuffed.

His camera was immediately seized and the tape was confiscated.

"Is this America!?" demanded a news producer at the network's DC bureau.

"He was subsequently released with his camera but the Pentagon is refusing to return the tape," FOX's Brit Hume explained to viewers.

The nation's top-rated all-news channel is preparing to lodge a formal complaint with officials, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

Hume calls the episode a "disturbing development" which may reflect on the new "restrictive information policies of the Defense Department."

A FOX Source notes: "We still don't have the tape and they haven't given us any indication of when we might expect it -- It makes you wonder who is on it?" "--John

 

[RalphM]

News article. Just wondered what opinions you all have about this.

"A FOX NEWS cameraman was accosted by Pentagon Police outside the
building on Tuesday -- as he was shooting pictures of an arrest
being carried out by Virginia State Police on a highway that runs
alongside the Pentagon but outside Pentagon property!

The FOX staffer was ordered to turn over the videotape.

When he balked, he was handcuffed.

His camera was immediately seized and the tape was confiscated.

"Is this America!?" demanded a news producer at the network's DC
bureau.

"He was subsequently released with his camera but the Pentagon is
refusing to return the tape," FOX's Brit Hume explained to viewers.

The nation's top-rated all-news channel is preparing to lodge a
formal complaint with officials, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

Hume calls the episode a "disturbing development" which may reflect
on the new "restrictive information policies of the Defense
Department."

A FOX Source notes: "We still don't have the tape and they haven't
given us any indication of when we might expect it -- It makes you
wonder who is on it?" "
--
John

While sure to give Fox something to trumpet, there are some factors that need to be figured in. The Pentagon grounds are not a public place. They are restricted, and when in such areas, filming is almost always restricted to areas for which permission has been given.

I'm not sure if the Pentagon lots are still accessible to the public as they were before Sept 11, however, they are clearly marked as US Gov't property and the usual notices regarding susceptability to search, etc. have always been posted prominantly. My guess is that who was being arrested by the VA State Police had little or nothing to do with the Pentagon Police actions. They were most likely reacting to someone filming where it is not permitted.

Yep, this is still America and there will be overzealous police and there will be news folks who believe they are not subject to laws like the rest of society. The difference being that the cop who ruffles my feathers is the same one I will expect to put themself in danger to protect me if I need it.

--RalphMVirginia/USA

 

[Mark Grebner]

On one hand, I'm glad to hear anybody connected with Fox got slapped around. On the other, I believe in the vigorous defense of civil liberties, so I wish it had been a fight over a parking space or something, rather than this.

 

[Karl H. Timmerman M.A.J.D.]

"A FOX NEWS cameraman was accosted by Pentagon Police outside the
building on Tuesday -- as he was shooting pictures of an arrest
being carried out by Virginia State Police on a highway that runs
alongside the Pentagon but outside Pentagon property!

Interesting. Assuming the photographer was on Federal Land, Federal Marshalls have the power to detain the individual and sieze his equipment: would be the same as if he were on a military installation. If he was not on Federal Land ... I do not believe Federal Marshals would have the power to arrest without a warrant or a crime being committed in their presense. In either case, very poor judgment on the part of the Fed Folks ... ... but then they are not known for hiring intellectual giants
Regards

[email protected] (Karl H. Timmerman M.A.J.D.) http://www.ktimmerman.comhttp://www.pbase.com/heinzi

 

[Jason Busch]

John,

The more a person yells and screams, the more a police officer just loves to slap on the charges and make life hell.

If the photog was cool, and just went along with it, he probably would have gotten his stuff back.

If the pentagon is in any of the video or film, the feds can take the video as they so please. Unfortunate, but true. And it is up to them to release it. I suspect they will eventually give back the video if there is nothing of secrecy on it. But, this will be months and the story will be cold. So, for all you videographers out there, be quick and don't fight the cops.--'I do just about everything in my CCDs...'--Forum: http://pub57.ezboard.com/bthedigitaldinguscommunityWebsite: http://e10club.topcities.com/

 

[rikster74272]

John,

The more a person yells and screams, the more a police officer just
loves to slap on the charges and make life hell.

If the photog was cool, and just went along with it, he probably
would have gotten his stuff back.

If the pentagon is in any of the video or film, the feds can take
the video as they so please. Unfortunate, but true. And it is up to
them to release it. I suspect they will eventually give back the
video if there is nothing of secrecy on it. But, this will be
months and the story will be cold. So, for all you videographers
out there, be quick and don't fight the cops.

-- Seem to recall we are at war and there are over 3000 dead. YOu cannot even take pics in an airport. Why well it seems they found all the pics in allentown , pa that some arabs had taken of the World trade complex. You see photos can be useful in many ways. And even though he was a reporter so he also could have been on a mission for some terrorists. Everyone seems to have a price anymore. Just watch Ted turner.... talk about a us hater.......... i think he would sell terrorists anything they want. Afterall no one is aloud to wear any us flag pin on his network. He also called everyone jesus freaks when they had a moment of pray after 911. Most has since left and moved on. It is clearly marked what where and when he can film and he is seasoned and knew this. so now he crys when he is caught. He should be fired not praised.
'I do just about everything in my CCDs...'
--

Forum: http://pub57.ezboard.com/bthedigitaldinguscommunity

Website: http://e10club.topcities.com/

 

[Mike Roberts]

Just watch Ted turner.... talk about a us hater.......... i think he would

sell terrorists anything they want. Afterall no one is aloud to wear any us > flag pin on his network.

Unless I am mistaken, he no longer controls that network and did not have anything to do with the flag pin flap.

He also called everyone jesus freaks when they had a moment of pray
after 911.

Well, as an agnostic with atheistic leanings, I think all you religious folks are wee bit coo-coo.

This country is certainly Jesus-centric for a country supposed to be open to all religions. I know that Christians are the predominant religion, but they always seem to forget the couple hundred (or thousand) other belief systems that are about in the USA when they go about clamoring to have a prayer. I bet that most of the folks bitching and moaning about having prayer at football games would never be open to letting non-Christian prayers be what is heard on any given Friday. Hard to imagine a Texas high school football game being preceeded by the following announcement: "Tonight, giving the benediction, will be Sadhu Rajarshi chanting for world peace, a safe game, and a serious whoop'n for the team from East Rutherford." And any prayer is an affront to some of us. Sorry, but that's the truth, Ruth.

Mike Roberts

 

[kad]

Mr Roberts

You may be interested in a book I'm almost finished- Sleeping with extraterrestrials" The rise of irrationalism and perils of piety" by wendy kaminer

Just watch Ted turner.... talk about a us hater.......... i think he would

sell terrorists anything they want. Afterall no one is aloud to wear any us > flag pin on his network.

Unless I am mistaken, he no longer controls that network and did
not have anything to do with the flag pin flap.

He also called everyone jesus freaks when they had a moment of pray
after 911.

Well, as an agnostic with atheistic leanings, I think all you
religious folks are wee bit coo-coo.

This country is certainly Jesus-centric for a country supposed to
be open to all religions. I know that Christians are the
predominant religion, but they always seem to forget the couple
hundred (or thousand) other belief systems that are about in the
USA when they go about clamoring to have a prayer. I bet that most
of the folks bitching and moaning about having prayer at football
games would never be open to letting non-Christian prayers be what
is heard on any given Friday. Hard to imagine a Texas high school
football game being preceeded by the following announcement:
"Tonight, giving the benediction, will be Sadhu Rajarshi chanting
for world peace, a safe game, and a serious whoop'n for the team
from East Rutherford." And any prayer is an affront to some of us.
Sorry, but that's the truth, Ruth.

Mike Roberts

 

[Thomas Gardner]

Karl H. Timmerman M.A.J.D. wrote:
In either case, very

poor judgment on the part of the Fed Folks ... ... but then they
are not known for hiring intellectual giants
Regards
Karl

But there's a reason for your above axiom. What's that reason? Simple. "Intellectual giants are not known for trying to get grunt jobs with any government office."

The point, we have to deal with those that are willing to stand in line and fill out the employment application

The thinking might go:

Let's see, I can stand in line and fill out an application for a thankless grunt job with the Federal or State government...... or I can work for myself and easily make twice to three times what they're getting paid. Decisions, Decisions Okay, I'll go work for myself

Or some brain-i-ac might think:

Let's see, I can get a job coding in JavaScript or C++, doing web pages and get paid three to five times as much as a government grunt employee or I can stand in line and get a thankless, dead end job with the government where I will die unappreciated and hated. Let's see, decisions, decisions. Okay, I'll go work for Sun

That sort of intellectual thinking could be carried out ad infiniteim to;

Let's see...... I can get a job in the civilian quarters.....making x number of dollars doing.....

On the other hand, the thinking might go, I can't get a decent job anywhere because I don't have any education or job skills to speak of and I'm really not the sharpest tac in the box as I hear the government is taking applications for (what ever) over at such and such Fed/State builiding and being a fiscally desperate pup, I'll go put in an application.

Hurray! I got a job that pays I can't get fired from!

Disclaimer;

All said above in truthful humor. No slight to anybody intended. Before the flames begin, one of my sisters works for the county corrections department and another sis works as a teacher for the mentally handicapped at a public school district.

 

[Thomas Gardner]

This country is certainly Jesus-centric for a country supposed to
be open to all religions. I know that Christians are the
predominant religion, but they always seem to forget the couple
hundred (or thousand) other belief systems that are about in the
USA when they go about clamoring to have a prayer. I bet that most
of the folks bitching and moaning about having prayer at football
games would never be open to letting non-Christian prayers be what
is heard on any given Friday. Hard to imagine a Texas high school
football game being preceeded by the following announcement:
"Tonight, giving the benediction, will be Sadhu Rajarshi chanting
for world peace, a safe game, and a serious whoop'n for the team
from East Rutherford." And any prayer is an affront to some of us.
Sorry, but that's the truth, Ruth.

There's a reason that this forum is suppose to be non political. So this sort of nonsense doesn't become a part of Digital Photography discussion.

I might make a suggestion though, look into the founding history of the US of A. Check out the founding precepts/basis of this country and what the founding fathers had to say about religion, the creation of this country and what part they expected Christian values to play in it's day to day existance. The short, they expected Christianity to be at the forefront of every aspect of this country's daily existence. Get use to it.

 

[John Burns]

Well now Tom their might be a problem there. Almost without exception, the faith of our Founding Fathers was deist, not theist. As an example I offer this letter from Thomas Jefferson to William Short.

"I have examined all the known superstitions of the word, and I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology. Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned. What has been the effect of this coercion? To make one half the world fools and the other half hypocrites; to support roguery and error all over the earth."

SIX HISTORIC AMERICANS,
by John E. Remsburg, letter to William Short

THE MEMOIRS, CORRESPONDENCE AND MISCELLANIES FROM THE PAPERS OF THOMAS JEFFERSON, 4 volumes ed. by Thomas Jefferson Randolph (the grandson of Thomas Jefferson).

I agree these discussions do not belong here but since you made such a global statement I just wanted to balance it a bit. If you are interested I can offer much more from the writing of Jefferson, John Adams, Thomas Paine, James Madison and others all along these same lines.

There's a reason that this forum is suppose to be non political.
So this sort of nonsense doesn't become a part of Digital
Photography discussion.

I might make a suggestion though, look into the founding history of
the US of A. Check out the founding precepts/basis of this country
and what the founding fathers had to say about religion, the
creation of this country and what part they expected Christian
values to play in it's day to day existance. The short, they
expected Christianity to be at the forefront of every aspect of
this country's daily existence. Get use to it.

--John

 

[Karl H. Timmerman M.A.J.D.]

But there's a reason for your above axiom. What's that reason?
Simple. "Intellectual giants are not known for trying to get grunt
jobs with any government office."

Thomas .... (chuckling) ... well reasoned!.
Warmest Regards

[email protected] (Karl H. Timmerman M.A.J.D.) http://www.ktimmerman.comhttp://www.pbase.com/heinzi

 

[DrBones2]

This is a reputable site doing good work...for all those pounding on the "hero" theme: http://www.policeabuse.org/index1.html

 

[Karl H. Timmerman M.A.J.D.]

I might make a suggestion though, look into the founding history of
the US of A. Check out the founding precepts/basis of this country
and what the founding fathers had to say about religion, the
creation of this country and what part they expected Christian
values to play in it's day to day existance. The short, they
expected Christianity to be at the forefront of every aspect of
this country's daily existence. Get use to it.

Thomas, I respectfully dissent. "Christian Values" are not exactly limited to the Christian religion. Reviewing the 10 Commandments, (which I would assume are the fundemental cornerstones of "Christian Values") ... er ... they are not Christian ... they a Jewish. Seems to me, "Muslim Values" ... are the same ... stricter in some regards. Our Founding Fathers were free masons ... having "Journey'd to the East" myself ... I can certainly appreciate the Masonic Symbels ... inhereent and an intrigal part of our American culture. I think our Founding Fathers believed that a relationship with God .. was a personal thing ... something that the State had no business regulating, probagating nor denigrating, (sorry if I sounded like Jesse Jackson for a minute there

Americans are a spiritual people; secure in the knnowledge that they can worship any way they wish; secure in the knowledge that the State can not tithe, (tax the hell out of them ... but not tithe) ... and secure in the knowledge that they can choose to believe, or not, what they wish.
Warmest Regards
Karl

[email protected] (Karl H. Timmerman M.A.J.D.) http://www.ktimmerman.comhttp://www.pbase.com/heinzi

 

[Mike Roberts]

But there's a reason for your above axiom. What's that reason?
Simple. "Intellectual giants are not known for trying to get grunt
jobs with any government office."

I hope I remember this right.

Einstein worked at the patent office.

Mike Roberts

 

[Mike Roberts]

I might make a suggestion though, look into the founding history of
the US of A. Check out the founding precepts/basis of this country
and what the founding fathers had to say about religion, the
creation of this country and what part they expected Christian
values to play in it's day to day existance. The short, they
expected Christianity to be at the forefront of every aspect of
this country's daily existence. Get use to it.

Not all of them.

And, anyway, I do not care much about what dead guys from 200+ years ago had to say about what they thought our government should be. I appreciate what they started for us, but times have changed and we must stand on our own two feet (times 300,000,000 or so). They would not recognize our current world in the least nor the government as it stands.

They were just men. Perfectly capapble of being in error and often were. Just like the rest of us.

The would have been more specific in the meaning of the 2nd amendment if they knew what technological innovation would do to guns.

They left us with slavery.

They did not give women the right to vote.

They did not make the Turkey our national symbol.

Mike Roberts

 

[Dave Kunze]

If this is the same Fox News that hires has-been sleaze bags (Heraldo) who fabricate stories and lie about their whereabouts (Afghanistan) on news reports, I would find this report very suspect. FOX has no credibility whatsoever. They spent it all.

kunza

News article. Just wondered what opinions you all have about this.

"A FOX NEWS cameraman was accosted by Pentagon Police outside the
building on Tuesday -- as he was shooting pictures of an arrest
being carried out by Virginia State Police on a highway that runs
alongside the Pentagon but outside Pentagon property!

The FOX staffer was ordered to turn over the videotape.

When he balked, he was handcuffed.

His camera was immediately seized and the tape was confiscated.

"Is this America!?" demanded a news producer at the network's DC
bureau.

"He was subsequently released with his camera but the Pentagon is
refusing to return the tape," FOX's Brit Hume explained to viewers.

The nation's top-rated all-news channel is preparing to lodge a
formal complaint with officials, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

Hume calls the episode a "disturbing development" which may reflect
on the new "restrictive information policies of the Defense
Department."

A FOX Source notes: "We still don't have the tape and they haven't
given us any indication of when we might expect it -- It makes you
wonder who is on it?" "
--
John

 

[JP Photography]

Scince 9/11 things are tense all over. I did an assignmet for an out of town client who does restorations of large clocks. There is on one of the state buildings in the state capitol here in Albany. He asked me to shoot sme shots for reference. I gave him a price, easy job right? This is a public street, yada, yada, after about 4 shots, security guards came out and to make a long story short, I spent 3 hours getting intervied in 2 different offices and they called the client... Digital saved the day, we reviewed the shots in camera and all was fine. So much for the Public Domain. I was told any future pics around any State or Fed buildings need prior clearance. They have security cameras everywhere. (which I was aware of).
JP Photography

kunza

News article. Just wondered what opinions you all have about this.

"A FOX NEWS cameraman was accosted by Pentagon Police outside the
building on Tuesday -- as he was shooting pictures of an arrest
being carried out by Virginia State Police on a highway that runs
alongside the Pentagon but outside Pentagon property!

The FOX staffer was ordered to turn over the videotape.

When he balked, he was handcuffed.

His camera was immediately seized and the tape was confiscated.

"Is this America!?" demanded a news producer at the network's DC
bureau.

"He was subsequently released with his camera but the Pentagon is
refusing to return the tape," FOX's Brit Hume explained to viewers.

The nation's top-rated all-news channel is preparing to lodge a
formal complaint with officials, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

Hume calls the episode a "disturbing development" which may reflect
on the new "restrictive information policies of the Defense
Department."

A FOX Source notes: "We still don't have the tape and they haven't
given us any indication of when we might expect it -- It makes you
wonder who is on it?" "
--
John

--The best always,JP Photography~large files, slow load show, enjoy~ http://members.localnet.com/~endoline/JPresters

 

[David M.]

So.....does this mean the sister who works for the corrections department does'nt have an education, no skills to speak of and is'nt the sharpest tack in the box?
LOL

poor judgment on the part of the Fed Folks ... ... but then they
are not known for hiring intellectual giants
Regards
Karl

But there's a reason for your above axiom. What's that reason?
Simple. "Intellectual giants are not known for trying to get grunt
jobs with any government office."

The point, we have to deal with those that are willing to stand in
line and fill out the employment application

The thinking might go:

Let's see, I can stand in line and fill out an application for a
thankless grunt job with the Federal or State government...... or I
can work for myself and easily make twice to three times what
they're getting paid. Decisions, Decisions Okay, I'll go work
for myself

Or some brain-i-ac might think:

Let's see, I can get a job coding in JavaScript or C++, doing web
pages and get paid three to five times as much as a government
grunt employee or I can stand in line and get a thankless, dead end
job with the government where I will die unappreciated and hated.
Let's see, decisions, decisions. Okay, I'll go work for Sun

That sort of intellectual thinking could be carried out ad
infiniteim to;

Let's see...... I can get a job in the civilian quarters.....making
x number of dollars doing.....

On the other hand, the thinking might go, I can't get a decent job
anywhere because I don't have any education or job skills to speak
of and I'm really not the sharpest tac in the box as I hear the
government is taking applications for (what ever) over at such and
such Fed/State builiding and being a fiscally desperate pup, I'll
go put in an application.

Hurray! I got a job that pays I can't get fired from!

Disclaimer;
All said above in truthful humor. No slight to anybody intended.
Before the flames begin, one of my sisters works for the county
corrections department and another sis works as a teacher for the
mentally handicapped at a public school district.

 

[David M.]

Yes, I have similar experiences. Before 9/11 I was able to photograph all sorts of mountainous and oceanic scenes surrounding the oil terminal in Alaska. Recently however, I was taking pictures of some forest shots when two security guards came running towards me shouting and all. They insisted I put my camera away and take no more pictures......and I was'nt even on company property!! If I refused to comply they would have asked me to leave, even though I had legitimate business I was tending to while there, and had made my presence formally known prior.

Things are definitely getting stupid. If my freedoms are taken away one by one by one, until I am fearful of taking a step anywhere without official sanction or warning, I think I'd rather take my chances with the darn "Terries". (As opposed to Commies, lol).

I understand that many in the law enforcement and security feilds as well as many new policies enacted by various governmental and industry entities exist in those capacities only to safeguard and protect the public from harm, and that's great. But at what cost? Is it worth our basic freedoms to be stripped away? Cannot a line be drawn between security and intrusiveness? Are the Russian people better or worse off now that they don't have thier communist "protectors" anymore? Serious considerations for the future. Meanwhile, watch your step. That camera you are holding may be misconstrued as a disguised bomb or a terrorist's tool.
D.

kunza

News article. Just wondered what opinions you all have about this.

"A FOX NEWS cameraman was accosted by Pentagon Police outside the
building on Tuesday -- as he was shooting pictures of an arrest
being carried out by Virginia State Police on a highway that runs
alongside the Pentagon but outside Pentagon property!

The FOX staffer was ordered to turn over the videotape.

When he balked, he was handcuffed.

His camera was immediately seized and the tape was confiscated.

"Is this America!?" demanded a news producer at the network's DC
bureau.

"He was subsequently released with his camera but the Pentagon is
refusing to return the tape," FOX's Brit Hume explained to viewers.

The nation's top-rated all-news channel is preparing to lodge a
formal complaint with officials, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

Hume calls the episode a "disturbing development" which may reflect
on the new "restrictive information policies of the Defense
Department."

A FOX Source notes: "We still don't have the tape and they haven't
given us any indication of when we might expect it -- It makes you
wonder who is on it?" "
--
John

--
The best always,
JP Photography
large files, slow load show, enjoy
http://members.localnet.com/~endoline/JPresters