Why do I hear the voice of South Park's Office Barbrady in my head saying, "Nothing to see here. Move along!"
Probably because the Department of Fatherla... errr...I mean Homeland Security says that it's against the law to photograph "sensitive" government buildings, but they won't publish a list of these buildings, so it's impossible to comply with the law. Here’s the rub. Should you get caught taking a photograph of a building that you don’t know you can’t photograph, you'll get shaken down by da-man, they will demand you delete the image (if digital) or destroy the film (if analog), you’ll have your name and personal information taken, and entered into a secret government file, and likely put on super secret double probation, presumably forever. This is what almost happened to Mr. Keith McCammon in Arlington, VA.
The bottom line is that Mr. Keith McCammon was caught in a classic logical trap. If he had only known that the building at 3701 N. Fairfax Drive in Arlington, VA was off-limits to photographers, he could have, would have avoided it. But he was not allowed to know that fact. None of us are allowed to know that fact. It's likely illegal for me even to post that 3701 N. Fairfax Drive in Arlington, VA is on a so secret it doesn't exist list of verbotten buildings. You see, when McCammon was given the hsake down he asked for a list of buildings that are illegal to photograph within Arlington County according to some (public or private) policy. But his request was denied, because of course, such a list does not exist. Catch-22 baby!
Read the Washington Post article here. Article arthor and date of publication, By Marc Fisher|July 17, 2007; 7:25 AM ET
When people used to come back from Russia, when it was the USSR, and talk about being swooped on by the KGB or police and having their film yanked out of their camera, we all used to nod sagely and talk about how horrible that was, how crazy....This is really very frightening, because we're supposed to be living in the land of the free. I hope I'm not going to have to take in a Muslim family and hide them in my attic any time soon, but I wonder if I should start to reinforce the floor?
Posted by: tea on July 25, 2007 11:07 AMTea,
You know how much this incident upsets me. You recall our incident in Annapolis with a shop keep who had their items displayed on a public sidewalk. I so loved getting in that shop keeps face and 'splain'n things to em. I wonder if I could organize what's known as a "flash mob" of photographers and get a hundred or more down in front of that Arlington building and we all start taking photos and then all move off quickly and in different directions. Or all stay huddled together as the goose stepping forces of Fatherland Security move in.
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A flash mob (or inexplicable mob) is a large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, do something unusual for a brief period of time, then quickly disperse. News media and commentators have often misused the term "flash mob" to refer to nearly any form of public gathering.
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OK...............that's two PO-litical bloggs in a row???????????
Don't start getting headaches now.
I keep waiting for the tap on the shoulder as I take a picture of a Post Office (a couple of which were actually inside a Federal building.)
Posted by: Brian the Red on July 25, 2007 09:53 PMThink back to our Claritas days... Lots of crazy stuff going on down there. Remember the Air Force building???
Posted by: Daveed on July 26, 2007 04:30 PMDaveed, I think of the Claritas days often. Too often. Tech support there was the BEST JOB EVAAAR. Working alongside you was a blast.
Crazy stuff or not, making it "illegal" to photograph certain buildings, but not letting people know what buildings are "illegal" to photograph is FRACKED up. No, it's actually FUCKED UP! If it can be seen from a public space it can be photographed. Maybe they need to take all of those satellite images of those buildings off of maps.google.com and Google earth.
http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm
The rights of citizens will not be trampled by a paranoid government.
Oh Daveed, don't take what I said above as personal. It's not. I'm not attacking. Peace out man.
Posted by: Will on July 27, 2007 09:50 AMNot at all my man : ) I totally agree with you on this one. I remember we use to sit there and say, "What is with all of the Air force guys." We had no idea that those building were so secure. Man, the Claritas days were a blast!!! Age of Sail, Starcraft and reading Playboy in your hidden megacube!!! Hey, you see that VNU got bought out and they are breaking up Claritas. The Rosylln Office is going bye bye :(
Posted by: Daveed on July 27, 2007 11:13 AMI was not aware that the Roslynn office was closing. Not that I know anyone there anymore with the exceptions of John T and Jamie H. I wonder if they will be relocated or have to get new jobs.
Posted by: Will on August 2, 2007 11:34 AM