The latest terrorist target????

[Judy G. Russell]

I work in an ordinary run-of-the-mill commercial office building in Newark, New Jersey. There's nothing special, or even particularly photogenic about it, but what with this photo-a-day project I'm trying to stick with, I've shot my share of images there. In January, I grabbed a shot of the old Firemen's Fund building from the parking lot. In February and in April, I shot a number of images from my 15th floor office window. In June, I got what I thought was a pretty good shot of a nearby building reflected in a puddle in the parking lot. I've taken a lot of shots inside and outside that didn't turn out well enough to be included in this project. And nobody has ever said a word about my photographing in and around the building... until today.

I was a little late getting out of the office, the light was fading badly, there didn't seem to be much around to shoot, so I grabbed a quick couple of shots of the building itself while standing next to my car in the parking lot. Put the camera away, started to walk around to get into the driver's seat, and a voice rang out: "Ma'am, would you hold up a minute please?" Sure enough, a police officer wanted to know who I was, whether I worked there and why I was taking pictures, took my name, the floor that I worked on... A substitute security guard for the building (not the regular, who knows me by name and I her by name) came out, and I still can't figure out whether he was the one who called the police, or whether he just wanted to know why the police officer was talking to me, but he certainly didn't vouch for me as a long-time building tenant (long time as in more than 10 years!).

Now it turns out that Rutgers University has taken up space in floors 2-12. The officer was from the campus police and repeatedly told me she was asking me only because, after all, it's now Rutgers and security is tighter now. (Really? I teach part-time at Rutgers Law School, not six blocks away, and have taken pictures there for years inside and outside the building with campus police watching and not so much as a whisper...)

I hate to tell the campus police this but... the Rutgers Graduate School of Business is not... repeat NOT... a terrorist target. And they certainly don't need to be protected from the likes of an amateur photographer who happens to be a long-time tenant of the same commercial office building... (I now officially want one of those t-shirts that reads: "I am a photographer, not a terrorist.")

And worse... it wasn't even a very good photo.

http://jgrussell.smugmug.com/photos/603848631_m3jg8-O.jpg

[Mike]

"I am a photographer, not a terrorist."
Well, the lobby does look nice from the outside. <shrug>

But I understand your pain. Too much of this "terrorist" crap is getting out of line. People taking pictures from trains, plains, ferries, and other conveyances have been detained and even made to delete photos from their cameras, to avoid terrorism.

BART, the rapid transit rail line for the San Francisco Bay Area, recently sponsored a photo contest. The announcement reminded readers several times that there are no restrictions on taking photos from BART trains.

[Judy G. Russell]

Too much of this "terrorist" crap is getting out of line. People taking pictures from trains, plains, ferries, and other conveyances have been detained and even made to delete photos from their cameras, to avoid terrorism.Yep, as if it wasn't child's play to recover the images as soon as you get home...

BART, the rapid transit rail line for the San Francisco Bay Area, recently sponsored a photo contest. The announcement reminded readers several times that there are no restrictions on taking photos from BART trains.The Amtrak police recently arrested a guy for taking pictures at a train station for an Amtrak photo contest...

[Mike]

The Amtrak police recently arrested a guy for taking pictures at a train station for an Amtrak photo contest...
Oh, GMAFB!

[Judy G. Russell]

Oh, GMAFB!Dead serious. Steven Colbert did a segment on it here (http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/217341/february-02-2009/nailed--em---amtrak-photographer).

[ndebord]

I work in an ordinary run-of-the-mill commercial office building in Newark, New Jersey. There's nothing special, or even particularly photogenic about it, but what with this photo-a-day project I'm trying to stick with, I've shot my share of images there. In January, I grabbed a shot of the old Firemen's Fund building from the parking lot. In February and in April, I shot a number of images from my 15th floor office window. In June, I got what I thought was a pretty good shot of a nearby building reflected in a puddle in the parking lot. I've taken a lot of shots inside and outside that didn't turn out well enough to be included in this project. And nobody has ever said a word about my photographing in and around the building... until today.

I was a little late getting out of the office, the light was fading badly, there didn't seem to be much around to shoot, so I grabbed a quick couple of shots of the building itself while standing next to my car in the parking lot. Put the camera away, started to walk around to get into the driver's seat, and a voice rang out: "Ma'am, would you hold up a minute please?" Sure enough, a police officer wanted to know who I was, whether I worked there and why I was taking pictures, took my name, the floor that I worked on... A substitute security guard for the building (not the regular, who knows me by name and I her by name) came out, and I still can't figure out whether he was the one who called the police, or whether he just wanted to know why the police officer was talking to me, but he certainly didn't vouch for me as a long-time building tenant (long time as in more than 10 years!).

Now it turns out that Rutgers University has taken up space in floors 2-12. The officer was from the campus police and repeatedly told me she was asking me only because, after all, it's now Rutgers and security is tighter now. (Really? I teach part-time at Rutgers Law School, not six blocks away, and have taken pictures there for years inside and outside the building with campus police watching and not so much as a whisper...)

I hate to tell the campus police this but... the Rutgers Graduate School of Business is not... repeat NOT... a terrorist target. And they certainly don't need to be protected from the likes of an amateur photographer who happens to be a long-time tenant of the same commercial office building... (I now officially want one of those t-shirts that reads: "I am a photographer, not a terrorist.")

And worse... it wasn't even a very good photo.



Judy,

You know that unbridled police is always a bad, bad idea and the Patriot Act embolded that part of the police force that likes to strut on the stage.

[Mike]

Dead serious. Steven Colbert did a segment on it here (http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/217341/february-02-2009/nailed--em---amtrak-photographer).
I had no doubt you are serious. It's the Amtrak a$$holes to whom my comment was directed.

[Judy G. Russell]

You know that unbridled police is always a bad, bad idea and the Patriot Act embolded that part of the police force that likes to strut on the stage.You're unfortunately only too right about that.

[ndebord]

You're unfortunately only too right about that.


Judy,

I think I mentioned way back in 2002 about being stopped on a reservoir in the Catskills twice by police as my wife took an art photo of an extremely foggy day... beautiful shot, not possible to be a "ranging" shot for terror, but the first cop told us to move on. We stayed for one more shot by my wife and the second cop pulled up and took our names and for all we know, we're now on the ever lengthening list of Americans flagged and potentially harmed by an intrusive and in the end result, dysfunctional collection that reminds me of the practices of the Nazi in WWII.

[Judy G. Russell]

I think I mentioned way back in 2002 about being stopped on a reservoir in the Catskills twice by police as my wife took an art photo of an extremely foggy day... beautiful shot, not possible to be a "ranging" shot for terror, but the first cop told us to move on. We stayed for one more shot by my wife and the second cop pulled up and took our namesI can certainly understand concern -- in 2002 -- about the safety of water supplies. But for cryin' out loud, let's get a grip on our fears!

[ndebord]

I can certainly understand concern -- in 2002 -- about the safety of water supplies. But for cryin' out loud, let's get a grip on our fears!

Judy,

I could understand being stopped... the second cop was pure harrasement.

[Judy G. Russell]

I could understand being stopped... the second cop was pure harrasement."Just doin' our job, sir..."

[ndebord]

"Just doin' our job, sir..."

Judy,

At best, a weekend warrior and I doubt even that.