Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/11/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 11/1/2004 9:40:49 PM Central Standard Time, jon.stanton@comcast.net writes: >>I was in the booth with my back to the door....I heard some noise, and then >>a raised voice "you can't bring that in here" (the poll watchers/called >>judges in Chicago were all elderly people who perhaps were unsure of >>acceptable protocol) referring to a camera... All Poll watchers are elderly people. Are you going to volunteer when you retire? In my experience as a news cameraman, The poll watchers said, "Hi! You are from channel four? Are we gonna be on tv?" >>another raised voice responded >>"yes I can"....the poll watchers began discussing can he or not? and who do >>we call? (I was out of the booth at this point) The reporter and cameraman >>were discussing where to set up.... This is what makes me doubt your story. Discussion of where to set up is not an issue in a small place A poll watcher politely asked them if they would step outside until they (poll watchers) were able to speak to someone with authority. The reporter loudly refused...stating "his rights" As I mentioned earlier it is a small space....a mobile classroom. There were maybe 4 booths, 2 tables with 6 watchers each covering I believe 6 different precincts...(I live in a rural area) >>The poll watchers remained civil and soft-spoken. The reporter no doubt, (by your interpretation) was becomingly increasingly frustrated and louder. Keep in mind the reporter deals with this (his rights to a story) on a daily basis.... Maybe not.. perhaps a kid, but he DID have the right to report. the poll watchers once Every four years if at all. The reporter in my estimation was "chip on the shoulder obnoxious" from moment one..He surely could have waited the few moments to be vindicated by a phone call to someone in the know. My father-in-law is a poll volunteer in (gasp) Florida. I think he would have handled it a little bit differently. Note also...I was not the only one to complain....I received a follow-up call from the PD corroborating my complaint with others. Had I access to a local phone number for KIRO/KOMO ? I would have complained to the News Director. Not in the book? We usta field hundreds of calls at WWL when we screwed up Re: the mic...No...it did not happen in this instance....but it has happened....mic in the face and some reporter asking me a dumb question....One instance comes to mind....I was working at the Harris Bank in Chicago....The bank was evacuated because of a bomb scare (early 70's Puerto Rican Nationals FALN) after coming down 9 flights I reach street level and a mic is shoved in my face with a voice asking me if I was "inconvenienced" No warning! No ID...(It was the ABC Chicago affiliate) ummmm. transference. You had a chance for your 15 seconds of greatness and you f**ked it up. Oh well, that explains a lot. Just think before you call the cops on someone trying to do their job. I still think militant is not quite the word for you. Maybe snitch would be a better description. Read the first amendment, and think hard on this. Well, I am going to vote tomorrow, and I expect to vote against tyranny. I am a civil servant, so I cannot tell you how I will vote, nor suggest how you should. Regards, Sonny http://www.sonc.com Natchitoches, Louisiana Oldest continuous settlement in La Louisiane ?galit?, libert?, crawfish